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
… the Jan. 19, 2000 issue of the Skaneateles Press informed readers that Dessa Bergen-Cico, a past high school graduate, was invited to speak to parents about alcohol abuse the following week. The event was a panel of drug abuse experts lined up for parents to voice their questions and concerns. Bergen-Cico, who now helps combat drug and alcohol abuse at Syracuse University, stated that about 86% of incoming freshmen reported that they have and do drink alcohol, while 52% of them reported that they started to drink between the ages of 13 and 15. The Washington-Post states that today over 80% of college students drink alcohol, a very similar number to the statistic 20 years prior. Experts say that talking to your child about drug and alcohol abuse is one of the most important steps to preventing underage drinking.

40 Years Ago
… an article was published in the Skaneateles Press promoting a fundraising drive for the Syracuse Symphony. Symphony leaders had a goal to raise $500,000 during the drive in order to continue putting on performances in the coming year. 1,000 volunteers contacted almost 10,000 residents of the Syracuse area to raise the necessary funds. The article also mentioned that the group had been making music for 19 years and was one of 31 major symphonies in the United States. Unfortunately, the Syracuse Symphony became bankrupt in 2011 and no longer exists. However, another symphony group, Symphoria, operates out of Syracuse today. Symphoria is one of only two musician-led orchestras in the United States and performs concerts around Central New York. On Sunday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m., they will perform a concert called “Our Favorite Things” at Saint Paul’s of Syracuse. Tickets are going fast, so make sure to purchase yours soon at experiencesymphoria.org. Prices vary from $33 for adults to free for kids under 18 years old. Although the Syracuse Symphony has faded into the past, great music continues to be performed for residents of the Syracuse area.

60 Years Ago
In 1960 the son of Mr. and Mrs. Krause, Stephen Michael, was the winner of the annual Skaneateles Baby Derby as a result of being the first baby born in the new year. Since then many different forms of baby derbies have taken place ranging from crawling races to having the most babies although still to this day the first baby of the new year is celebrated. A more unusual baby derby was held between 1926 and 1936 when hundreds of Canadian women competed to see who could have the most babies in 10 years. The winner got $750,000, which is equivalent to over 10 million dollars today. Nowadays here in New York we hold the annual Diaper Derby. The 30 babies race in several heats and the winners move on to the championship race; the final winner receives a trophy. Even if your baby isn’t a future olympic sprinter, you can still win a prize if your kid has the most meltdowns. All profits from the race are donated to provide diapers for families in poverty. The 2020 Diaper Derby is coming soon, so stay tuned.

80 Years Ago
… an article published by the Skaneateles Press describes a speaker that visited Skaneateles High School to inform students about circus animals. The speaker, Al Priddy, a circus trainer and publicity agent, discussed the topic “Can Animals Think?”. This assembly is one of many in a series of educational programs booked that year. This year, and every year, five college representatives come in for Junior Night to help answer questions students and parents may have regarding college applications. Last year, Skaneateles was lucky to have speakers such as Nicki Grimes and Shane Hobel. Nicki Grimes is a poet and award winning author of more than 55 books for children and adults. She spoke to the freshman class about her career as a poet and the struggles she faced. Shane Hobel is the founder of Mountain Scout Survival School and was a stuntman for 15 years. He met with Skaneateles sophomores to teach them outdoor survival skills. Last year’s speakers appear to be more relevant to a larger group of students. Although Al Priddy’s career seems rather specialized, he did give fascinating incite into a different type of career. To learn more about Al Priddy’s experience with the circus you can purchase his book, “The Way of the Circus, with Man and Animal,” on Amazon.

100 Years Ago
… there was an ad placed in the Jan. 15 edition of the Skaneateles Press for Shanahan’s Temple of Fashion which explained that the coats they had for sale were now at a $10 mark down. The coats offered at Shanahans were made primarily from seals (likely due to the thick fur coats seals have that are both waterproof and windproof). Back then the cost of their coats were $30-$60 which would now be equivalent to $385- $772. Similar to 100 years ago, coats and clothing in general can be unnecessarily overpriced. Today, coats can cost thousands of dollars, often due purely to the brand that makes them rather than the material they’re made out of. Central New York’s long winters and cold weather make it important to have a good, dependable coat that can last a while. Local store ‘Rolands’ has exactly what you need. The store offers clothes that are a high quality for a reasonable price. Whether it be coats, gloves, boots, or anything else to keep you warm, Rolands can give you the best winter apparel around.