homer news 11-22-18

THE HOMER NEWSVolume IX Thursday, November 22, 2018 Issue 11

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2 .November 22, 2018 • The Homer News

The next issue of The Homer News will be December 6, 2018. DEADLINE: for ads and news is November 28, 2018.

Around Town

FOOD PANTRYThe First United Methodist

Church has a Food Pantry for Homer residents, which is open

on Tuesdays, 10:00 am until 12:30 pm Walk-ins are welcome.

For information or emergency, call 749-7159

The Voice of the Town

Contributors:Priscilla Berggren-Thomas, Martin Sweeney, Ed Finkbeiner, Anita Jebbett, Harry Coleman

The Homer News is publishedin Homer by The Homer News.

Distribution is every other Thursday to all households and

businesses in Homer.The Homer News is a community-based news-paper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues; serving as a forum for the free

exchange of views of town residents; and celebrating the people, places and happenings that make the

Town of Homer unique.

Editor:Donald Ferris***

Subscription Rates: The Homer News is delivered at no cost to all Homer addresses in the 13077 zip code. We now offer subscriptions to The Homer News. Personal or out-of-town subscriptions are available for $36 per year (First Class) Payable in advance. Send check or money order to: The Homer News, P.O. Box 125, Homer, NY 13077 Email your address to: [email protected]

Signed Articles, Letters, Photographs and Drawings of interest are welcomed to be considered for publication. All articles are subject to editing for clarity and length. Materials not used will be returned if a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.

THANK YOU!Circulation: 4,200 copies per issue. Copyright © 2018 The Homer News

The Homer NewsP.O. Box 125 Homer, New York 13077

[email protected] Telephone: 607-749-2613

The Homer NewsPublished for Homer Residents

Get The Homer News at:Village Food Market, Wall St. Laundromat, Phillips Free Library, Homer Men and Boys, Olde Homer House, Bev's, Lucky Kitchen, Sinfully Sweet Cafe, Key Bank, FNB of Dryden - Homer & Cortlandville Offices, Homer Town Office, Kory’s Diner, Super Cream, Origins, Anderson’s Farm Market, Dandy Mart, Brown’s Garage, Poole’s Drive In, Trinity Valley Dairy, Tops, Walgreen’s, Tyler's Cleaners, Hyde’s Diner, CNY Living History Center, Steve & Lu's Diner, Little Italy Pizzeria, Antiques on James.

On Line, www.TheHomerNews.com

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ADVERTISINGTo place an ad inThe Homer News,

phone 607-749-2613or

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All opinions expressedin Letters and Commentaries

are those of the writersand not of

The Homer News,which is publishedas an independent,

unbiased communityservice and forum.

STORAGE SHEDSCold Spring Structures

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Saturday, December 8 - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm the CNY Living History Center is having a Model Train Day. This special event features model trains, including The Polar Express and Elf on the Shelf. Activities will include: readings from The Polar Express, face-painting & train-related craft activities. Normal admission rates (Adults $10; Ages 6-18 - $5; 5 & under, military & members – free) includes both this special event and our 3 Museums. Homeville’s extensive collection includes local railroad memorabilia and model trains—come see the recent changes & upgrades to our model train layout! Our replica of the front end of Engine #2107 is a great background for pictures…bring, buy or borrow an engineer cap! The CNY Living History Center is also the home of the Brockway Museum and Tractors of Yesteryear.4386 US Route 11, Cortland, NY [email protected] or 607-299-4185Homevillemuseum.wordpress.com

Model Train Fun for All AgesWest Lake Conservator Comes to Homer’s Little White Church The Landmark Society of Cortland County will be hosting a public lecture on Sunday, December 9th, at 7 P.M. in the sanctuary of the Little White Church on the Homer Village Green. The guest speaker will be Susan Blakney of West Lake Conservators in Skaneateles. West Lake Conservators is a nation-ally recognized firm specializing in the preservation and restoration of historic and artistic works, including the conservation of paintings, frames, murals, textiles, paper, and photo-graphic materials. West Lake was founded in 1975 by Chief Conservator Susan Blakney, a Fellow of both the American (AIC) and International (IIC) Institutes for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Susan is a senior level paint-ings conservator at West Lake. She received a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Kentucky in 1969. After six years of apprenticeship in the private studio of IIC Fellow William Fraser Lowe of London, England, Susan returned to America in 1975 to establish her private practice in the Town of Skaneateles. In 1981, she incorporated her business as West Lake Conservators, Ltd. where she continues as Chief Conservator. Please join us for an hour-long presentation by Susan on Sunday, December 9th. We are hoping to unveil a painting by Homer’s Francis B. Carpenter that recently returned to the village and which is being restored by West Lake Conservators.

