: For Students, Faculty, and Staff 
Image of the article, “‘Back to Campus’ is Slogan of New and Old Students” from the October 2, 1914 issue of The Minnesota Daily student newspaper.
The inaugural Homecoming celebration was suggested and created in the fall of 1914 by Cyrus S. Kauffman, President of the All-University Council and Business Manager of The Minnesota Daily. The event was designed to strengthen connections between alumni and the University campus during the height of the football season.
In the October 2, 1914 issue of The Minnesota Daily, it was announced that the All-University Council had adopted a resolution declaring November 14, 1914, as the “home-coming day for Minnesota alumni.” The initiative aimed to “create a ‘back-to-the-campus’ movement, and to give a bigger and better spirit to the entire University.” An elaborate program was planned in conjunction with the football game against Wisconsin and was met with enthusiasm by students and President George Edgar Vincent. The event sought to ‘instill civic pride in the University, and foster patriotism and loyalty in every student for his alma mater.’
From that point forward, Homecoming evolved into an annual campus tradition, as described in the 1962 Homecoming Edition of the Daily in Charlie Hartfiel’s article, “U Homecoming, Like Topsy, Just Grew and Grew.” As part of this ongoing tradition, Daily staff documented and celebrated the festivities through special editions that highlighted the spirit and activities of Homecoming week.
The first documented Homecoming edition of the Daily was printed and distributed on Saturday, November 13, 1915. It highlighted the convocation to open the football game, a review of the Gopher line-up, and a program for a concert and dance. Throughout both World Wars, the special Homecoming edition was published intermittently as circumstances allowed. But by 1948, greater emphasis was placed on the event, and the Daily’s accompanying issues began appearing on a more regular basis.
Image of the cover of The Minnesota Daily: October 30, 1948
Image of the cover of The Minnesota Daily: October 20, 1951
By the mid-1970s, the Daily began publishing its Homecoming edition as an advertising supplement to the regular issue. These inserts featured team information, player statistics, and photographs. Produced by the advertising department, these editions often incorporated articles from previous decades alongside promotions from local businesses supporting Gopher Homecoming activities.
Image of the Homecoming Week advertising supplement in The Minnesota Daily: October 30, 1978
Image of the Homecoming Week advertising supplement in The Minnesota Daily: October 8, 1976
Image of the Homecoming Week advertising supplement in The Minnesota Daily: October 22, 1979
By the 1990s, the Daily’s regularly produced advertising supplement merged and expanded into double-page spreads and standalone Homecoming sections. Similar to editions of the past, these sections documented the week-long events through photographs and featured articles.
Image of the Homecoming section in The Minnesota Daily: October 14, 1996
Image of the Homecoming section in The Minnesota Daily: October 10, 1994
Though the design and content changed with each decade, the Daily retained its tradition of documenting and sharing the spirit of Homecoming “to the entire University.”
To learn more on the Daily’s special issues, including the Homecoming editions, join us at the Open House event for the exhibit, “Beyond the Page: Preserving the Spirit of the University Through an Independent Student Press,” on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 11 am to 2 pm at Elmer L. Andersen Library in Room 120. This event is open to the public!
