Webster and Kirkwood traditionally have their homecoming (the Friendship Dance) together, but students wish for their own homecoming too.
“I think that Kirkwood and Webster are such big schools, and we all dance in our own group of friends anyways, that it would be more enjoyable, with a smaller crowd, to just have separate dances,” said junior Helen George.
The Friendship Dance has been a part of the Turkey Day celebration for years and was started to soothe tensions between schools during Turkey Day.
Some students believe the Friendship Dance should stay.
“It is a nice way to try and keep some friendship between Kirkwood and Webster,” said Dan Weyerich, KHS junior. “Friendship should be continued because it’s a great tradition to keep. Our relationship shouldn’t be all hate, even if it is fun.”
In 2011, Student Council decided to change the traditional Sweetheart Dance to the Winter Homecoming due to connotations of students needing dates. The Sweetheart Dance was popular because it was known as the “Junior Dance” with a junior king and queen.
“The Winter Homecoming is fine. I liked that the court gave more people to have a chance to be nominated,” said George. “Whenever I mention to my non- Webster friends that I have a Winter Homecoming, they always look at me like, ‘what?’”
“There’s still a rivalry among the schools but most people don’t even know why, like me,” said Weyerich. “They just continue the rivalry because it’s tradition.”
In a survey of 105 Webster students, 86 percent of students still believed in the rivlary, with 74 percent of students stating that Friendship should continue for tradition. 70 percent would like to see their own homecoming.
Webster should keep tradition by holding the Friendship Dance with Kirkwood. However, Student Council could look into replacing the Back in Black Dance with a Homecoming Dance.
