History of Family Weekend

The tradition began in 1919 shortly after the end of World War I. Membership in the Corps of Cadets was mandatory, and mothers often found themselves worrying about the welfare of their sons. President Woodrow Wilson had recently issued an official proclamation establishing a national Mother’s Day, and Family Weekend originated as a recognition of the holiday on campus. When the university moved graduation ceremonies to early May in 1971, the weekend of events for parents and families was moved to April as a result, where it has remained.

Honoring Parents of the Year has been a big part of Family Weekend festivities. In 1956, the first Mother of the Year Maria V. Reyes was selected and honored in conjunction with Mother’s Day weekend. The selection of a Mother of the Year continued annually until 1974 when the award was changed to Parents of the Year to allow additional deserving family members to be honored. This tradition continues today with Parents of the Year beginning their one-year tenure during Family Weekend.

Corps flower pinning, military reviews, chapel services, campus tours and outfit award presentations have been staples of the weekend since early on. After 1965, when membership in the Corps became voluntary, new activities were continually added over the years to include a wider variety of students. Some of these new activities included the Bevo Burn Barbecue competition, Memorial Student Center (MSC) Variety Show, and Residential Housing Association (RHA) Casino.

The Maroon and White football game is another Family Weekend staple. While it is now a much-anticipated event, the game first appeared on the schedule only as recently as 1982. This exhibition game began as a charity event in 1941 and, over the decades, has involved intramural student athletes, former varsity players, including Heisman winner John David Crow, and current Aggie players and coaches.