Sep. 11—HOWARD, S.D. — History has a funny way of repeating itself — and in Howard, it does so with tiaras and sisterhood.
During Monday night’s homecoming coronation ceremony at Howard High School, Ellie Becker — last year’s queen — crowned her younger sister, Anna Becker, this year’s queen. The moment mirrored a similar event 50 years earlier, when Cindy (Stangohr) Schwader crowned her own sister, Marcia (Stangohr) Sherman, as queen in 1974.
Now serving as one of this year’s parade marshals, Sherman was on hand to witness the Becker sisters share in the same experience she once had with her sister. Both families said they were surprised by the back-to-back outcomes, but agreed the connection added meaning to the tradition.
Ellie, now a freshman at South Dakota State University studying nutrition and dietetics, said crowning Anna felt like a full-circle moment.
“Last year, Anna was right by my side cheering me on,” she said. “This year, I got to be there for her.”
Before the ceremony, Ellie encouraged her sister to focus less on the outcome and more on the honor of being selected by classmates — something she described as a privilege not everyone gets to experience.
Anna said she was surprised when her name was announced, believing all four queen candidates were strong contenders. The moment, she said, felt surreal.
At Howard High, Anna is involved in volleyball, basketball, track, National Honor Society, FCCLA, student council, and FFA.
The sisters have shared a close bond since childhood. Often mistaken for twins growing up, they were inseparable — sharing friends, interests, and plenty of hand-me-downs. Over time, their individual activities led them in different directions, but both say the distance brought them closer, not apart.
Anna described Ellie as her biggest supporter, someone who has always been there to celebrate both everyday wins and life’s larger milestones. Though she never felt pressure to follow in her sister’s footsteps, she acknowledged that the back-to-back crowns were something special for their family.
“We are always there for each other whether in big or small moments,” Anna said. “We are always rooting for each other.”
She also joked that she might have the better crown-wearing skills — but added that Ellie is definitely the one more likely to wear it around the house just for fun.
The coronation also stirred memories for Sherman, who had once stood in Anna’s shoes. In 1974, she was crowned queen by her older sister. At the time, the coronation adviser, Kay Becker — who is also the grandmother of Ellie and Anna Becker — instructed Schwader to keep the winner’s name a secret until the very moment it was announced on stage. Sherman recalled that her sister never gave anything away.
“It was quite an honor,” Sherman said, reflecting on the tradition of being selected by peers.
Like the Becker sisters, she and her sister were close growing up and never viewed each other as competition.
After graduating, Sherman went on to work in the Howard School District for 35 years before retiring. Her return to the stage as a parade marshal came exactly 50 years after her own crowning.
She noted that many elements of the coronation ceremony have remained the same over the years, including royal court pages, flower girls, flag bearers, team introductions by coaches, and the burning of the “H” at the end of the night. The school song still closes out the evening, just as it did decades ago.
One major change, she pointed out, is that the homecoming dance that once followed the ceremony is no longer held. Parade traditions have also shifted. Royalty once wore formal dresses and rode on decorated floats. Today, they ride in vehicles, often dressed in casual or sports apparel.
Still, Sherman said the core traditions remain strong, and the support from the community hasn’t faded.
“This ceremony today looked very familiar to me,” Sherman said. “It’s nice to see Howard holding fast to long-standing traditions.”