Years Ago
This week’s column was researched and written by Sophia Cattalani and Claire Molnar.
26 Years Ago
On Aug. 19, 1992 there was an article in this newspaper on crime prevention in schools. The article was written to encourage parents to educate their children in drug awareness and crime prevention, as well as to inform them of programs in school having to do with the same topics. It’s goes on to also encourage the parents of Skaneateles to raise community awareness and possibly organize after school groups and activities to give children a better understanding of crime and to “arm them with an array of preventive information.” This is not something all that new and different to our schools today. This past school year, schools have increased security and began enforcing new rules in an effort to keep the students as well as faculty safe. It is unfortunate that precautionary measures are necessary, but it is good to see that safety and awareness is something that the school and the community are passionate about and have been for a while.
50 Years Ago
Long lived traditions create many memories of happiness, joy and community especially in a small town such as Skaneateles. Fifty years ago the town enjoyed one of the most memorable annual traditions in Skaneateles; our Labor Day parade, and Fireman’s Carnival (now Fireman Field Days.) According to an article in the Skaneateles Press from 1968 the parade had more than two dozen volunteers including, firemen, bands, and bugle corps. In 2017 Skaneateles celebrated the same parade and carnival, or field days supporting our firefighters. This showcases the idea that although this parade is over one hundred years old it still has a majority of the same kind of participants as it did 50 years ago. Even though life has changed drastically over the past half century perhaps the heart of what brings our town together has not.
75 Years Ago
On Aug. 20, 1943 an article was published in the Skaneateles Press on an upcoming Potato Field Day at Tully. Participating in this program would include and inspection of the Gardner Bros’, the hosts of this enthralling event, 110-acre crop of various types of potatoes along with a guided tour of their spraying and cultural equipment, as well as storage houses by Dr. Ora Smith of Cornell. Participants would then continue on to the Tully High School auditorium for a presentation and discussion of potato price regulations lead by Dr. M. C. Bond, also from Cornell. After finishing the description of all the opportunities Potato Field day will hold and assuring the people, “all potato growers are invited,” the article signs off with a couple of tips on how to properly care for, clean, and cook potatoes. In comparison, today the most anticipated field days in the paper are the Fireman Field Days. Instead of attending seminars, today we enjoy attending car shows, parades, and fairs. Eating fried food, BBQ chicken and listening to live music. All fun seekers are invited
100 Years Ago
… disaster struck the Saturday morning of Aug. 17, 1918 in a small farm residence in Tioga County not far from Skaneateles. At just after three in the morning a family of seven tragically lost their lives in a horrible fire. According to an article published in the Skaneateles Press, days after the incident Mr. and Mrs. Philip A. Roth and their five children were all killed by a fire on their property, and the case was never solved. Intriguingly there was some evidence that perhaps the mother had been responsible, but unfortunately there was no deciding proof, or any other leads as to who, or what could have caused this tragic event to occur. If this event had taken place today 100 years later this wouldn’t be the case. The new technology that is used today could’ve completely prevented an event like this from ever occurring because thanks to technology like telephones, fire trucks, fire hydrants, fire alarms, cell phones, and the major advancements in crime scene investigation the family could have been alerted to the fire, called the fire station, and escaped safely and saved not only their home, but their lives. Perhaps if this was the work of the mother the police and investigators could have used new technology and knowledge of criminals to solve the case, and help prevent other tragedies like it from ever occurring. While events like this are shocking it is important to remember that they are much less likely to occur today, but unfortunately old cases like that of the Roth family fire will remain unsolved.
