Like Friday, Saturday dawned bright and clear. By now, most of the ex-students were in town, eagerly awaiting the festivities that would mark the second day of Homecoming, 1973.

Behind the scenes, invisible to the casual observer, Forney was putting on her finest for this day. For Saturday was the day of the annual Homecoming Parade, when businesses, civic groups and even individuals are welcome to break out their tools, confetti and ingenuity to illustrate the Country Gold Homecoming theme.

And, in mid-afternoon, down Bois D'Arc they came - cars decked out in bunting; band units from the high schools; floats. Parade excitement filled the air.

Winning first prize for their float - was Girl Scout Cadette Troop #1173. Working on the float were Scouts Lisa Fultz, Cindy McAnally, Penny Jacobs, Shawna Britain, Paulann Smith, Radonna Nix, Risa Roland, Stephanie Lester and Kim Haynes. They worked for several meetings of the troop making posters and paper flowers for decorations and spent four hours Friday putting these items on the float. Paper napkins were folded, stapled and attached one at a time to form the "Hooty Owl."

Theme for the float was "America the Beautiful," and posters urged everyone to "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute" and "Stash That Trash."

The Color Guard for the parade entry was Paulann Smith, Cindy McAnally and Penny Jacobs. Carrying posters were Kim Haynes and Shawna Brittain, and appearing as trash cans (which the girls made themselves) were Lisa Fultz and Stephanie Lester. Riding inside the float were Peggy Hunter and Brownie Troop #1764.

The prize money - $25.00 - will be put into a savings account and used later this year for a camping trip.

Second prize winner was the Future Farmers of America entry, a country jailhouse. The FFA received a check for $15.00 in recognition for it's achievement.

...And the Dinner

At 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening, the cafetorium at Forney Elementary School was filled with local residents and Ex-Students.

The Ex-Students, from all over Texas, showed a wide representation of many Forney High School graduating classes, from the venerable Class of 1908, whose delegate was the spritely Mrs. Polly Pinson (Pauline Ferry), the oldest class member present, to the Class of 1971.

Following a meal of fried chicken, a short business meeting was held. Since the Class of 1963 had the most members present at the dinner, they were given the responsibility of preparing for next year's Homecoming dinner.

Honored on their 50th anniversary was the Forney High School Class of 1923. Present from that class were Ada Lou Dozier Adams, Dallas; Ruth Chapman Layne, Austin; J.F. Yates, Lancaster; Nettie McMahan Tune, Forney; and Willie Chapman Johnson, Dallas.

Checks in recognition of their winning first and second place in the Homecoming Parade respectively were presented to the Girl Scouts and to the Forney High School FFA.

Elected as officers for the coming year of the Ex-Students' Association were:

Jerry Bob Wortham, president; Edward De Master, vice-president; Molly Belz, secretary and Martha Kasper, treasurer.

Added notes (from the Social Security Death Index):

Pauline Ferry Pinson - Jan 8, 1891 - Mar 1987
Nettie McMahan Tune - Feb 11, 1905 - Oct 24, 1998
Ruth Chapman Layne - Jul 26, 1904 - Mar 13, 1990
John F. Yates - Nov 11, 1903 - Sep 1984