Years Ago

These moments in history are selected and edited by students enrolled in Kate 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 Sherwood Inn celebrated its 200th anniversary.  For 210 years the Inn has been a staple of Skaneateles and has been a favorite of travelers and locals alike.  The Inn has come a long way in its celebrated history including for a short time becoming a hospital during the 1918 influenza epidemic. The Inn has even hosted important guests such as Jonathan Wainwright, commander of all U.S. forces in the Philippines during World War II and former President Bill Clinton according to a 2007 Skaneateles Press article.  Today, the Inn still holds special events such as music on Sundays and a fantastic restaurant open every night.

28 Years Ago

Twenty eight years ago, the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, NY, hosted a medieval festival that celebrated European holiday traditions. The festival lasted for a couple days, from Dec. 2 to Dec. 3, and included fun activities, performances, and cultural cuisine from the time period available for the guests. This was a great educational experience, as people were able to learn about Medieval cultures during the holiday season. This weekend of festivities still lives on. Today, the Schweinfurth has an exhibit called “Quilts=Art=Quilts”, in which quilts from 65 artists around the world are on display. The Quilt exhibit is open until January 7th. The Schweinfurth still keeps up with a variety of holiday traditions from cultures around the world. You can visit their website, Schweinfurthartcenter.org, in order to find more information about holiday events.

50 Years Ago

In Skaneateles 50 years ago, bowling was a community event that many families participated in. There was even a friendly rivalry between the Skaneateles All Stars and Marcellus All Stars, based in Cedar House and Marcellus Lanes. Anyone could create a team, a policy that still remains today. According to Marcellus Lanes, in order to start a team, email them at [email protected], or call at (315)-673-3230. If you are interested in bowling with family and friends this seaon, feel free to start a team to bowl in regular bowling matches at Marcellus Lanes on Monday (Mixed), Wednesday (Women’s), Tuesday (Mixed), or Thursday (Women’s). Or, if you are looking to bowl non-competitively, look to the Marcellus Lanes website and Cedar House Bowling Lanes’ Facebook page for information on times and costs for bowling.

75 Years Ago

Seventy five years ago an article was published in the Skaneateles Press called “Don’t go to College Girls.” This article said that based on a psychologist’s study at Pennsylvania State University, females who had a college degree lowered their chances of marriage later in life. The article also stated that men typically sought a woman with a GPA 8 points lower than their own. According to the article, women who go to college marry between the ages of 26/27 and women who didn’t go to college would marry at 24. Prior to 2008 women with higher education were less likely to be married. Now women who have a higher degree or “more letters after their name” are more likely to be married than women who have just a high school diploma. Over 75 years, the value of a woman’s education after high school has become more appreciated which shows our country coming closer to gender equality.

100 Years Ago

Approximately one century ago, one would take Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy to fight common winter illnesses. Chamberlain’s claimed to treat whooping cough, croup, the flu, and the common cold. However, this “miracle” medicine would never be used today, because its two primary ingredients are alcohol and chloroform, which is poisonous. Today, we use a wide range of antibiotics to treat these illnesses. From prednisone for croup, to zithromax for whooping cough, medicine has certainly come a long way. Keep an eye out this winter, and if you do become sick make sure to contact a licensed professional.