Homecoming coat check plagued by problems

Blair's Homecoming coat check faced a host of problems throughout the dance as large numbers of students overwhelmed the parents and security guards controlling the coat check.

Security guard Harry Wacke, one of the coat check supervisors, said that the coat check was especially hectic this year due to its new location by the gym. In previous years, the homecoming was held in the SAC, but had to be moved this year due to structural problems within the school.

According to junior Lauren Conte, the coat check problems began early on when the supervisors ran out of tickets. She said that one woman told her that there were no more tickets so Conte had to place her coat and purse on the ground, but that the system was clearly disorganized since other students received tickets after her.

Senior Farah Farley agrees with Conte and said that coat check problems were especially evident after the dance. "When I went to get my coat afterward, everything was very disorganized. The parents in control were yelling ‘Back up!' at everyone without success."

However, Wacke said that most of the disorganization and chaos stemmmed from students' impatience. "The problem is that everybody wants to be first, and has this 'I want [my coat] now, have a nice day' attitude. What the students don't realize is that that attitude only cause more problems and accidents."

Conte said that after the dance, the coat check area was so packed that when students attempted to leave the line, they could not even move. In Conte's opinion, the entire system was ineffective and chaotic. "Teachers and parents had to start banging cymbals against each other to get students to listen, but still, nobody would shut up. Everyone was pushing each other, and we were literally stuck in the line."

Other students complain of how long the supervisors took to actually begin returning the coats. Junior Avon Jackson said that the supervisors took approximately a half-hour to return his coat. "At first, when I got there, they weren't giving any coats back, they were just yelling at everyone to get back."

Farley said that Blair should definitely develop a new coat check system for next year. "We need a better system because basically, this one is just chaotic." Wacke agreed and said that next year the school would sit down and plan the coat check process out.