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 Press, advertised the Strawberry Festival on June 8  taking place at Stella Maris. Unfortunately, this festival is no longer running. Even though Stella Maris no longer stands there are still many places one can go strawberry picking, such as Couple Stone Valley Farm, Hydroponic Farm, and SG&S Farm Inc. Berries are the best-selling type of fruit in the United States, being a simple and tasty snack. Strawberry picking season is upon us so go enjoy some fresh fruit!

25 Years Ago

… Exotic animals were brought to the Tri-County Mall for an educational exhibit. In 1993 D.H. Luce saw the impact that circuses and zoos had on the environment, with wild animals being taken from their home to be used as entertainment. In order to slow the importation of these animals, as well as the environmental depletion of these species, he began Endangered Species, Inc. in Florida, where he bred exotic cats. These animals were then sold to zoos and circuses, lowering the amount of animals taken from the wild, and were placed based on their personalities. Extroverted animals would travel with Luce, while introverted ones would be sent to other breeding facilities. Two of the animals on exhibit in the Mall were a black panther and a baboon.  With his wide variety of animals, D.H. Luce had held over 400 free lectures to inform, and to keep the big cats alive: his ultimate goal is to keep exotic animals in the wild where they belong, while decreasing demand by breeding his own for shows. However, there is controversy over keeping these very “wild” animals in captivity. In fact, an estimated 15,000 primates are kept as pets in the United States today! Today, New York law states that the possession, sale, barter, and importing of big cats is illegal.  You may find some of these exotic animals to be adorable, but if you want to adopt, stick with their domesticated, and legal, counterparts.

50 Years Ago

… The Skaneateles Press published an article about the joys of camping. The article discussed how camping allows the whole family to isolate themselves from outside influences and take in the beauties of nature. Parents are able to free their minds from work by fishing and bathing in the sun, while children are given the opportunity to be independent. This experience facilitates bonding and appreciation for family-time and nature. Every year, 40 million Americans go camping across the nation. It offers an inexpensive alternative to other vacation travel. A camping trip costs on average $600 once you have appropriate gear, while an average traveling vacation costs $1,145 per person according to momgoescamping.com. In the coming months, consider camping as a great way to connect with nature.

75 Years Ago

… “please limit your call to 5 minutes. Others are waiting”. This is a reminder readers encountered in the Skaneateles newspaper 75 Years Ago. Our country was in the midst of World War II and needed to keep the telephone wires open so everyone could have equal time to talk to their loved ones. There wasn’t advanced technology to make it possible for everyone to talk at the same time. In this day and age, we don’t have this problem. Most people have their own cell phones and can communicate around the world within seconds. Currently, we are fortunate to say we are not in the middle of a world war and have advanced technology available to us to provide stronger communication that is not limited.

100 Years Ago

… with World War I in full effect, cuts at home needed to be made in order to fund the nations’ soldiers fighting for our freedom. One of these cuts in Syracuse affected one of the most well-known 4th of July traditions, the usage of fireworks. In the article “Fireworks Prohibited in Syracuse on The Fourth”, Commissioner Walter W. Nicholson announced that he would issue no permit to allow the sale of fireworks to anyone in Syracuse, pointing out that the people’s money which would have been used to buy fireworks should be used to buy thrift stamps for the war efforts. Today, the sale and usage of certain fireworks has been granted to certain professional corporations in 31 out of the 62 counties in New York State according to Syracuse.com. Just because fireworks are legal in some counties doesn’t mean they are safe to use. This year, leave it up to the professionals such as the Skaneateles Country Club to put on a spectacular firework display while having a fun and safe 4th of July