Years Ago
This column is a revitalized weekly addition to the paper. The following moments in history are selected, researched, and edited by Skaneateles High School students enrolled in Kate Hardy’s 10th grade Honors English class. For the next school year they hope to celebrate the past and remember the days from years ago. Thank you to the Skaneateles Library and the Historical Society for providing the Press archives.
10 Years
Throughout the years, the Skaneateles Music and Drama department has been very active in our community and experienced many successes. One highlight was 10 years ago when members of the Skaneateles High School Concert Choir and Orchestra were selected to perform at Walt Disney World as part of the Disney Magic Music Days. During their trip, they stayed at the Walt Disney World Resort before performing on stage at the Future World West in Epcot. This year, the drama department’s annual musical will be The Addam’s Family which will be showing during the first week of March. Make sure to buy your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out on another magical experience! Tickets are on sale at showtix4u.com.
25 Years
Twenty five years ago a picture was published on the front page of the Skaneateles Press, featuring Dick Cangemi dressed up as a “Bombat”. This was in celebration of 100 days of class at Waterman School, where each class collected 100 items to put into a “stew”. The inspiration for the Bombat and the stew came from the book “Wombat Stew” which the students had read. Dick Cangemi, who was the music director at the time, has since retired from teaching but occasionally serves as a substitute teacher for band students today. Waterman School recently celebrated 100 days of classes on the 16th and 17th of February.
50 Years
Fifty years ago, the Skaneateles School District added 15 new teachers to the staff. Seven teachers were added to the elementary schools and eight to the secondary schools. Positions included those that were not filled the previous year. In addition, during this time grade 9 became part of the high school. In the fall of 2016, the district hired 22 new staff members, including a new Humanities Coordinator, Arts Coordinator, District Business Official and several elementary teachers. Similar to events in 1967, today’s Strategic Planning committee is looking into building changes due to decreasing enrollment.
75 Years
Seventy-five years ago this week, the Skaneateles Press ran an article discussing the efforts of local and national-level politicians vying for General Douglas MacArthur to become a candidate for President during the 1944 election. The World War II commander was tapped to run due to a widespread belief that MacArthur would be a very popular candidate and it was unknown how the general felt about a potential candidacy. In the end, Douglas MacArthur did not run, yet another revered WWII general, Dwight Eisenhower, captured the presidency eight years later. The election was won by an ailing FDR who died in the first April of his fourth term, Truman being sworn in the same day as Roosevelt’s passing.
100 Years
One hundred years ago there was an advertisement regarding the Iowa. This magnificent machine skimmed milk and was known as the “world’s best by test.” Costs for the Iowa ran between 70 and 90 dollars. Compared to modern technology, the Iowa definitely looks like a kooky contraption. Dairy Farms like Fesko and Byrne Dairy use a much more advanced device nowadays known as a centrifugal separator. Next time you’re enjoying a nice cold glass of skim milk remember it all started with the Iowa.
