Years Ago
The following moments in history are selected, researched, and edited by Skaneateles High School students enrolled in Kate Hardy’s 10th grade Honors English class. For the next school year they hope to celebrate the past and remember the days from years ago. Thank you to the Skaneateles Library and the Historical Society for providing the Press archives.
20 Years
Homecoming has been a popular tradition in Skaneateles for many years. Every September, Skaneateles High School kicks off the school year with fun festivities including a dance, football game, and pep rally. Twenty years ago, the high school held the same events, in addition to a bonfire and parade to help contribute to their school spirit. This year, Skaneateles High School brought back the tradition of hosting a pep-rally, which students and faculty members hope to continue. The rally seemed to be a success and contributed to our Lakers’ 35-0 homecoming win against Bishop Ludden. Continuing these homecoming traditions, like our town did twenty years ago, helps students look forward to the exciting and successful school year ahead of them.
40 Years
… on Oct. 11, 1978 the Skaneateles Lakers football team was nearing the end of a dismal season. An article was published recapping a tough 27-6 loss at the hands of Solvay. The game was filled with turnovers and a lack of offense. In contrast, the Lakers have recently become dominant in their section and state utilizing their spread offense. Under head coach Joseph Sindoni, the 2018 Lakers have outscored opponents 231-51 in 5 league games. The Lakers are continuing their success this season after coming off of a State Championship season in 2017 with hopes of another victorious playoff season. With such recent success in the Skaneateles Football Program, the future of Laker football is bright.
60 Years
… Niagara Mohawk advertised their gas heating. In their advertisement they declared that people should have gas heat for its “Low-cost”, “Comfort”, “Cleanliness”, and “Convenience”. Although Niagara Mohawk asserted all of these benefits in 1958, some of their claims are just untrue. It has been stated by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions that gas heating pollutes the atmosphere with harmful gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, and is one of the causes of global warming. Today there are many alternatives to gas heating. One of these alternatives is Biomass-fueled heat. An article from Homeguides called “How to Heat your Home without using Gas” claims that a heater fueled by Biomass (plants or vegetation) costs less money to use and install than regular gas heat. Within this category there are also pellet stoves which can even be filled with corn cobs. They also are more efficient and outperform fireplaces and wood stoves, producing less smoke and harmful gases that polluted the air.
80 Years
Leafing through the browned pages of the 1938 Skaneateles Press Archive, searching fervently for an article interesting enough for this column and its readership, my partner and I stumbled upon a small square of writing, above it a picture of 17-year-old woman, a Miss Mary Grabhorn. Enrolled at Blue Ridge College that autumn, she won a contest that deemed her the “ideal American college girl.” And what, you may be wondering, was the criteria for this contest? Well, according to the blurb in the paper, she was so chosen because she had expressed “avowed pursuit of marriage and a home.” It said nothing of academic or athletic merit. In the 1930’s, it was argued that college made women better wives, giving them “practical skills” that included various domestic tasks around the home, such as sewing, cooking, and other things of that manner. To be frank, I and my partner were amazed in a kind of perturbed way by this article. Though it is no great wonder that women were seen in this light in 1930’s America, it does prompt you to ask questions about how women are treated in society. As far as college comes, we have made considerable progress. Women are now the majority of students attending college. But, in light of recent events that reach up to places where they should not, I am convinced that we still have a ways to go if we want a society in which women can be treated with the reverence they have earned.
100 Years
… the Spanish influenza spread to our small town of Skaneateles. It quickly infected many residents and left the town in panic. The Board of Health ordered teens under the age of 16 to stay home at all times, adults to head home from work immediately, no public meetings, and all schools and churches to be closed. Today, there are many anti-vaccine movements that are actively affecting parents and their children. If this issue continues, many students will be putting their peers and teachers at risk along with their parents and their colleagues. Our community today has many advanced and safe remedies for the flu in comparison to what we had 100 years ago. Some of the at home remedies from 100 years ago were drinking hot water with lemon and orange juice, eating small pieces of ginger (to open up airways) , and eating honey to help with the cough. This was very different from what we have today like the flu shot and nasal spray. We also deal with it much differently. Usually we will just stay at home for a day or two until our fever goes away, but 100 years ago they would quarantine people who had the flu. If you choose not to embrace modern vaccines and medicines, are you willing to accept the possibility of quarantine?