Talawanda Teachers Share Their Homecoming Dance Stories

Surprisingly some teachers at THS still remember their Homecoming. Mr. Lykins, Mr. Mills, Mr. Schmid, Mr. Pasquale, Mr. Caudill, and Mr. Ruther shared some of their dance day memories with The Tribune.

Mr. Lykins, THS ninth grade english teacher and CCR teacher, shared with us his memories of his homecoming. We asked him if he was ever stood up by a girl, and luckily, it was a no. Although, he did break up with his girlfriend on Homecoming night his freshman year. “I was a jerk,” he added. We asked three other teachers the same question.

“I haven’t been stood up,” said Mills. “Although calls have not been returned, notes passed in class not responded to, and requests for dates denied!”

Pasquale told us that only once out of eight formal dances did he have trouble finding a date.

Our next question was if any of them had any regrettable moments. Mills told us that he went to the movies after the dance with his date. At the movie, he tried to hold his date’s hand, but was denied. Pasquale told us his only regret was “the one girl I had to take to Homecoming.” Lykins told us he didn’t have any regrettable moments.

“There wasn’t much dancing at our homecomings, so no real way to embarrass myself,” Lykins said.

Our next question was did you have any memorable moments. Pasquale replied with “Not really” except for the fact he rode in a limo his junior and senior year. Lykins said he always enjoyed the parades, and the dinner before and preparing.

“I was on the homecoming court my senior year.  I thought for sure that I had the win in the bag. I was wrong. Also, my freshman year date, Amanda, was my first kiss.  Boom!” said Mills.

They told us about their homecoming dates. Mills said his date was Laura S. According to him, she was “super cute” and was in band. “We still see each other every year or so, since we’re still in the same group of friends from back in the day.”  Mr. Caudill said he doesn’t remember Homecoming, but his date for prom’s name was Jen and even though she had jet black hair she decided to wear a blonde wig for “something different.”  Caudill said she was “kind of a free spirit.  I thought she was cute.”

Lykins told us one year as a favor, he took his friend’s sister. His senior year, he took his girlfriend, now his wife. Pasquale said after homecoming, he dropped his date off and went to his friend’s house right after.

Then they told us about their embarrassing moments.

“I’m sure my haircuts at the time were embarrassing, but so were everyone else’s!” Lykins said.

Next, we asked them what they wore. Mills told us that he wore a purple shirt and a black tie his junior year. According to Lykins, he wore khakis, a silk shirt, and “probably something purple. It was the early nineties.” Pasquale replied with “a tux with tails.”

We had them mention any other newsworthy information.

“My wife had to come home from college my senior year to go to Homecoming with me, and I planned the bonfire that year too. It was a moderate success (the bonfire, that is. That my wife decided to keep me for the next 25 years is newsworthy unto itself),” said Lykins.

Lastly, we asked what they would want for a homecoming playlist this year. Mills told us “I swear” by All-4-One and Regulate” by Warren G. and Nate Dogg.

“Everyone from the mid-90s remembers Regulate!” he said.

Pasquale then replied with “the Imperial March over and over again.”

Caudill said, “some Garth Brooks, you need some Garth Brooks…and throw a little Beyonce in there.  Katy Perry too.  I like Katy Perry.”

Mr. Ruther said he’d play John Denver (who?) and maybe, perhaps, some Mumford & Sons.

Lastly, we have Schmid. Upon entering his classroom and before even asking him a single question, he said, “I never went to a school dance.”  We replied as any logical person would with:  ”What did you do during school dances then? Watch movies?”

Schmid replied, “No, considering I’ve only seen three movies in my life. ‘Armageddon’, which I only watched part of then decided armageddon outta here, ‘Talladega Nights’, and ‘42.’

There was a group of kids though, who made their own dance and cut loose.

I didn’t go because the preacher would have gotten me, but I really did wanna kick off my Sunday shoes and cut loose.

Here’s hoping Schmid cuts it footloose as a chaperone at Talawanda’s Homecoming Dance on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.