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
… An article was published in the Skaneateles Press discussing new expansions and improvements to various buildings in the Skaneateles School District. A new music wing centrally located near the auditorium was being constructed to share between the middle and high schools. This wing is still in use today. At the time, designers were struggling to find ways to expand State Street School without taking away playground space or parking areas. Walking paths were also being constructed between all school buildings. The entire project had a $29.7 million budget. Though these improvements are still in use today, the Skaneateles School District is currently working on another big improvement project set to be completed in 2021. New lockdown and security systems have already been implemented, while bigger projects such as upgrading the auditorium systems and stage are ongoing. The middle school gymnasium will also be reconstructed and aging parts of the buildings will be replaced, including boilers, foundations, and windows. Thank you to the voters of the Skaneateles community for approving these much needed repairs.

40 Years Ago
… The Skaneateles Press wrote about the issues of disposing and separating garbage. In 1980 the talk of recycling was on the rise, people were thinking of the future and how proper disposal would be very important. The beginning of the recycling movement was much simpler than today. People would separate the recyclables by hand from the waste and then treat and dispose of the rest of the garbage. Now according to the EPA there is a much more thorough process. They now rely mainly on source reduction and reuse to recycle as much as they are able to. Every 10 years since 1960, millions of tons of waste in landfills increased. However, by the year 2010 the rate stopped going up as they found ways to reduce the amount of garbage disposed in landfills, and increased the amount of waste recycled, composted, and recovered. As a society we should all continue to have awareness of the importance of reducing waste and preserving our planet.

60 Years Ago
…An announcement for the annual Central New York Boat Show, sponsored by the Outboard Dealers Association at the time, was presented to the community through the Skaneateles Press. The annual Boat Show of 1960 was held Feb. 3 through 7. The event started at noon and went until 11 p.m. at the Onondaga County War Memorial. Popular boats such as the Penn Yan Magellan 17’ were showcased. This year it will be held at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse and will showcase more than 500 sail boats, cruisers, sport boats, pontoon boats, and other antique boats as well as new boating essentials. If you would like to attend the event it will take place from Feb. 20 through 23 at the Expo Center and the Exhibit building. The admission for this year’s show is $10 for adults and children 13 and under are free. If you would like to purchase tickets online you can go to cnywinterboatshow.com. The Boat Show draws one million people annually; people like you dreaming of the summer boating season!

80 Years Ago
… In the Feb. 2, 1940 edition of the Skaneateles Press an article was published saying there was to be an important meeting for the Girl Scouts. 38 Girl Scouts at this meeting were receiving awards and giving demonstrations on the skills they learned to earn those rewards. The awards of which included first aid, health in the home, and dramatics. Girl Scouts is a valuable program that has been around for over a century. It is a great way for young girls to learn life values such as compassion, leadership, courage, confidence, and much more. Along with the values gained, girls participate in activities such as camping, science, first aid, and community service. You may be familiar with the extremely popular Girl Scout cookie sale that happens every year. The sales not only help to fund the program to give more life changing experiences, but also teaches girls social skills and gives them some sales experience. This annually takes place between January and April, so now is the time to grab yourself a delicious box of cookies and help empower the next generation of women with the lessons that will help them be successful in life.

100 Years Ago
…The Feb. 5, 1920 issue of The Skaneateles Press began with a section named “Of Local Interest” which contained stories detailing what people had been up to around the town for the past week. Mrs. Samuel Clayton reported spotting a robin in an apple tree when the temperature outside was 24 degrees below zero. Others took up activities such as snowshoeing because of the harsh winter conditions making traveling by car difficult. The winter weather was so bad that Icehouses in Skaneateles were filled to the max and the sidewalks in town were slippery and dangerous to walk on. Although our winter has been mild so far, winter activities are still a highlight of interest in 2020. The annual Winterfest took place recently in Skaneateles which included the display of ice sculptures around town as well as the Polar Bear Plunge. Bridget Carroll, Libby Raymond, Rory Comer, Reese McConochy, and Lydia Rudnick, students from Skaneateles High School, participated in the plunge on Saturday the 25.