Canajoharie

Twenty Years Ago

The Canajoharie and Sharon Springs boards of education will meet to discuss the possibility of consolidating the two school districts. Canajoharie district Superintendent Richard Rose said the meeting will be held at the Sharon Springs district, is “very preliminary.” At this point all we’re doing is discussing the possibility of a consolidation of some sort,” Rose explained. “It’s very preliminary. We don’t know if we have the public support. But, with the state aid dwindling, we need to look at every avenue of support.”

A desire to help others less fortunate than herself was a passion instilled during childhood, reaching back to the early 1900s for Canajoharie resident Margaret Welch. Now in her early 70s, this love of people — and of animals — is still very much alive. “I was born in Brooklyn, and we moved to this area in 1919. My father worked in a silk mill, and my mother was a homemaker,” Welch said. “Everyone was poor during the Depression, but my folks believed in helping others. We had a large garden to help others less fortunate — Helping others came first. According to Welch, who until recently has been trying to single-handedly revitalize the local Spaying and Neutering a Pet (SNAP) program she and her now deceased husband Grayden founded in 1972, “There are just too many animals and not enough responsible owners.” When the shelter began getting overcrowded, Welch said her husband had to pay to have them ‘put to sleep’ himself. “That was very hard on him,” she said. “That’s why we started SNAP.”

Thirty Years Ago

Plans for the eighth annual Canajoharie Open Market were discussed at a recent meeting held at the Municipal Building. The first Open Market was held in 1975, as a preliminary event leading up to the 1976 Bicentennial activities. Arts and crafts, demonstrations, food and display booths will be featured.

Forty Years Ago

The Central National Bank, of Canajoharie, is planning to establish a new banking office in Fort Plain. In announcing the approval of the plan by the bank’s board of directors, William Lathers, Jr., bank president, revealed that application has been filed with the Regional Administrator of National Banks for permission from the Comptroller of the Currency to establish the new banking office at 41-59 Canal St., formerly occupied by stores destroyed in the October 1968 fire.

Canajoharie Fire Department members have collected $1,533.25 for the 1972 March of Dimes in Canajoharie, Palatine Bridge and Sprakers.

Fort Plain

Twenty Years Ago

Members of the New York Giants football team will once again visit Fort Plain. Members of the Giants will be in Fort Plain to play a basketball game against members of the Fort Plain Central School faculty and staff. The game will be played in the Harry Hoag School gymnasium. Giant players will be available for autographs at half-time of the contest.

The Fort Plain High School Pre Voc and Human Development classes of Virginia Stortecky recently spent a week’s worth of class periods working with the pre-school children enrolled in the classes at the Happy Clown Nursery School, Canal Street. Ryanne Young, is the nursery school teacher. The class participated in the youngsters’ activities and made hand puppets for the children. Young and Stortecky agreed there has been an excellent rapport between the Fort Plain High School and the Happy Clown Nursery School, which allows interested high school students, with parental permission, to come into the nursery school to further their experience at working with children.

Thirty Years Ago

Miss Carol Lynn D’Arcangelis, the daughter of Mrs. Caroline D’Arcangelis and the late Chancy D’Arcangelis, was recently honored for her entry in the Voice of Democracy contest, a national script writing contest sponsored annually by the Mohawk Valley Post No. 3275 VFW. D’Arcangelis received a plaque and a $50 saving bond for her essay on ‘Building America Together.’

Forty Years Ago

An illegal entry into the Fort Plain High School building resulted in the theft of a stereo record player and tapes and considerable damage to doors, cabinets and desk drawers, which had been forceably opened, and refrigeration equipment on which locks and hasps had been forceably opened, and refrigeration equipment on which locks and hasps had been pried off, is being investigated by local police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.

St. Johnsville

Twenty Years Ago

Dare to say No! is the motto of a new program just begun in the St. Johnsville Central School District. DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a locally administered program aimed at elementary level school children. It teaches positive alternatives to substance abuse and encourages self esteem.

Thirty Years Ago

With finalized contracts from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), final drawings and specifications, approved, rezoning and site clearance in hand, Community Development Agency Director Fred LaCoppola said expansion and development at Park’s Place Plaza will begin in the spring.

There have been considerable improvements in the community over the past five years. Sidewalks have been repaved, new water lines have been added and old ones expanded upon, and old homes have been refurbished, to mention a few changes.

Miss Franca Gaglio, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore Gaglio, of St. Johnsville, was recently awarded a plaque and a $50 savings bond for the entry in the Mohawk Valley VFW Post No. 3275 sponsored ‘Voice America’ national script writing contest for her essay on ‘Building America Together.’

Forty Years Ago

Miss Patricia A. Horan, a student at the Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School and Miss Margaret Clark, a St. Johnsville Central School student, have been named 1972 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow winners at their respective schools.