Portable yard art has replaced painted windows for Southeast Homecoming

Homecoming is often a celebration of tradition, but this year a newcomer replaces the old favorite of window painting.

"We no longer do window painting," said Michele Irby, director of Campus Life and Event Services at Southeast Missouri State University. "Last year was the first year we didn't paint."

The university had received complaints from business owners whose windows were being used for the large, colorful murals. They reported that the organizations doing the painting weren't always cleaning the windows when they were finished.

Jeff Mungle, general manager of Burrito-Ville, can attest to that. He's dealt with a paint-covered window and a no-show cleanup crew in the past.

"After being fined for not coming and cleaning it, the guys sent their girlfriends to clean their window," Mungle said. "All the while, we had this paint-covered window that we couldn't see through. We just didn't want to deal with all of that again."

Irby said the activity was also a safety concern because students were out painting windows at night on Broadway.

As well as being potentially dangerous, window paintings are stationary. The new method -- yard art -- gives the Homecoming Planning Committee more flexibility.

"Yard art allows us to avoid problems one and two above," Irby said. "It also gives us a chance to do something creative that is portable enough to be displayed all over campus."

According to Sarah Rinehart, an Alpha Xi Delta in charge of her sorority's yard art, it's a two-sided sandwich board that is sanded, painted white and chained together at the bottom.

While Rinehart said she was disappointed that yard art was replacing window painting, she was excited to take on the task at hand.

"Having to paint two sides is going to be like painting two different windows," Rinehart said. "It will be hard work and time-consuming, but it will give us the opportunity to be more creative. I think the feel of our individual organizations can really be shown, instead of concentrating on emphasizing the fact that it's the Homecoming football game."

Not everyone is as accepting of the new activity as Rinehart, however.

"I think the people of Cape look forward to seeing the windows [painted] as a sign of the coming Homecoming parade," said Kristina Davis, a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. "The yard art is seen more by the student population rather than the city as a whole."

Irby said the yard art should be on display at Houck Stadium during the football game, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday.