Whether it was to help others, vote, or just enjoy time, area residents heard many a call to participate in activities in our local life and times during February 1934.
No one knew exactly what it was all about, but the old Boy Scout Motto, “Be Prepared,” was taking shape that month.
As The Oneonta Star of Feb. 5 reported, “Oneonta Boy Scout troops 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26, respectively, are ready to play their parts in the national mobilization of the Boy Scouts of America Saturday, February 10, to listen to President Franklin D. Roosevelt broadcast especially to them and request a special service in connection with the program of relieving suffering throughout the land. Up to the present no one except the President knows the exact nature of the service he will ask.”
According to The Star, there were about 600 scouts and leaders in the Otschodela Council at the time, and about 450 of them gathered at noon at Oneonta’s Academy Street School to listen to the national broadcast. President Roosevelt was an honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America. Following the president’s message, two speakers were on hand to discuss the message and make local plans.
The Star reported on Feb. 12, “Mr. Roosevelt’s request for service was for the Scouts to locate, collect and redistribute used furniture, bedding, blankets, cooking utensils, dishes and clothing of all sorts. He said that while there has been a swing of the pendulum in the direction of better conditions, there are many in all parts of the country who are in desperate straits due to the lack of funds with which to purchase the necessities which he has asked the Scouts to collect from those who have them to spare.
“Every troop will have its own community or section of that community for which it is responsible for carrying out this piece of service, and will have the material collected until the relief agencies, which have been requested by the President through the relief administration to co-operate, indicate those to whom the material shall be delivered.”
In 1934, unlike the modern era, Valentine’s Day was observed in local schools. As Star readers found out on Feb. 15, “From the tiniest kindergarten tot to the more mature eighth-grader there was no school child in Oneonta yesterday who had not been remembered on St. Valentine’s day.
“Teachers had ransacked school book rooms and basements for the huge pasteboard boxes which were placed in nearly every classroom and which by the time the final bell for the opening of school had been rung were crammed to the top with Valentines.
“In most cases the pupils had drawn for names the week before or early this week, the name of every child being included, so that none would be forgotten. In addition to the name of the boy or girl whom he had drawn, a youngster was permitted to put Valentines in the box in his room for as many children as he wanted to.
“In some rooms the exchange of Valentines was turned into a regular party, regular in the eyes of the children because refreshments, including ice cream and cake, were served.”
When it came to schools in our region, voters were asked to cast important ballots that month.
From The Star’s Feb. 19 edition came news from Unadilla, “The proposition to erect a new school building on the present site was carried by a majority of 95 at a meeting in the High school Saturday evening.” Of the 337 votes cast, 216 were for the building, 121 against. It was expected the work would begin in about a month.
Meanwhile in Andes, The Star of Feb. 26 reported, “A record vote of 790 was polled…yesterday to find a majority of six in favor of erecting a new school building; and another chapter in the hectic centralization battle came to a close.”
On Wednesday, the local education beat of February 1954.
Oneonta City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area before 1950. His Wednesday columns address local history 1950 and later. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or email him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is oneontanyhistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/opinion/columns/.