1954-58 Kuhns Family Home 8mm Film Preservation

Dad apparently wanted to make a tribute to his only daughter as he spliced together highlights from two reels of Joyce's high school homecoming appearances. Joyce first appeared as an attendant in the 1954 Homecoming as an 8th grader. Subsequently she was elected queen as a senior in 1958.

As we didn't have football in those days, homecoming was held in February close to Valentine's Day, and was filled with "Pomp and Circumstance" which was the song playing as the queen and her attendants entered the auditorium. After the crowning of the queen, students performed many musical, dancing, tumbling and funny acts to entertain the queen and her court. It seems the big thing back then was boys dressing as girls.

In the 1954 Homecoming, Joyce is dressed in a blue gown. The closest Dad came to capturing a closeup of her is immediately after the boys dance line. This was during the queen and her court leaving the stage for the traditional queen and court dance. Unfortunately, Joyce and her escort turned away from where Dad was filming.

In the 1958 homecoming as you would expect, she is the center of attention of dad's filming. She was dressed in a lovely white gown. She told me that when it was time for prom, mom wanted to buy another gown, but she said she already had one, it was worn at the homecoming. Mom was totally surprised so they added a red ribbon around her waist to give it different look.

The final footage is her and Donnie going to her 1958 Senior prom.