It is with sadness that we note the passing of long time friend, and distantrelative, Jane Patrick. Over the years we have worked with Jane in a number of organizations including Women’s Club and the Community Advisory Committee at Bassett. And, of course, in later years we joined her, along with the other Dinner Belles, for any number of delicious meals. But we do think that our favorite memory that we shared with Jane was when we discovered, having both married Cooperstown natives, that we shared Cooperstown Christmas plans.
As Jane told the story, the first Christmas after she married Pat, she asked him what their plans were going to be for the holiday. To this she reported that Pat replied that he didn’t know what she was going to do, but he was going to Cooperstown. And so it was off to Cooperstown for the holiday. We note that our experience with Christmas was much the same. And of course, after spending Christmases here, eventually we both moved here with our native Cooperstonian husbands, who were, we think, second cousins once removed. We, along with many, many others, will miss Jane. To her sons, John and David and their families, and her many friends we extend our sympathy.
And to our soon-to-be former mayor we wish to extend a big thank you for serving the village in a most difficult job in an atmosphere which often seemed to be completely lacking in civility. In fact, we were stunned by many of the online comments made about the story in The Daily Star announcing the mayor’s decision not to seek reelection.
It confirms our fears that Cooperstown is no longer the community to which we moved in 1982. And we fear we are the poorer for it. In fact, we would be hard pressed to find any remnants of the community we joined then. And while we realize that life is ever changing we do wish we thought it was ever changing for the better.
Unfortunately we do not think that is the case and have thus come to the conclusion that Cooperstown is now but a place to live, having lost its unique character which made it special for us. The community has become quite divided over a number of issues that have arisen in the past few years. And given the divisive nature of these issues, we don’t hold much hope of ever regaining what we have long thought was a wonderful sense of community. In fact, it might seem that the most perfect village has developed cracks in its veneer.
In fact, we were discouraged by many of comments we received regarding the column we wrote two weeks ago on the documentary, The Empire State Divide. We are accustomed to receiving comments from people we know. However, we do not believe we have ever received so many comments from people we do not know. Nonetheless, we were not surprised by the e-mail from a father in Oneonta who lamented the fact that his 23-year-old son had had to leave the area to find work.
The son’s degree from BOCES as a state-certified welder did not get him a job locally with which he could support himself. Instead he is now working for the gas industry in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
We also received an e-mail from a banker who wrote: “... Having worked in agricultural and business lending the last 29 years I have firsthand witnessed the shrinking of the farming sector and also the shrinking of the business sector.
It is very alarming to our farming and business communities experiencing some of the knee jerk reactions via the addition of more layers of government regulations that is impacting existing businesses and chasing away any business that may have considered coming to our county.
Our hard-working farmers and business owners are only trying to survive and keep their doors open. Another sad fact is the loss of our youth, that we pay dearly to educate, only to have them leave as there is no opportunity.”
However, we think the most discouraging comment we received came from a farmer in the region who wanted to let us know how much he appreciated the column. He then explained how frustrated he was that people from Cooperstown in general, and a local organization in particular, had seen fit to weigh in on the proposed windmill farm in Jordanville. He firmly believed the windmills would have been beneficial to his area. He even offered to meet with people from here to explain his point of view, even going so far as to offer a tour of his area. No one accepted his offer. Needless to say, his opinion of Cooperstown is anything but positive; mentioning that he really wished the people in Cooperstown would mind their own business. And we can’t say we blame him.
However, as depressing as we find many of the current opinions of Cooperstown to be, we were amused by the story that ran on January 27, 2012 in The Daily Star, titled “Sen. Gillibrand introduces Baseball Hall of Fame coin act.” It seems the Senator introduced into the Senate the National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act to honor the Baseball Hall of Fame’s75th anniversary in 2014. In the article she was quoted as saying that Cooperstown is a “...truly magical place in upstate New York.” Based on the comments we have heard of late, we suspect designating Cooperstown as a “magical place” might be a matter of opinion.
Nonetheless, we can always hope that in the not too distant future we may once again think of Cooperstown as something more than just a place in which to live.
PLEASE NOTE: Comments regarding this column may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by telephone at 607-547-8124 or by e-mail at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com
Columns
In These Otsego Hills: The losses are adding up ...
- Columns
-
-
Passing along advice of seeing the humor
The best advice given to me many years ago when I started teaching had nothing to do with my discipline, English. Rather, a former mentor insisted on the necessity of having a sense of humor
Continued ... -
The week that was ...
For a number of years now, we have not been in Cooperstown for the spring season. And we must admit that we had quite forgotten what it is like. But since we decided that travel was not on the docket for this year, we have become reacquainted with the Cooperstown spring. And we must say we rather enjoyed it with the possible exception of occasional uncalled for snow and seemingly frigid temperatures.
Continued ... -
Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
Continued ... -
Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
Continued ... -
Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
Continued ... -
Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
Continued ... -
Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
Continued ... -
Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
Continued ... -
Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
Continued ... -
Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
Continued ... -
Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
Continued ... -
Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
Continued ... -
'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
Continued ... -
'Who's on Worst?' reveals the ugly in baseball
The Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players, managers and owners from our national pastime. Any of us who have watched Major League baseball have inevitably seen some of these immortals practicing their craft. But we have also likely witnessed a sample of their opposite brethren, players who shouldn't have been in the Major Leagues. Has there ever been a definitive source that "celebrates" the non-accomplishments of the worst that Major League baseball has to offer?
Continued ... -
Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance
I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
Continued ... -
Local Voices From Around the Globe: Life in Hungry has taken a turn for the better
I can truthfully say spring has finally arrived in Hungary. It's almost time to wear shorts and sandals, for summer will be just around the corner. This brings me great happiness and great sadness, my adventure is coming to a close. Really what a time it was, I don't think I can compare it to anything else.
Continued ... -
The importance of speaking up ...
Over the years we have come to understand that, in writing a weekly column, it is not possible to always please everyone. And such was the case with our column that ran at the end of March in which we wrote about our experience as in inpatient following a total hip replacement.
Continued ... -
Public schools created
The Common School Act of 1812 marked the start of New York's public school system. Much of the credit for this was due to the radical Otsego County politician Jedediah Peck (1747-1821). To quote the NY Education Department:
Continued ... -
Book takes readers on path for equal rights
One of the most troubling aspects of our history is race relations. It takes a long time to achieve true equality in a society when the heritage of one ethnic group is slavery and Jim Crow laws. Even today African Americans are more likely to be stereotyped as athletes than doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The path to a "color-blind" nation is still a work in progress.
Continued ... -
Local Voices From Around the Globe: Experiencing India at every new turn
Come, sit down. Hold this and, wait ... ah, there you go. Obeying these commands, I found myself seated on the pavement, wearing a turban and attempting to make sounds out of a recorder-like instrument for the black cobras in the baskets not two feet away from me.
Continued ...
-
Passing along advice of seeing the humor
