There were New Year’s resolution ideas bouncing around. New developments surfaced at the two Oneonta college campuses. Walton was aiming for a new hospital.
These were part of our local life and times during January 1949.
RESOLVING TO TRAVEL IN THE NEW YEAR
If taking in something new and perhaps different was on a list of resolutions, it appears opportunities involved some distance traveling.
While Oneonta had its share of entertainment and culture, some desired to take in something a bit more high end — in the BIG city.
As The Oneonta Star of Jan. 2, 1949 reported, “John L. Wilsbach, head of State Teachers College music department, announced last night that reservations will be received until January 20 for the college’s 14th annual cultural pilgrimage to New York City.
“The bus trip will be made on the weekends of March 4 and 11 with Mr. Wilsbach in charge, and will be open to STC students, alumni and friends of the Oneonta area at the usual cost of $32.50 a person. This includes reservations at Hotel Bristol.
“Broadway productions booked for the pilgrimages are ‘Life with Mother,’ starring Russell Crouse and Dorothy Stickney; ‘Mr. Roberts,’ starring Henry Fonda, and ‘Kiss Me Kate,’ a Cole Porter musical based on Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew,’ starring Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison.”
If something closer to home and less expensive was desired, The Star told readers on Jan. 5, “Russian Christmas is Friday, and services of observance will be conducted Thursday eve and the next day in Holy Trinity Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church at Jordanville.
“While the services are traditional dating back to the Sixth Century, they are something new to most residents of this area, and a large attendance is expected from Otsego, Herkimer and other counties of this section.”
NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON ONEONTA’S COLLEGE CAMPUSES
“Governor Dewey yesterday gave the ‘green light’ to construction of dormitories at 11 of the State Teachers Colleges, including Oneonta State Teachers College,” The Star reported on Jan. 17.
“James R. Macduff of Schenevus who acted as chairman of the group which attended the conference from Oneonta, told The Star last night that ‘Governor Dewey told them there would be a possibility that contracts would be let for such construction within 30 to 60 days.’
“Of the $12,000,000 construction program to all the 11 State Teachers Colleges, about $1,000,000 will be made available for building a 200-bed dormitory at Oneonta, Mr. Macduff said.
The dormitory complex eventually built is today’s Morris Conference Center, which included Bacon and Denison halls.
On the Hartwick campus that month, the news involved sports. As Star readers of Jan. 14 found out, “The appointment of Harry P. Ritchko, one of Andy Kerr’s great all-time Colgate ends, as head football coach, was released by Hartwick College yesterday.
“Ritchko has already assumed his new duties, replacing M. Beal Banks, whose resignation after 25 years of coaching became effective Dec. 1.”
Ritchko, an Oneonta native, had most recently been a coach at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and assisted with the San Diego Bombers of the Pacific Coast Professional League, where he was a talent scout.
BETTER HEALTH CARE AHEAD FOR WALTON
As The Star of Jan. 11 reported, “Formal opening of the $250,000 building fund campaign for the construction of the new Delaware Valley Hospital here last night was marked by announcement that $23,740 has been subscribed.
“Two committees in charge of obtaining the larger subscriptions from individuals and business concerns are beginning their work today.
“Second stage of the program, when subscriptions will be sought from the general public, will begin in late February.
“Ralph Higley, president of the community hospital fund, presided at last night’s meeting of 135 members at he First Congregational Church.
“The present plan…calls for 31 beds, ten bassinets, a maternity, x-ray, laboratory, emergency and surgical facilities and administrative and housekeeping services.”
Delaware Valley Hospital opened its doors with 50 beds for the first time on Nov. 23, 1951.
On Wednesday, a look at our local life and times in January 1979.
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/.