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
… the first Sweetheart dance was held here in Skaneateles, New York. This father daughter dance was run by Rick Pound, John Smolenski, and Nancy Roberts. It was held in order to support the cross country and track athletes at Skaneateles High School. Student volunteers helped to organize and run the dance alongside their coaches and parents, in order to make this night special. Since 2008, this event has grown exponentially, and on February 9th of this year, the Skaneateles cross country and track teams held the biggest dance yet, with over three hundred fifty people in attendance. This year the event was run by Mrs. Osmun, Mrs. Conan, Mrs. Grasso, and Mrs. Condon. There were crafts, desserts, a raffle, homemade corsages (by the athletes), and a DJ, all of which made this event a huge success! The team appreciates the donations given towards the boosters club in order to support them, and a big thank you goes out to anyone who attended the dance or gave donations!
25 Years Ago
… there was an article published in the Skaneateles newspaper called “Natural Gas Powers eight new ‘clean’ Centro buses”. The new busses were part of a test on the viability of natural gas compared to diesel, and the environmental impact of natural gas. The article stated that natural gas would reduce reliance on costly and volatile foreign oil as well as being cheaper to operate and maintain all while bring more environmentally safe. The case for clean renewable energy is still very similar to the anti-foreign oil case made 25 years ago. Negative effects of carbon emissions such as greenhouse gases further push the case for a more moral clean energy source. Although natural gas has less carbon emissions than coal and diesel, there is an anti-natural gas case due to the controversial fracking process that may pollute groundwater. Now, electric and solar energy are considered the cleanest energy source above even natural gas. Companies such as Tesla have harnessed electric energy in cars and provide a model for reducing carbon emissions, resulting in an improved environment for centuries to come.
50 Years Ago
… there was an article published in the Skaneateles Press about Skaneateles Lake facing the threat of pollution. The article stated that a lack of adequate sewage systems was leading to pollution in the lake. Since Skaneateles lake is a crucial water source in central New York and provides water to the city of Syracuse, this was a very important concern. This summer Skaneateles lake also experienced a large threat of pollution. There was a large blue-green algae bloom and the lake water could not be drunk or swam in. The algae bloom was caused by pesticides and a heavy storm in July that increased levels of phosphorus, a nutrient that algae need to grow. The lake has since recovered but if heavy summer rains continue as well as pesticides use near the lake than we face a chance of another algae bloom.
75 Years Ago
…theaters were the only way to watch movies. Millions every year flocked to theaters on Valentine’s Day to watch romance movies with friends and loved ones. In Auburn, they showed the popular movie Random Harvest throughout the week which was a smash hit at the time in the local theater. Nowadays, many turn to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO to watch great movies in the comfort of their own home. Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, Netflix has a plethora of heartwarming films to watch with people you love such as Begin Again, Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Safe Haven, Love and Honor, and Listen to Your Heart.
100 Years Ago
… American soldiers were stationed in France, fighting in World War I. There are many factors that the government has to manage when sending troops to fight in battle. These factors include weapons, number of soldiers, and provisions. An article published in the Skaneateles Press discussed the surprising amount of food needed to be sent to American troops fighting in World War I. It stated that every day, 100 pounds of gross tonnage had to be shipped into French ports, and that a shocking 23 million pounds of beef, 37.5 million pounds of butter, and many other items had to be shipped each month. Although this seems like a lot of food, the soldiers in France were only allowed 5 pounds of food per day, including silverware and containers. Soldiers stationed in war zones today receive MREs, or Meals, Ready to Eat. Most MREs contain an entree such as spaghetti or beef stew, a side dish, desserts, beverages, with silverware and a heater to warm up the food. Providing meals for our soldiers is vital to their success.
