This week in Granville in 1983
By Erik Pekar
In a break from recent columns over the winter, we turn the clock back to the more recent year of 1983; namely the March 30, 1983, issue of the Granville Sentinel.
+++
Granville veterans had recently started a campaign to updating the memorials in front of the high school for World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. A joint committee was established with members of both the Granville Post of the American Legion and the Falvey-Fringi Post of the VFW, including Gordon “Destroyer” Smith, John Kordiak, Jack Jones, Don Pardy, and Fred Roberts Jr. The start and end dates had been expanded, widening the eligibility of having served in those wars. Names were to be added to reflect these changes, and there was concern that some already eligible names of those who served in the wars had been inadvertently left off.
+++
Those who praised or lauded the Village of Granville this year for having the coming fiscal year’s budget present a zero percent tax increase would not envy the village resident of 1983. The proposed budget for the 1983-84 fiscal year, called for raising taxes, from the 1982-83 fiscal year’s $74 per thousand to $82 per thousand – a roughly 10 percent tax increase. The total budget for the 1983-84 fiscal year was $668,827, with $344,397 being raised by village residents.
That year also saw something that won’t be seen today in Granville for at least four years: the changing of hands of Granville’s mayoralty. Incumbent mayor Frank Caiazza decided not to run in 1983, and Wayne Williams ran for mayor and won that month. Mayor-elect Williams was quoted as noting that tax increase was the “lowest we could do and still maintain services,” and added “I don’t think it’s a bad budget… (the tax increase) is something you can’t help”.
+++
Speaking of taxes, there was a familiar tune of happening in regard to the Granville Central School District. Superintendent Robert Meldrum received word from Assemblyman Neil Kelleher that state aid for the district would increase by close to 6 percent for the 1983-84 school year. The original proposed state aid increase was 0.25 percent; had that stayed intact, the district would have had to make up the difference of lost aid with a large tax increase. This year the Granville Central School District also found itself to be receiving a large increase in state aid for the coming school year.
+++
Over in Poultney, the Firemen’s Auxiliary announced their sponsorship of a “Dance-A-Thon,” to be held on April 9 at Green Mountain College from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Those participating would arrange for collecting pledges by the hour or for the entire 12 hour event. The pledge sheets were available in Poultney from the Poultney High School, Drake’s Pharmacy, The Party Shop, or West’s Dinette; in Granville from the Granville High School or the Granville fire chief; and from the fire chiefs for Fair Haven, Castleton, Middletown Springs, West Pawlet or Wells. The music for the event was to be furnished by radio station WVNR. The funds collected were to go to the Poultney fire department auxiliary, and whoever collected the most was to receive the grand prize of a portable twin stereo cassette unit.
It has been many years since such an event was attempted in this section, but the basic concept of raising pledges through a long-duration dancing session will be familiar to some. The same concept, with a longer duration of dancing time, has been more successful over in South Glens Falls, where their “marathon dance” has been held for over 40 years.
+++
A few years ago, another Granville graduate asked us why a “marathon dance” event didn’t take off in Granville. There are some possible reasons, including: lack of donors (Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Fort Edward, Moreau and Queensbury are near South Glens Falls, Granville has fewer people nearby); lack of establishment; lack of decision on where to donate money raised; lack of knowledge of interest from Granville students regarding their ability to dance for such a duration; lack of interest by Granville area organizations in sponsoring such an event; lack of interest from community members in forming a committee to start the event; and lastly, possible concern that a Granville event would be seen as “mimicing” the South High event.
Could a marathon dance event be done in Granville? If the right civic-minded people lead its committee, if Granville’s dancers sign up, if Granville people support them, then such a dance event would be successful.
+++
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church celebrated its jubilee year with a special Founding of the Church Mass on March 17. The church was founded one hundred years before. Among the events on the program were a historical reading by Mrs. Agnes Statia, co-celebration by three priests who had started in the parish (John Paro, Peter Pagones, Paul Miller), and readings.
+++
Also celebrating an anniversary was Bardin’s on Quaker Street, which held a discount sale in honor of 30 years in business.
The annual clean-up day was announced for Saturday, April 9. Those volunteering for the event were to gather at the Little League field before receiving their assignments.
The Granville Chamber of Commerce was preparing a summer event. In a bygone era prior to the creation of the Town-Wide Yard Sale and the Autumn Leaves Car Show, the Chamber was planning a home day type event, called “Heritage Days”. Among events being considered were a craft fair, field day, parade, block dance, and barbecue.
An amusing photo made the cover of that week’s Sentinel – a candid of the Easter Bunny himself “catching up on the latest news by reading last week’s Sentinel”. He was stationed on Granville’s Main Street for Saturday (March 27).
+++
In the intervening years, some things have changed. Bardin’s is now out of business, as are Drake’s Pharmacy, the Party Shop and West’s Dinette in Poultney. “Heritage Days” has not been held in many years. As said prior in this column, there haven’t been many attempts at “marathon dances” in the intervening 40 years. On the other hand, St. Mary’s Church reaches its 140th anniversary this year. The Granville veterans were successful in getting addendum plaques and adding more names to the war honor roll memorials in front of the Granville High School.
No comments:
Post a Comment