Light refreshments will be served fol-lowing the presentation.

James E. HopkinsFinancial Advisor3 North Main StreetHomer, New York 13077607-749-2982

In Celebration of the Holidays

and Homer's Small Business Saturday

the Homer office of Edward Jones will welcome shoppers to come in for

Coffee, Hot Chocolate & Refreshments Saturday ~ November 24

9am to 12 pmp

Ed & Laurie PooleRoute 13

Between East Homer and Truxton(607) 753 – 1912

Poole’s Drive In

6:30am – 1:30pmFood DailyFriday Fish Fry 11:30 am - 8 pm

Homemade Pies

The Homer News •November 22, 2018. 3

EVENTSCALENDAR

As space permits, The Homer News will print a brief notice of your organiza-tion’s event at no charge in the EVENTS CALENDAR. For more detailed notices we suggest you purchase a display ad. Please keep in mind our publishing schedule and deadlines: November 28, 2018 for the December 6, 2018 issue.

Team Hage ~ Where Knowledgeand Experience Count!

We Sell Results, Not Promises.Time to Buy or Sell?

Call us at 607-753-6766

4070 West Rd. (Rt. 281)Cortland, NY 13045

Sold on Cortland County!

www.hagerealestate.com

Computer, Smartphone or TabletOn Your

. November 23 - FridayChristmas Bazaar and Small Business Show Case from 1 to 5 pm at the American Legion Post on 63 S. Main St. Homer. There will be over 20 vendors including Lakeland Winery, Bill Anderson's Farm Market, LuLaRoe, 31, The Treasure Barn, Hartford Country Moose, Crafty Creations, and many more. There will also be raffles including a basket with items or gift certifi-cates from all the vendors with the proceeds from the big basket going to the American Legion Auxiliary's President Project, a pro-gram that helps homeless women Veterans obtain safe affordable housing, with all money raised staying in NY State.

November 25 - SundayBreakfast Buffet on Sunday, November 25th from 8 to 11 a.m. at the American Legion. Omelets will be available. Veteran and Senior Citizen Discounts. Proceeds are used for the many Veteran and Community Service Projects of the American Legion Family.

December 8 - SaturdayChristmas Cookie Café - Sat. Dec. 8, 9:30 am- 12 noon. Create custom cookie trays from the dozens of home-made varieties available. Bring your own tray, or purchase one. Cookies are still only $10./lb. Questions: 315-677-3293, [email protected], www.ColumbianPresbyterianChurch.com

December 8 - SaturdayTompkins Cortland Habitat for Humanity Cookie Walk- 100 cookie varieties to choose from; Come fill a container. Saturday, December 8th from 11am to 2pm in Center Ithaca on the Commons. Come and get your Christmas cookies and enjoy ice sculptures and the Chowder Fest.

OOPS - Pumpkin CarvingIn the Nov. 8 issue we identified the children as Mrs. Dennis' First Grade Class. Mrs Dennis teaches 2nd Grade.We apologize for the error. We should know bet-ter. Our granddaughter is in the class; she's growing up faster than we realize.

The Sennightly Literary Club, located in Homer, recently met at the YWCA Osborne room for their monthly meeting. Speaker Mindy Gardner, Bridges for Kids, presented details of this program and offered ways for volunteers to "Lend a Hand". Books, toys, and clothing were collected to support this on-going club. Will Locke provided musical entertainment with toe tapping melodies of yesteryear. A festive evening was once again enjoyed by the 30 members present. The Dec 10 Holiday Dinner will meet at The Sherman House (Linanis) at 6 PM for a social time with dinner at 6:30 PM. Anyone interested in joining this group as a member is welcome. Contact: [email protected] for reservation and information

Sennightly Literary Club Program

Salem "Sam" Ferris

Salem (Sam) Ferris, 81, of Daytona Beach, FL, a native of Cortland, NY passed away peacefully November 6th at home surrounded by his loving fam-ily.

Sam will be forever remembered by his wife of 43 years Jo-Ann, sons Jason and Aaron (Amanda), and cherished granddaughter Abby; and by his sister Barbara, and brothers Robert (Pat) and Donald (Delia). Sam is also forever remembered by his numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends.

He worked in the construction indus-try as a heavy equipment and crane operator in central New York for sev-eral years before his retirement. After retirement, he moved from Cazenovia to Daytona Beach, spending summers in central New York.

