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 Skaneateles Artisans, opened for just about a year, announced several new exhibits by a jeweler, a glassblower, and a potter. Since then, Skaneateles Artisans has expanded and now presents art from over 25 artists and of many mediums, including ribbon art, woodturnings, glass jewelry, photographs, watercolor paintings, and more. If you are interested in seeing what local artists have to offer, visit Skaneateles Artisans, located on Fennel Street under the Old Stone Mill. They are open Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 to 5 and on Sundays from 11 to 4:30. If you have any questions, you can also call 315-685-8580.
25 Years Ago
… the Skaneateles String Night was held. This event took place on March seventeenth and all four Skaneateles school orchestras performed. Their performance of Tschaikowsky’s 1812 Overture included two guest soloists, Gregory Wood and Terrance Squires. Terrance Squires performed with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for thirty-three years and then taught orchestra in State Street Elementary School for approximately twenty years. He retired in 2015 after a long career. Despite his retirement he is still involved in the local music community. String Night was an annual performance before and during Mr. Squires employment and still continues to this day. This year String Night is going to be held on March eighth, it’s open to the public and is an amazing chance to see the musical talent of the children in our community.
50 Years Ago
… in 1968, the Skaneateles Press published an article titled “Foreign Students to Visit Here on AFS Day”. AFS, which stands for American Field Service, is an Intercultural Program. Many students around the world travel during their college or high school years. Skaneateles students have participated in this tradition for over fifty years through the Rotary. Despite the pull to stay in our beautiful town, an international travel experience can have many benefits. Students can learn a new language, experience a different culture, gain career opportunities and meet lifelong friends. The idea of leaving home for a year while still in high school can be daunting, so consider studying abroad during college, as over a thousand ranked colleges offer this opportunity. A local college, Hobart and William Smith, was ranked first in the nation for colleges with study abroad programs. Yet another option is traveling during the summer months. This experience is a wonderful opportunity to learn new perspectives on life and to appreciate other cultures.
75 Years Ago
… there was an article published in the Skaneateles Press about scrap metal during World War II. The article informed readers about the price of scrap metal as well as its importance and lack at this time during the war. It was worth $8 per ton of heavy scrap metal and $5 per ton of light scrap metal (based on density). In the 40’s there was a large decrease in the availability of scrap metal and the Syracuse supply only had 1000 tons instead of their normal 5000 tons. Today, people collect and sell scrap metal for a living. The prices of scrap metal today are $0.20 per pound of light metal and $2.20 per pound of heavy metal. If you’re ever looking to make a little extra money, try looking around your house for some tin cans or old steel pipe to turn in as scrap metal.
100 Years Ago
… There was a carload of Ohio horses up for auction that were fully trained for work. The horses weighed 900-1200 pounds, making them useful for helping their owners perform manual labor. Today, we do not typically need horses to do the tasks they used to. Now horseback riding has gained popularity and has become a serious sport as well as entertaining hobby. In Skaneateles, local riding establishments operate to accommodate individuals with an interest in the sport, including Affinity Farms, Claire Affleck Horse Training, and Heritage Stables. These facilities offer lessons for people to participate at various levels. If you are interested in learning how to ride a horse, you can visit the websites of any of these organizations to book a lesson today!
