Long before the fall flu shot clinics, River Valley football gets under way.

Between late-summer football practices and flu shots are the homecoming celebrations at Mountain Valley and Dirigo high schools.

Last week was Spirit Week at Mountain Valley High. Each school day challenged students to dress up for Gender Day, Nerd Day, Neon Day, Pirate Day, and for the homecoming festivities, Blue and Silver Day.

Monday had to be the hardest: One young man emerged from his house all tarted up. He wore a wig of long black hair, mini skirt, tights. He had an easy time getting into the car, but when it pulled up at school, he didn’t want to get out. “You gotta get out, or I’ll be late for work,” the driver cried.

Gender Day, observed Raquel Welch, Student Council adviser, is a lot harder for boys than girls. Maybe 25 percent of Mountain Valley’s young men donned female togs.

What with Gender Day and Nerd Day, you’d have to wonder how long Spirit Week has been the run-up to homecoming at MVHS.

Raquel wasn’t sure but said the week of competition among classes was an annual event when she was an MVHS student, Class of 1989. She’s certain, however, there was no Gender Day. “Kids today are more open,” she said.

Asked to compare ’89 and ’09 kids, Raquel said they grow up faster now and 20 years ago home used to be the safest place. Nowadays, school is often a kid’s safest place. But, she added, in any decade, “kids are kids.”

Raquel works extra hard during Spirit Week: “I’ll sleep next week.” In fact, she works hard each and every week. Raquel’s style is easygoing.

Good thing. Her 12 Life Skills students are almost constantly on the move. Raquel and three ed techs provide structure. Each day the class prepares lunch for teachers who want to buy, not bring, it.

The competition among the four classes climaxed Friday. After an early afternoon rally, freshman, sophomore, junior and senior parade floats lined up behind the school at 4 p.m. The parade snaked around construction, through town and onto Hosmer Field. There, the Falcons played the Poland football team.

“Oh,” Raquel said. “We’ll win.”

This week is Homecoming Week in Dixfield. Dirigo’s activities are different from Mountain Valley’s. This year’s theme is eras, medieval, prehistory, future, exploration.

The Dixfield community will see the results of the classes’ theme work on display in the parade that begins at 7 p.m. Friday. After the parade, a bonfire. Dixfield’s homecoming is always a big success, Karen Phair said. “Usually, we see quite a few alumni, mostly college kids,” and a good number of alumni come with their grandchildren.

Like her counterpart at MVHS, Karen doesn’t know exactly when the homecoming week activities became an annual event, but it was going on when she came to town in ’85.

Booster shot

There are some downcast faces around the River Valley of late. The thought of further layoffs at the mill creates anxiety; and add the likely increase in Rumford real estate taxes.

Just when we need it most, a morale booster: The Rumford Performance Committee, under the energetic, upbeat leadership of Jim Rinaldo, is bringing music, drama, dance, magic, seasonal and cultural festivals to the Rumford municipal auditorium. In season, they will be held at Morency Park and other outdoor settings.

The kickoff is Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m.: The 20-piece U.S. Air Force Liberty Jazz Band will perform in the refurbished auditorium. Seating is in the balcony and on the floor. Admission is free.

For more information, or if you want to help the committee administer its morale booster shots, call Jim Rinaldo at 364-2983.

Linda Farr Macgregor is a freelance writer; contact her at [email protected]