He was predeceased by his parents N. Sam (Tofield) and Jennie Ferris.

In lieu of other remembrances the family suggests donations be made to Our Lady of Lourdes School, 1014 N. Halifax Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32118.

Condolences may be shared at: www.dalewoodwardfuneralhomes.com.

Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 27th at St. James Catholic Church, Cazenovia, NY, with Rev. Peter Worn at 11:00AM.

A six-hour AARP “Smart Driver” refresh-er course geared for drivers aged 50 and older, but open to drivers of any age, is being offered on Saturday, December 8 from 9:00-4:00 at The Cortland Community Center located at 90 Central Avenue in Cortland in the former train station. Participants are encouraged to bring a sweater or jacket and your AARP Membership card for a

Driver Refresher Class December 8discount on the class fee. A one hour lunch break will be provided.

This course is approved by the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles for points and insurance reduction.

Preregistration is required by calling the Cortland County Health Department at 758-5509. Class may be rescheduled due to lack of registrations, and walk-ins might be turned away.

This class is sponsored by AARP, the Cortland County Health Department, the Cortland County Area Agency on Aging, and the Cortland County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).


A Brief History of Education in Homer: 1819 – 2019

Homer HistoryBy Martin Sweeney, Homer Town and Village Historian

The Homer Central School District is the home of the Homer Trojans and “Blue Pride.” The stalwart city of Troy, under siege for ten years, figures prominently in the epic poems of the ancient Greek poet Homer, and provides the school’s namesake. Part of “Blue Pride” includes pride in our historic roots, in our stalwart behavior in athletics and other com-petitions, and in a tradition of academic excellence that dates back to February 2, 1819, when the genesis of today’s school, an academy on the Green, was chartered by the State of New York.As part of Homer’s Winter Fest, on Saturday, January 26, 2019, Homer Central School will be observing the bicentennial of education in Homer and letting our “Blue Pride” show. To help celebrate this event, this column will run installments that will provide an account covering more than 200 years of local education. It is hoped that readers will find this to be informative and entertaining, along with a display on January 26 of 200 artifacts -- one for each year since 1819.From the arrival of the town’s first settlers of European descent until today, the story of education in Homer can be broken down into four phases of development. First, there were the elementary schools of the early settlers. Then there was the Academy on the Green as a private institution of learning from 1819 to 1873. Next on the scene was the union free school district that incorporated the Academy as a public high school from 1873 to 1946. And finally, there is the centralized school district of the past seventy years that has expe-rienced remarkable growth, change, and controversy.

Twelfth installment: Homer Academy & Union School: 1920-1944The Homer Academy and Union School, along with the rest of the nation, transi-tioned from the “Progressive Era” into “The Roaring Twenties.” The Eighteenth Amendment made it illegal to manufac-ture, transport, or sell alcoholic bever-ages, but folks made “bath tub gin,” par-ticipated in “bootlegging,” and operated “speakeasies.” Interest in the “horseless carriage” intensified, and women bobbed their hair, shortened their skirts, and danced the Charleston. They got to vote for the first time in a presidential elec-tion in 1920. Equalization of pay scales for female and male teachers began in New York City in 1911 and was extended statewide in 1924. During the same years, female teachers generally gained the right to retain their jobs after marriage.The school in Homer in the ‘20s intro-duced high school courses in home eco-nomics for the girls, agriculture for the boys, and business for everyone. The “Catalogue” for 1921-1922 shows such “commercial subjects” being offered as bookkeeping, commercial law, business writing, shorthand, and something new called “typewriting.” While there was an obvious awareness of the increasing number of students who would not be attending college, the school continued to function primarily as a school for the college-bound until 1946. Thus, the full gamut of Regents subjects was offered. The “Palmer Method” of cursive handwrit-ing was being taught in the lower grades, and mechanical drawing was available to the upper grades. “Civics” was required of everyone who wished to graduate.In character education, incentive for the boys came in the form of a new award being made available in 1923. In memory of Russell Morse, a $20 gold piece was to be awarded on the day preceding the Easter vacation to the High School boy who was judged to have attained the highest rating in qualities of manhood, force of character, school spirit, and scholarship. The recipient was to be cited at Commencement and to have his name printed in the next issue of the school catalogue. By 1923, the District Superintendent of Schools, Albert Wesley Armitage, was keenly aware that the high school curriculum required more classroom space and a gymnasium to be competitive with other schools in effectively delivering instruc-tion. The nine-member Board agreed. Thus, on September 23, 1924, the residents of the District approved by a vote of 197 to 64 a thirty-year bond issue of $190,000 to construct and equip a high school annex to the Academy building [which is now the north wing of the Homer Central Elementary School]. No longer would bas-ketball have to be played down the street in the Keator Opera House, which was the third floor of Jedediah Barber’s former Great Western emporium. Construction of the annex did not go without mishap. On Tuesday morn-ing, June 23, 1925, Leon Witty, a Cortland electrician, reported to work at the construction site. Around 10 A.M. Witty was making his way back through the false work or timbering in the basement to locate the end of a pipe through which electrical wires were to pass. Upon reaching the corner, he looked up. In the semi-darkness, he spotted a body suspended above him by a rope around the neck. The body was that of fourteen year old Alton Howe of 4 Maple Avenue, Homer, who had just been promoted to the seventh grade at the Homer Academy and had been reported missing since the previous Sunday evening. The boy’s lifeless body hung

