Traditional Homecoming Day Parade down Main Street canceled

High school principal says rerouting parade is part of effort to unite school community against bullying

WARWICK — Oct. 13, 2012, was a good day for Warwick.

The weather was picture perfect for the Warwick Valley High School’s annual Homecoming Day parade and everyone agreed that the students, as they always had for 41 years, produced a great parade, especially with their creative floats along Main Street in the Village of Warwick.

That tradition will not be repeated this year and perhaps never.

This Saturday, Sept. 28, festivities will begin with a parade line-up at the District Office parking lot on West Street. The Wildcat Marching Band will lead the parade line as it moves onto campus and heads toward the football field. Students are encouraged to march with their team, club, group or class.

Parents, alumni and supporters are also encouraged to line the field entrance to cheer them on. All are invited.

“Our focus this year is to have Homecoming serve as a platform for us to further unite our school community. Every decision was made with the idea that, ‘We are all people...’ and every student in our school matters,” said Principal Richard Linkens. “The decision to decorate hallways and to reroute the parade were each made with this guiding philosophy in mind. Never before in the history of public education has there been anything comparable to what is currently happening when it comes to working to end bullying of our children. Our goal is to have Warwick Valley High School serve as a shining example of what people can do when they join together to support one another.”

Activities start at 10 a.m. and the parade line up begins at noon. It will enter the Varsity Football Stadium just prior to game time at 1:30 p.m., and walk a pre-game lap around the field.

Reaction
For some residents, the decision brings disappointment.

In a recent posting on Warwick Commonplace, a local online bulletin board, Kerry Malone-Demetroules copied a letter she had sent to Linkens.

“As a parent I am deeply saddened by the cancellation of the Homecoming Parade,” she wrote. “My children have lived and grown up in the same house in the village of their Great Grandmother. Every year we walk down to Oakland to watch the Homecoming parade.We cheer for each class’s float; we catch candy thrown by the students, we cheer “GO Wildcats” to the athletes, and wave at the homecoming party.

"And every year we say some day you will be a Wildcat and you will be in that parade.

"Well, that time has arrived," Malone-Demetroules continued. "They are freshmen. My son is a JV Football Wildcat and my daughter is on the freshman homecoming committee. So you can understand the terrible disappointment we all felt when we heard that you cancelled the 42nd Annual Homecoming parade.”

Malone-Demetroules is not alone in her disappointment.

“I appreciate that the school wants to try new ways to increase student participation," Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton said, "but that can still be done without eliminating a 40-plus year tradition.

"As an alumni I am saddened by the decision and urge the administration to reverse their decision,” Sweeton added.

'What makes Warwick special'
Those sentiments were also echoed by Mayor Michael Newhard.

“The decision to change the format of homecoming to not include a parade on Main Street was an unexpected surprise,” the mayor said. “The parade is often described as a quintessential small town event and rightly so.

"I am very aware of the difficult logistics, time, volunteerism and cost of organizing such an event," Newhard added. "I applaud the desire to create events that are more inclusive and sustainable. I still believe a parade provides an outreach to the community that speaks of tradition and hometown pride.

"Many people who enjoy the parade do not have children in the school district, many don’t have cars and others would be incapable of going to a football game due to age or physical disabilities. This is the other side of the equation and why it is important and, without it, felt as a loss.”

Warwick merchants also enjoy the increased downtown activity and the convenience of being able to take a short break outside their shops and watch a fun “Small town USA” event.

“When I tell people from out of town that we have a homecoming day parade, they say, ‘Really?” said Mary Beth Schlichting, owner of Frazzleberries gift shop. “Many towns and villages do not. It’s what makes Warwick so special.”

By Roger Gavan