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
The Skaneateles summer musical put on by the Skaneateles Summer Theatre has been an event that audiences of all ages have enjoyed for years. 10 years ago, the Summer Theatre celebrated their ten year anniversary by performing The Wizard of Oz. The director, Micheal Kringer, and other members of the production have continued to work hard and provide shows for years since, ending last summer with Thoroughly Modern Millie. This was unfortunately the last musical Kringer directed for the summer program, however; he is continuing to direct at the Skaneateles High School, as he has been since 1988. The new director for the performance this summer is currently unknown, but viewers are hopeful this summer performance will continue to live on and provide entertainment for our town in its twentieth year.
25 Years
Twenty five years ago marked the biggest ever change to the Judge Ben Wiles, which became available to the public on its annual launch in May. The boat had been renovated to include a large new upper deck for dinner cruises, adding 24 seats and increasing the boat’s capacity from 76 people to 102. During this time, to take a 50 minute tour of the north end of Skaneateles Lake one didn’t need a reservation, whereas now for any type of tour or dinner cruise tickets are required. These can be purchased online or over the phone through Mid-Lakes Navigation, starting with its first sightseeing cruise of 2017 on May 13th.The 1992 changes to the Judge Ben Wiles made the boat what residents and tourists of Skaneateles know and love today.
50 Years
Fifty years ago, a burglary occurred. Dubbed “the case of the missing tape recorder”, the culprits were arrested for stealing the $150 piece of equipment from a local church. Stealing the tape recorder, which today would be considered next to worthless, was deemed a second degree grand larceny and a $5,000 bail was imposed on the three thieves. Today, second degree larceny entails stealing a motorized vehicle or something worth more than $5,000.
75 Years
In 1942 during World War II care packages were encouraged to be made for soldiers at war. People would donate items for these care packages including cigarettes, candy, baked goods, and toothpaste. Today, care packages are made for soldiers to distribute to people living in warzones, rather than the soldiers themselves. Items that are sent overseas today are sunblock, socks, flip flops, baby wipes, snacks, canned foods, blankets. With innocent people often caught in the midst of war, care packages are a necessity for survival.
100 Years
One hundred years ago, the Press published a new set of dog laws for the town of Skaneateles. The laws were instituted for the purpose of protecting animals, especially sheep, being killed by dogs. In order to ensure the safety of the sheep, dogs now had to be registered and tagged, were restricted to their owner’s land, and a fine would be ordered to any owner whom did not comply. The laws even went as far as to say that owners needed to give ten days’ notice before “disposing” of their pet. Any dog seen “worrying an animal or fowl” could be legally killed by the person who witnessed the event. This group of laws presented in 1917 set a new standard of laws that exist today. Now, dogs are expected to be registered, get vaccinations, and be on a leash or closely supervised.