from a rafter in the west side of the basement. His feet were just a few inches from the ground. From the evidence gathered, law enforcement ruled out foul play, and the County District Attorney, Albert Haskell, Jr. let the Coroner’s verdict of suicide by strangulation stand. However, no credible motive could be established, and no one ever seemed to suggest that this could have been a tragic case of a boy’s play going horribly awry. Discovering a workman’s discarded rope, Howe might have been fantasizing about something like a pirate walking a plank as he walked across a board laid across a trestle at the scene. If he had lost his footing and slipped off the trestle, no one was there to help and no one heard his cry if he had breath within him to utter one. It remains a sad mystery. “The Epic,” an Academy “annual” was published in 1926 with photos of seniors, clubs, and teams. This yearbook credited the senior class with presenting a three-act play, “The Mummy and the Mumps.” It was performed at the Town Hall on April 22 and 23. The cast left their names on the stage walls where they have remained to this day, along with the graffiti of other townsfolk of a bygone era. This makes for a rather interesting archaeological artifact, which the architect hired by the Town for the interior renovations now under way has promised to preserve. The 1927 issue of “The Epic” was published, but no other yearbooks were put together until 1936. Perhaps, it was because of the economic restrictions of the Depression. The yearbook that came out in 1936 was called “The Odyssey.” In its foreword, its editors implored future classes to follow through: “We beg of you, don’t fail us in our precedent of publishing the ‘Odyssey.’ Be ambitious, courageous and persevering as was Ulysses. ‘Thy enterprise will reward thee.’” Succeeding classes have taken up the challenge. An “Odyssey” has been published every year since. On April 15, 1927, The Homer Academy Agricultural Club was chartered. Three years later, the group was affiliated with a national organization, The Future Farmers of America. The Homer chapter called themselves “Homer Aggies.” A Homer chapter of F.F.A. still exists and fosters an understanding of and apprecia-tion for agriculture and related careers. By 1929 the school “Catalogue” noted that the past few years had seen “a goodly number of prizes…offered by patrons and friends of the school.” A prize comparable in all respects, except the monetary value, to the Russell Morse Award was given to a girl by Mrs. F. T. Newcomb. $10 in gold was to be handed to the recipient of the Antoinette Flagg Newcomb Memorial Award. Among fifteen other prizes were these: The Agriculture Prize, The Homemaking Prize, The Homer National Bank Prize in Mathematics, The Wells Prize in Science, The Briggs History Prize, The Proper Prize, The Crandall Prize, and The Sennightly Club Prize. There were two awards in the physical education department for the first time. One of those was to go to “the senior boy and girl having the best posture.” Recognition of a need to educate "the whole child" was spurred by pub-lication, in 1929, of the State Education Department's "Cardinal Objectives of Elementary Education," which declared: It is the function of the public elementary school to help every child: (1) to understand and practice desirable social relationships; (2) to discover and develop his own desirable individual aptitudes; (3) to cultivate the habit of critical thinking; (4) to appreciate and desire worth-while activities; (5) to gain command of the common integrating knowledge and skills; and (6) to develop a sound body and normal mental attitudes.

