Years Ago

This column, contributed by Skaneateles Honors English students from the class of 2022, is written to connect the past to the present by revisiting articles from years ago. The students would like to thank the Skaneateles Historical Society for providing the archives and Eagle Newspapers for publishing their words.

20 Years Ago

…Skaneateles School counselor Laura Kinlock discussed suggestions to limit the use of alcohol in young teenage students, which was a large issue at the time. She advocated that parents limit the amount of sleepovers their children attend because of the risk of staying up all night and going to parties. Also, a tip Kinlock gave was to know where your child is at all times and make sure that they are where they say they are. Today Skaneateles School counselor Brittany Manuel informed us that she believes stress is the largest problem that students in today’s world face. She implies that students face many stressors such as college applications, large work loads, and anxiety from high level classes. She recommends that students face their issues by talking about them with a professional or a family member, listening to music to help alleviate the stress, or meditating to help calm their mind.

40 Years Ago

… the Skaneateles tennis team was winning almost every match. Penny Allyn, one of their top players, never failed to be number one in her B-League domain during the four years she played. Throughout the season, they had beaten teams like Bishop Grimes 7-0 and their 1st doubles players, Sue Smalley and Mick Kelly, weren’t facing any problems in terms of winning their sets. Today, Kate Hardy and Jeri Whiting are coaching the team that continues to outplay the competition. Although the team lost to Marcellus in the regular season, the only league loss of the year, they were able to beat them in the Section III Championship. Along with many other players, Ella Danforth and Emma Miller were able to win their match in 1st doubles against Marcellus (6-0, 6-3). On Oct. 15, the team competed in individual sectionals, 3 individuals and 3 doubles teams competed at the event. The 1st doubles team of Danforth and Miller, won all three of their matches and qualified for states. This took place on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and they competed against the number 1 seed, Fayetteville-Manlius. They put up a good fight but sadly lost (6-4, 6-4).

60 Years Ago

…there was an advertisement placed in the Skaneateles Press that compared wives to topcoats.  According to the advertisement, “a wife is many things: sweetheart, mother, cook, etc.” and likewise “a topcoat serves many purposes.” This advertisement then proceeded to tell readers to replace their topcoats if they weren’t in first-rate condition. Stereotypical advertisements like these were very common in the 1960s.  According to CNN, women weren’t allowed to serve on a jury in all states, get a credit card by themselves, or attend Ivy league schools among other activities. There definitely wasn’t workplace equality and in 1963 a women earned 59 cents for every dollar a man earned. Today, many groups are fighting to remove gender-based advertising in situations where they portray unhealthy stereotypes. From objectification to stereotypes, the media still struggles with equality of women. However, there is gradually becoming a greater and more open view on women. Recently, Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority placed a complete ban on any advertisement which will cause harm or significant offense in relation to gender stereotypes.

80 Years Ago

…Skaneateles High School hosted an event for Armistice Day featuring donkey basketball. Donkey basketball is commonly used as a fundraising event at schools and other public venues. Coach Art Hyatt announced the plan for the game and included details about the five man teams that would be chosen from the faculty. In the game, the players were mounted on donkeys that had their hooves encased in rubber shoes.The game commenced at 7:45 p.m. in the high school gymnasium and the whole community was invited. This event was a way of bringing the people of Skaneateles together for a national holiday, Armistice Day, which originally celebrated the peace treaty signed at the end of World War l. On June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in order to celebrate the United States veterans. Today, donkey basketball is not commonly played in schools, including Skaneateles, most likely due to more awareness around the fair treatment of animals.

100 Years Ago

… The Dairy Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture held an educational campaign to encourage Americans to drink more milk due to its various nutritional benefits.  The campaign also employed the use of propaganda as they called milk “the drink of Uncle Sam”. Similarly, in 1993 the phrase “Got Milk?” was placed on pictures of celebrities including Elton John, Jennifer Anniston, and Tom Brady, in order to promote milk consumption. Today, it is more common to find advertisements for non-dairy milks such as coconut, soy, and almond milk. Due to lactose intolerance, dietary restrictions, and potential health benefits, these new milks are becoming increasingly popular. According to eater.com, the total sales of dairy milk has dropped $1.1 billion dollars compared to last year, while the sales of nut and plant milk grew by 9% in 2018. Whatever type of milk you choose to buy, you can feel confident that you are drinking a healthy and nutritious beverage.