Years Ago
These moments in history are selected and edited by students enrolled in Mrs. Hardy’s tenth grade Honors English class. Thank you to the Skaneateles Library and the Historical Society for providing the Press Archives.
10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, The Skaneateles Press published an article about recognizing past and present athletes. School administrators and board members began hanging banners as a way to commemorate the athletic success of the school. This included sectional and state titles in the form of banners and plaques, as well as individual achievements. Since then, the banners have moved from the commons to the gymnasium where students and spectators can gaze at them. At the end of sport seasons, the banners are taken down and updated. Recent add-ons in the past few years include state titles for boys’ and girls’ hockey, and most recently, girls’ lacrosse. Our many sectional wins reflect the varied talent among our school’s student athletes.
28 Years Ago
In the Nov. 22, 1989 edition of The Skaneateles Press, an article was published in the Business Briefs section about the construction of a new mall. This mall was named The Carousel Center which is now known today as Destiny USA. The construction of this great mall was being directed by the East Syracuse Law firm of Qualis Corporation’s General Contracting Division alongside Pyramid Companies. Today, this mall is entering its 28th year anniversary since its grand opening in 1990. Since then the mall has grown drastically in size and has been providing the people of Central New York with many shopping and entertainment options. The most recent addition to the ever growing Destiny USA complex, Embassy Suites Hotel, opened on Sept. 12. The hotel shows that the mall’s success isn’t stopping anytime soon.
50 Years Ago
Fifty years ago, exchange student programs were alive and well. Gail Pitman, a Skaneateles graduate and then junior at Syracuse University, had elected to spend her spring semester at a university in France. The family she was to stay with would be selected by the University’s foreign study program committee. Today, the rotary program is a big part of Skaneateles High School. It brings the community new people from all around the world who live with three families throughout the school year. Rotary also allows our local high school students to experience different countries providing them opportunities they will never forget. Skaneateles sophomore, Minne Carroll (contributor to this very column), will be studying in Amiens, France next year before returning to Skaneateles for junior and senior year. Amiens is a city 75 miles north of Paris. Overseas opportunities, whether fifty years ago or today, change lives.
75 Years Ago
Seventy five years ago, the Skaneateles Press published an article warning of possible food restriction in the United States due to the shifting of the workforce from peacetime to wartime activities. The rate of foods that were imported exceeded the amount exported for years, resulting in a surplus of food and a growing population. The population change would result in more food being required in WWII. With such a large movement of people in the workforce, the farming population and production rates decreased, leaving an opening for food shortages to take place. The workforce population was estimated to be around 73 million at the time, and 15 million were soon called up into the military. Of that population, farmers made up only 18%. The world today is enduring a national crisis of extremely rapid population growth; the ratio of supplies and surplus to the amount of human beings on this planet is not balanced. Poverty and hunger continues to grow with no actual solution for the problem. Over 41 people living in the US are hungry, let alone third world countries and the rest of the world. 1 out of 8 people are malnourished globally. Contributions for organizations such as Feeding America will help combat world hunger.
100 Years Ago
One hundred years ago, the Skaneateles Press published an article about Los Angeles becoming a dry city. The government abolished all alcohol consumption in saloons and in households. The only place a person could have alcohol was in a restaurant with their meal, as long as it was consumed before 9pm. Many people disagreed with this movement which led to numerous revolts. L.A. bootlegging and crooked cops helped run hidden bars in homes or even underground. If you read the Skaneateles Press two weeks ago you learned that prohibition occurred in Onondaga County in the year of 1919 and was carried throughout the year of 1933. The reason for prohibition was due to family violence caused by alcoholism, particularly men and fathers who returned home from the war. If there was a vote to make Onondaga County a dry county again, which side would you favor?
