Bound Volumes, Hometown History

October 12, 2023

70 Years Ago
The do’s and don’ts of home decorating will be revealed to members of the Oneonta Woman’s Club in a series of six lectures to be given at the club by specialists on the staff of Mayfair Inc., nationally known decorators of Albany. The first lecture on Monday will be given by George J. Morgan, senior decorator of Mayfair and a member of the American Institute of Decorators and will be an overview of the course. Lectures on succeeding Mondays will address “China, Glass Lamps and Accessories,” by Harold Zickfeld; “Carpeting,” by John Pollard, former head of Mohawk Carpet School; “Wallpapers and Their Use,” by Edwin C. Parkhill; “Fabrics,” by James H. Thomson; and “Sequence Application of Carpets, Wallpapers, Fabrics and Accessories into Room Schemes,” by Mr. Morgan.

October 1953

50 Years Ago
Vice-President Spiro T. Agnew resigned abruptly from office Wednesday and pleaded no contest to a charge of federal income tax evasion. A judge sentenced him to a $10,000 fine and three years’ probation. President Richard Nixon expressed “a sense of deep personal loss” over the stunning development. U.S. Attorney-General Elliott L. Richardson declared that the corruption investigation involving Agnew had “established a pattern of substantial cash payments” to him by contractors when he was Baltimore County executive, governor, and as vice-president. These payments continued from the early 1960s into 1971. One engineer doing business with the state of Maryland made payments up to and including December 1972. Although the Justice Department agreed to drop the charges of bribery, extortion and conspiracy that Agnew also faced, they were detailed in a 40-page document released through the court. Agnew, while not contesting the tax evasion charge, denied all the others.

October 1973

40 Years Ago
A shower of balloons will float down onto Main Street on Thursday morning as the Oneonta High School Pep Band fills the air with music. Overhead, a soaring airplane will tote a trailing streamer announcing the start of a 10-day festival centered on the theme “Made in New York.” The celebration is being sponsored by Bresee’s Department Store which will showcase many of the products and services generated in the state along with 30 area firms and businesses. Entertainment will be provided by local groups and individuals throughout the celebration.

October 1983

30 Years Ago
Hot dogs, pretzels and shaving cream pies to throw at the principal will be featured during a “Fall Festival” at Center Street Elementary School from 3 to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The event, sponsored by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization, will raise money for playground and gymnasium renovations. Participants can throw shaving-cream pies at Principal John Cook, squirt water at teachers and bob for apples hanging from strings. Toddlers can try their luck at a fishing pond. Parents and staff will spend time planting bulbs donated by local businesses.

October 1993

20 Years Ago
The 10th Annual Pit Run—a 10-Kilometer road race in honor of Ricky J. “Pit” Parisian, a NYS Trooper killed in a 1994 grocery store robbery, drew nearly 1,400 people to the starting line on the Main Street viaduct on Sunday. Katrina Rabeler, a 14-year-old Oneonta High School freshman, took first place in her age group with a time of 0:46:42. Among all women runners Rabeler ranked 14th.

October 2003