With World War II in the rear view mirror, the region started looking ahead during the winter of 1946.
Northern Otsego County residents, especially along the U.S. Route 20 corridor most likely read with interest in the Jan. 16, 1946 edition of the Otsego Farmer, “‘Motorists will welcome today’s word from the office of Governor Thomas E. Dewey at Albany, indicating the Thruway from New York to Buffalo will be a route free of tolls.’ This statement was made by Hon. Chester T. Backus of Morris, president of the Tri-County Motor Club.
“‘Toll road projects are out of date in this day when motor vehicles are registered and used in the millions, and hundreds of millions in taxes are collected each year for their licensing and use,’ Mr. Backus said.
“The A.A.A. Clubs of the State went on record against tolls many months ago. Club officials advised the Governor that further study of the 486-mile highway project would show the Thruway can be built and operated without an additional tax on motorists.”
Groundbreaking of the Thruway took place in Liverpool, near Syracuse that year. A first section opened in 1954 between Rochester and Buffalo. The final road completion was made in 1957, tolls included.
Post war help to our war-torn allies continued, as the Freeman’s Journal of Jan. 16 reported, “The Victory Clothing Collection drive is in full swing throughout the country and Cooperstown and Otsego county are no exception. Alfred J. Peevers, chairman of the Cooperstown area, announced on Monday that twenty cases of clothing and shoes have been packed. These cases held a total of 706 pieces.
“The local headquarters for the drive is located at 110-112 Main street (Cooperstown) and the store is always open so that those who can give any old or new clothing may leave it on the tables provided.
“That the need is great is emphasized by the story of an army lieutenant who is devoting all of his terminal leave to conduct the drive in his home town,” which was Jefferson, Missouri. “He and other thousands are doing their utmost to aid the stricken all over the world.”
With war veterans coming home, what was next for them on the home front made news, as Freeman’s Journal readers of Feb. 27 found out, “A recruiting campaign to find all possible jobs for veterans is now underway at the Offices of the United States Employment Service in Cooperstown, Oneonta, Sidney, Walton, Delhi, Hancock, Deposit and Richfield Springs, according to Miss Katherine Woodruff. This ties in with a national campaign which started last week with soliciting the cooperation of local Service clubs, Chambers of Commerce, press and radio to get job openings for veterans listed at the U.S.E.S.
“The national drive is for six million openings. The local situation was disturbing February 1st with 2,735 people, including 928 veterans registered in Otsego and Delaware counties, and only 150 jobs open.
“It is hoped that employers will not wait for representatives to call at their place of business but will phone whenever they can employ another veteran, Miss Woodruff said.”
While searches for jobs for veterans were underway, future jobs for high school students were of interest to many, as the Journal reported on Feb. 20, “A recent survey of Cooperstown Central school student interests related to post educative vocations show many and varied choices. During the last week of January, students in Grades 9 through 12 were asked to indicate their top potential vocational choices. These have been compiled and show a total of eighty-seven individual vocations which the student personnel are seriously considering.”
Those choices included secretarial work, engineering, nursing, teaching, farming, mechanics, various trades, music, aeronautics and commercial arts.
Some required higher education, and it was reported in the Journal of Feb. 26, “Hartwick College, an up-and-coming school at Oneonta, is looking hopefully toward the beginning of a period of expansion this year.”
Hopes were to build two new buildings in 1946, and a “Victory Appeal” campaign was underway for the building program. These two buildings never came about in 1946, but to meet immediate needs of war veterans on the G.I. Bill and others, Hartwick soon expanded, using Army surplus buildings for housing, among other needs.
On Tuesday, our area’s life and times during January 1976.