World War II ended on September 2, 1945. The students, faculty, staff and alumni at Winston-Salem Teachers College decided to celebrate by throwing their first ever football homecoming bash. Barely eight weeks later, that came about, with a bonfire, beauty contests, banquets, a parade and two big dances. Oh, yes, and a football game. The less said about that, the better, but we will get around to it later.
The event kicked off with the Alumni Banquet on Friday night, October 27, followed by a dance in the gym from eleven PM to three AM featuring Snookum Russell and his orchestra from Columbia, SC.
The parade began at mid-day on Saturday, proceeding north from the campus along Claremont Avenue, then west on East Fifth to Church Street, then south on Church to East Third Street, then east on Third back to Claremont, then south on Claremont to Stadium Drive and on to Bowman Gray Stadium. Among the highlights were the Sea of Red WSTC marching band, the float carrying Miss Winston-Salem Teachers College and the unit of marching Girl and Boy Scouts.
That night, the weekend culminated with another dance in the gymnasium. In the ensuing years, the parade expanded to include high school marching bands from across the state and a float carrying the parade marshal, who was a national black celebrity. The parade will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the fall of this year, and remains one of the most popular parades in the Twin City, along with the rapidly growing Pride Parade and the W-S Jaycee’s Christmas Parade.
Now, back to the football game
The football game in 1945 was not pleasant for the home fans. The Rams lost to the Virginia State Trojans 0-40. That was part of the worst ever WSTC season, in which the Red and White lost seven games and tied one, 6-6 with Bluefield State. But there was a silver lining to that cloud.
Teachers College had had student initiated football teams since the 1920s, so-called club teams which did their own unofficial scheduling with other schools. In 1943, the college took over and hired Brutus Wilson to coach an array of school sponsored intercollegiate sports teams. In his first year, Wilson took the Rams to the Flower Bowl, played at Durkee Field in Jacksonville, FL on New Years Day, 1944. Early in the season the Rams had battled the Allen College Dragons to a six-six tie, but when the two teams met on New Years Day, the Dragons prevailed in a 33-0 blowout. But WSTC became only the third NC college football team to play in a post season bowl, after Duke (Rose Bowl, 1939, 1942) and NC A&T (Flower Bowl, 1943).
Two years later, after the disastrous 1945 season, Brutus Wilson moved to Shaw University in Raleigh. But he recommended that his replacement be his assistant, a young man named Clarence Gaines. Gaines, 6-4, 265 pounds, had grown up in Paducah, Kentucky, won All-American honors as a lineman at Morgan State University. He was a top student and had planned to continue his education in dental school. But his college coach suggested that he earn some money to help him through grad school by coaching for a year or two under Wilson at Winston-Salem Teachers.
So in the spring of 1946, “Bighouse” Gaines found himself, at age 24, the head coach of all Ram sports teams, as well as the athletics director of the college. He soon forgot dental school and never looked back. Two years later, in 1948, he led the Rams football team to an 8-1 record and was named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association coach of the year.
Twelve years later, he coached the Winston-Salem track and field team to a second straight national NAIA championship. That story is here:
https://northcarolinaroom.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/on-the-road-to-sioux-falls/
And Bighouse was just getting warmed up on the basketball front. The 1945 football season may have been a forgettable mistake, but the arrival of Bighouse Gaines on the campus that same year is an unforgettable moment in Winston-Salem State University history. And be reminded, the 75th anniversary begins in the fall of this year.
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I wasn’t born until 1958 and became a school-aged kid in the 60s and 70s, but I remember the names and definitely the parade. I went to Brown’s Elementary and my sister and brother, both older than me went to Atkins in its heyday. These are good memories. Unfortunately, Winston-Salem and the educational history and influence of great black men and women is only a shadow of what it was.
Good stuff. Thank You
This made my day! I grew up in Winston-Salem and although I now live in Atlanta, I still call W-S my home. I, along with several family members attended WSSU and received degrees in education…my aunt and sister when it was named WSTC. I love sharing W-S black history with people I have met here in Atlanta…they have no idea how progressive and independent the black community was…business owners, medical professionals, educators, politicians, city leaders and the list goes on…not to leave out the great friendships that started as kids and lasted a lifetime!
I grew up in Winston-Salem and attended the NYSP programs there in 1976, 1977 and 1978. I worked it as a Counselor in 1984 during my Freshman/Sophomore year at UNCG. Three of my siblings graduated from there. I was surprised to see my 5th grade Teacher at Lowrance Elementary School as the Drum Major in the 1945 Homecoming Parade (Mr. Romie Avery). He was truly a role model back then and was more that just a Teacher. He taught you about life. I always like looking at the Digital Archives of Winston Salem and WSSU. Thanks