Life Comes to Burlingame

Magazine-sponsored parade with SMJC float kicked off 1953 holiday shopping season

San Mateo Junior College’s 1953 Homecoming Court was among those jumping in when the city of Burlingame and Life magazine partnered to support the city’s downtown.

“Life Comes to Burlingame,” a 10-day event spotlighting local merchants, kicked off October 22, 1953 with a parade down Burlingame and Howard avenues.

Life featured the event in its Dec. 28, 1953 issue.

In addition to a float with SMJC Homecoming Queen Gail Tichenor and her court, Life reported, the parade included the “internationally famed drill team, the Half Moon Bay Spanishtown Dons,” Miss San Mateo County, Venita Boetger, and parade marshal Spike Jones in a 1914 Cadillac. Bandleader Jones was headlining a variety show at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre, and, according to the San Mateo Times, a police escort ushered him from the city and back.

“After the parade,” Life reported, “hundreds of shoppers streamed into local stores... which featured Life-advertised goods.”

The parade was SMJC’s last public event under that name. Less than six months later, trustees changed the school’s name to College of San Mateo.