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
… on Dec. 5, at 2 p.m., The Skaneateles High School Concert Choir held their annual winter concert in the high school auditorium. One hundred and forty students voiced the concert choir as well as the select madrigal choir. They sang featured works such as “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Harry Simone, and “The Twelve Days After Christmas” by Frederick Silver. The concert ended their show with a performance of “Hallelujah!”. Alumni, parents, and students were invited to participate in the closing song as well. Today, the concert is still held annually. The holiday show will take place on Thursday, Dec. 19. Most of the traditions that took place in the past still take place today. “Hallelujah!” is still sung during the concert, and the audience is invited to participate. Anyone can go to this festive concert at no cost, so if you are interested in hearing local students show off their musical talent, try to make it!
40 Years Ago
…two articles regarding varsity volleyball teams were published. The first article informed readers that the Marcellus volleyball team was undefeated. They had an impressive record of 7-0. The second article detailed the Skaneateles volleyball team’s first win against Westhill. They played two games with a score of 15-7 in the first game and 15-5 in the second game. This year the Skaneateles volleyball team had an incredible season, finishing with the Section III Class C championship title. Their season started off at 2-1, with a tough 3-0 loss at Westhill. However, they came back and went on an 11 game winning streak, and later headed into sectional playoffs with a record of 15-3. One of their strong seniors, Maeve Canty, was a Toyota High School Athlete of the Week. After star setter Lily Delasin’s season-ending injury, Maeve helped lead the team to several wins. The Marcellus volleyball team also had a respectable 2019 record, winning 10 out of 16 games this year.
60 Years Ago
…A four year old boy went missing for one hour and 30 minutes. The boy and his mother were shopping in P&C when he disappeared around 10:45 a.m. His mother searched the store, but when she couldn’t find her son she called the police. Chief John Thompson and Officer George Scriven, with the help of others, searched along the creek. After no luck finding the boy, the fire department was called under the leadership of Chief George Spearing to assist. Radio station WMBO and the Sheriff’s Department had also been alerted of the missing child. Around 12:15 a woman on East Lake Street found a crying young boy and brought him into her home, who was later identified as the missing four year old. The boy is assumed to have walked from P&C to East Lake Street. Protecting children is important, and there are many ways that you can keep your child safe in the event that they go missing. ParentGuideNews.com suggests dressing your child in bright and unique clothing, carrying a recent description and a photo of the child, teaching your child to ask other moms with kids for help, and most importantly, remaining calm in the event that your child goes missing. Ask others for help and if you fail to find your child, call the police.
80 Years Ago
…The Skaneateles Press published an article describing the places teachers of Skaneateles High School were visiting over Thanksgiving break. A lot of the teachers visited family over the break, and this is still a tradition among many today. This year we polled many students, and asked if they were going away for the break. Out of the 50, only 10 of them said that their family was traveling for Thanksgiving. We also asked teachers if they were going away over the break; Mrs. McConochy said that she is going to Ohio to visit her in-laws. Ms. Clary said that she was going to Burlington, Vermont to visit her mom. While some people will be visiting relatives, many have opted to stay put and host the festivities in their own homes. Whichever way you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
100 Years Ago
…Henry Ford invented a new car that he believed would change the future of road travel. This new car weighed around 1,900 pounds compared to cars today which average around 4,000 pounds. Moreover, Ford said that the new engine system powered by gasoline, would use compressed air for brakes, which is still used for brakes in today’s age. During this time, gasoline engines were beginning to become more popular and powerful than the past steam engines. Ford’s automobile achieved a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour, a fast speed for cars at the time. On Thursday, Nov. 14 of this year, a new movie Ford vs. Ferrari was released. The movie is the story of the race for the fastest car between the Ford Motor Company and Enzo Ferrari in 1966. If you’re interested, it’s sure to still be in a theater near you.
