Last Saturday was one of those perfect autumn days that makes football fans remember college weekends dedicated to gridiron contests and tailgate parties. And it was the perfect day for T.C. Williams High Schools homecoming festivities.

The

day began with a parade on Braddock Road. The Titan marching band led the way, followed by floats designed by each class and cars filled with homecoming court attendants. The parade wound its way through the Bradlee Shopping Center, onto the service road and finally onto Braddock Road and into the gates of Episcopal High School where the homecoming game was held.

This years homecoming theme was Old Hollywood. The freshman and junior classes seemed to understand the theme but the seniors dared to be different and chose Victory through Construction as their theme. This senior class will be the first to graduate from the new high school and has survived years of construction at the two middle schools and at T.C. Williams.

In keeping with a tradition set by previous principal John Porter, second year T.C. leader, Mel Riddile, awarded first prize in the float competition to the seniors. After that, he helped to crown this years king and queen.

Once again, tradition dictates that the king and queen must be members of the senior class. Constance Woods was chosen as this years homecoming queen and Earl Via was crowned king, taking time out from his heroics on the football field.

During the homecoming game, the 1971 Titans, that Virginia State championship team about whom Disney made a movie, presented Mike Hopsons jersey with his #84 on it, to the Hopson family. Hopson was a member of the 1971 football team and a security monitor at T.C. Williams. He died on Sept. 27 of a heart attack. His daughters are students at T.C.

After the game, T.C. students rushed home to dress for the first homecoming dance ever held in the new school. According to Executive Associate Principal Tammie Ignacio, the dance was quite a success. Everyone looked terrific, she said.

Homecoming is a time for former students to return to the scene of their triumphs and maybe their mistakes. This was a special year for the T.C. Williams class of 1967, the first class ever to graduate from the school. There are many members of the class still living in Alexandria but others took the opportunity to return to visit with old friends and see the new school. A weekend of activities culminated in a party at the Old Dominion Boat Club on Saturday night and included a tour of the new building, which was dedicated on Sunday.