150 Years Ago

December 9, 1868 — The ladies of the Eromathean and Adelphian societies of OC seminary will give an oriental entertainment, consisting of a series of tableaux, under the supervision of Madame Castanis, at Concert hall, Cazenovia, Friday evening, December 11th, representing Greek and Turkish scenes and costumes. Madame C is the widow of an eminent Greek scholar, traveler, and author. She brought with her from Greece a large and very expensive wardrobe of the richest oriental and Greek costumes, which will be used on this occasion. The entertainment will undoubtedly be a fine one. Admittance 25 cents.

125 Years Ago

December 7, 1893 — Thanksgiving day has become the great day of great football games. Last Thursday, Colgate university defeated Syracuse A.A. at Syracuse, at a score of 12 to 0, Harvard defeated University of Pennsylvania at Boston, score 26 to 4. Rochester university defeated Syracuse university at Rochester, score 6 to 0, and Princeton defeated Yale at New York, score 6 to 0.

100 Years Ago

December 12, 1918 — Cazenovians will be interest in the story of an American Flag made by a Cazenovia girl. This flag was made by Miss Grace Gibson, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. W.M. Gibson, for the exhibit given by the Cazenovia Girl Scouts at the Methodist Church last summer. It is exquisitely composed of silk ribbons and hand embroidered stars.

In the autumn when Miss Gibson went to the National Cathedral School at Washington, D.C., she took the flag with her.

During the long quarantine for influenza the girls relieved some tiresome hours by having an auction of various things for the benefit of the school Endowment Fund. Miss Margery Stebbins of Cazenovia, niece of the Misses Margaret and Linda Stebbins, was auctioneer. One of the articles offered for sale was Grace Gibson’s flag. Miss Stebbins explained why and how it was made and it was decided the school should buy it in a body. Each girl subscribed what she thought fit and $200 was raised for the fund, the $200 being invested in a Fourth Liberty Loan Bond. The little Cazenovia Scout flag became the National Cathedral School flag and with a suitable inscription was hung on the wall of the school chapel.

The Honorable Henry White, known throughout the Diplomatic world at a veteran diplomatist, is a member of the Board of Trustees of this school. The afternoon before his departure as delegate to the great Conference for World Peace, Mr. White went to say goodbye to the members of the school. After telling something of the nature and importance of his mission he left amid the applause of all.

Just as he was leaving, it was suggested that “Grace Gibson’s Flag” be given to Dr. White to take with him on his foreign trip. He accepted the flag with evident pleasure and assured the school that it should be his constant companion while on his travels in the countries of our Allies, that he would keep it hanging in his apartments while at the Peace Conference and bring it back when he shall come to tell them what he has seen and heard.

This little flag, made by a Cazenovia girl, will be a silent representative of the patriotic town of Cazenovia at the World Peace Conference.

50 Years Ago

December 11, 1968 — EDITORIAL: … We happen to believe that small towns need strong newspapers, and they need them now, more than ever before. They need a press which will awaken them to the events and issues that are affecting them with increasing frequence. Already, the schools have gone down the drain to Albany. If anyone doubts this, let him wait until the full state directive on the proposed high school is reported, or review mandated school expenses. The proposed sewer district for the town and village is county-run, due to the pressures of state financing. In the future, there can be no doubt that more regulations involving Cazenovia will be administered in Wampsville. And the day is foreseeable when part of Cazenovia’s business will be decided in Onondaga County, as part of planning for the growth of the greater Syracuse metropolitan area. Some of this regional, state, and national control is inevitable, and even good. Obviously, not all small communities can afford the services they need without larger financial resources. But it is not inevitable that all control of a community’s destiny will be wrenched away from local officials. One good example of how this may prove true in Cazenovia is the projected town management of Cazenovia Lake. Without local initiative now, it would, in time, fall to the state to do something, if anything, to keep the lake from becoming a rapidly deteriorating marshland. Another area in which the Cazenovia community can control itself is in its avowed intent to keep the village protected from the unpleasant aspects of suburban growth. …

We believe that our interpretation of the factors which will influence Cazenovia’s future is sound, and it is with the purpose to convey the importance of these factors, as we see them, to our readers that we write specifically. If, in the process, we step on toes, it is done for the long-range welfare of the community at the possible short-term economy of our editorial hide. However, we do not think we are faultless, which is why we welcome reasonable criticism. Nor do we wish to appear haughtily pedantic, although we realize that it may come out that way.

Why do we feel that we should presume to inflict our ideas on Cazenovia? The pat retort to a disgruntled reader who questions a newsman’s right to say what he has is that the journalist’s justification is his job on a newspaper and his use of a typewriter. This, of course, is a hack’s response to criticism that is most probably justified. The responsibility of a journalist to accuracy and fairness is an old chestnut, but it is one of those rather saccharine clichés which contains a wealth of truth. And truth is, above all, the grail of anyone concerned with the dissemination of public information. Sometimes, like Galahad’s grail, it is an elusive quarry, but generally we think that newsmen serve truth very well. But truth is a two-edged sword, which can be positive or negative. Everyone who is treated kindly by the truth loves the newsman who reported it, but the subject of an unpleasant truth is never happy about his shortcomings or wrongdoings being held up to public review. Nevertheless, the newsman must pursue both kinds of truth with equal honesty…

Years Ago is compiled by Erica Barnes. She is a contributing writer for The Cazenovia Republican with a degree in history and communications from Flagler College. She compiles the column from the archives of the Cazenovia Public Library. It is written in the style of the time.