In any time period, however, we find students who for various reasons skip classes. Homer “truant officers” were to be paid $3 per call to round up stu-dents “playing hooky.” In the 1920s, the title was changed to “attendance officer.” Burt Gay served as both the Janitor and the Attendance Officer for the Academy. In October of 1929, the Stock Market crashed, and the U.S. entered into the Great Depression. The unemployment level rose. Money was tight. The Town of Homer’s “Gospel Fund” that had existed since 1808 “for the support of the Gospel & Schools” was appropriated in 1931, and the entire amount of principal and interest, $2060.96, was distributed among the thirteen school districts of the town. The one-room school district in Kinney Gulf needed a teacher in 1935. Genevieve Rumsey of Homer graduated from the Cortland Normal School that year. There were few openings for teachers, and Miss Rumsey did not expect to get one. Though not keen on teaching multiple grades in one room, she asked her brother Elmer to drive her to an interview with the trustee who hired for the Kinney Gulf school. Elmer ran a feed store in Homer and was acquainted with the trustee. The two men talked of farming and feed for some time before the trustee finally turned to the job applicant. He said, “You’re looking for a job?” Miss Rumsey said, “Yes.” The man then asked, “You’re Elmer’s sister?” She answered, “Yes.” “Well, that’s good enough for me. You’re hired,” he said. And that’s how she landed her first teaching job for $22.50 a week in a building with no electricity, no running water, a chemical toilet, and a wood stove for heat. There were six or seven farm children, each in a different grade. The schooling terminated at grade 8. They brought their meager lunches in metal lunch pails. Tough competition for a few jobs of any kind characterized the Thirties. Though Miss Rumsey did her job well, she kept the teaching position for only one year. In the spring of 1936, a new trustee informed her that the couple next door to the school had a granddaughter graduating from Cortland Normal School. She needed a job, and he felt obligated to give Miss Rumsey’s position to her. So he did. Miss Rumsey’s brother took her to see the trustee of the district school in Cold Brook. Again, in her words, “I was given the position more on my brother’s merits

1920-1944 - continued on page 7


Physical TherapyReturn to what matters most

Mark Williams, PT, DPTEhren Heyer, PT, DPT

From the November 7 Homer Town Board Meeting Update on Bridge repairs – Councilman Park reported that all work has been completed on the Haights Gulf Road Bridge; there has been no news on the Bridge NY application for the Wall Street Bridge; and the engi-neer has all the measurements for the Pine Street Bridge and will have a pro-posal for repairing the bridge in a few weeks.

Fire District – Supervisor Forbes said that the Town of Homer Fire Commissioners and the Village of Homer have agreed to a 2% increase in the Homer Fire District budget. The Town of Homer approved the pro-posed 2019 contract, subject to review by the Village counsel, between the Village of Homer and Town of Homer Fire District for the amount of $90,080.

TOWN HISTORIAN Town Historian Martin Sweeney gave his annual report of all of his activi-ties over the past year and thanked the Town Board for planning a new office for him as part of the renovation project. He noted that old stage set pieces thought to have been painted by Thomas Knobel (great-grandfather of the Town Clerk) may be used in the completed project and that Supervisor Forbes has now uncovered windows that had been covered over since the building was first used as a theater in 1938. Various items left in the balcony and under the front of the stage have been discovered during the renovations including old popcorn boxes, Durkee’s Bakery donut boxes, and old Pepsi and beer bottles, along with old programs and advertisements for the movies to be shown. Sweeney has continued to publish a column in The Homer News on the his-tory of education in Homer, is working to have the Glenwood Cemetery listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places, and portrayed William Stoddard, a Homer resident and sec-retary to Abraham Lincoln, in a promo-tional video for Cortland County, touting Homer as the most historic site in the County.

The Town Board received and accept-ed the annual Historian’s Report for 2018, and thanked Mr. Sweeney for his service as Town Historian and for shar-ing his enthusiasm for history with the people of the Town of Homer.

FARM BREWERIES LOCAL LAW

The Town Board reviewed a local law recommended by the Planning Board to allow for farm breweries/distilleries/wineries in residential and agricultural districts with a special permit. There was discussion about various aspects of the proposed local law including the minimum lot size of 10 acres that had been recommended. Attorney Snyder said that the Planning Board also plans to consider the issue of farm wedding and/or event venues in the near future. The Board resolved that the Town Attorney shall prepare a local law on farm breweries, etc., as recommended by the Town Planning Board and that a public hearing on the proposed law is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. at the December 5th board meeting.

CHICKENS IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS LOCAL LAW

There was much discussion about whether and how much to limit or regu-late the ownership of chickens or other types of poultry in the Town’s resi-dential areas. Supervisor Forbes and Councilman Williams each stated their concerns about the local law recom-mended by the Town Planning Board which allows for poultry in residential areas by right provided that the number of chickens does not exceed 8, that they are properly contained - no “free range” chickens, and no roosters. Attorney Snyder explained that with-out a local law, chickens are only per-mitted in residential areas if a special permit is obtained through the Planning Board. He suggested that the admin-istrative burden for both the residents and the Town for people wishing to raise a few chickens would be reduced by establishing some guidelines. Anyone wanting to exceed the number of chick-ens, or own a rooster, or allow the chickens to have complete free range

without containment, would still be able to apply for a special permit to do so. No decision was made to move forward on the law as proposed.

