Looking back to being in high school, I think I went to the homecoming dance 3 out of 4 years...but I have little to no memory of those occasions. Going to the homecoming football game and the dance the next night was just something you were supposed to do at that age (it's still true today for the most part), but I had no idea why, or where the concept even started. Schools wanted to encourage graduates to return for a football game or special events, fostering school spirit and community. The University of Missouri often claims to have hosted the first modern homecoming in 1911, featuring a football game, parade, and alumni festivities. While originally a college tradition, homecoming eventually spread to high schools in the 1920s and 1930s.