NEW BUSINESS

Court Audit Homer Town Board members Williams and Jones performed an audit of the 2017 Town of Homer court records on October 24th, 2018 using a checklist and documentation provided by the New York State Comptroller’s Office; and they found all records to be clear, concise, and accurate; that all reports and disbursements were made on a timely basis, that the checkbooks were reconciled on a timely basis, and that cooperation by the Town Justice and Court Clerk was found to be excellent.

DCO and Shelter Inspection Reports – Supervisor Forbes presented the Dog Control Officer Inspection and the Municipal Shelter Inspection Reports for the Town’s shelter on West S that were completed by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets as of October 12th. All was found to be in compliance and satisfactory.

Land Annexation – the Town accepted property currently owned by East River Acres, LLC, consisting of less than 1 acre, tax map parcel #66.75-01-37.000, located just east of Route 81 as approved by the Village of Homer to be annexed to the Town, and to become part of tax map parcel #67.00-15-06.000 located in the Town with the same owner.

Town Hall Renovations – Supervisor Forbes updated the Board members on the status of the renovations. He said that the construction of offices on the stage is moving along rapidly. Forbes said that Complete Construction Concepts had agreed to lower their bid for sidewalk replacement in front of the Town Hall by $500 after Highway Superintendent Phelps agreed to tear out the old sidewalk. Work will begin soon, weather permitting.Forbes will be consulting with the Code Officer on further renovations to the balcony area of the Town Hall. The Board voted to hire Marty Heath to con-tinue the tear-out of the balcony area to turn it into usable space at a cost of up to $3,000.

2019 Town Budget – Supervisor Forbes explained how and why he has made modifications to the Preliminary Budget for 2019. The Phillips Free Library has decided to change how they are funded. Because they now have a State man-date to cover the entire Homer Central School District, they plan to change their funding from support from the Village and Town of Homer to a line item on the Homer School taxes. Due to a difference in fiscal years, Forbes said that the Town will continue to budget $18,250 or one-half the amount of the annual Library support for 2019. In the future, the Town will no longer need to budget that support. Another adjust-ment was made to correct an error in salary increases. Forbes said that due to these adjustments, the tax rate for the Town will remain at $1.31/thousand, with no increase in the rate. Due to a 2% increase in the amount to be raised by the Homer Fire District, those resi-dents outside of the Village will see a slight increase of $.01 per thousand. The Preliminary Town Budget for 2019 was amended and adopted as the 2019 Town Budget, with the tax rate for Village residents to be $1.31 per thou-sand, and for Town residents, $1.31 per thousand plus a Fire District tax rate of $.44 for a total tax rate of $1.75 per thousand.

HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT

Highway Superintendent John Phelps reported that he and his crew have been busy over the past month preparing for winter. The small paver purchased a couple of years ago has been very help-ful for the Town and for other municipali-ties who have used it to finish up small projects at the end of the season. Phelps said that he will again operate a late afternoon/evening shift for snow and ice removal with a small crew. He praised his current employees for their hard work, skill and teamwork.

COUNTY LEGISLATOR

Legislator Kelly Preston reported on the activities of the County Legislature over the past month. She voiced her support for Charles Sudbrink as the new County Highway Superintendent and said that Kevin Whitney as the new acting County Administrator was off to a good start. Preston said that she was now on the Budget & Finance Committee and that they hope to improve the financial management of the County.

Homer Town Board Highlights


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than on my own.” She would teach in other places before accepting the position of first grade teacher in Homer Academy in September of 1941. She married in 1950 and quit teaching for nine years. In 1959, Mrs. Stafford returned to Homer Central School and taught for another fifteen years. She recalled with amusement the time her daughter came home from college at Brockport all excited about something new and different in education. “Mom, did you ever hear of an open-classroom?” Her mother responded, “Sure, I taught in one for six years.” Such was a starting teacher’s life in the 1930s. It was in the fall of 1930 that another teacher arrived in Homer. This teacher, like Woolworth and Clark in earlier years, would shortly take on an administrative role that would shape the future of education in Homer for years to come. Many today can remember Louis J. Wolner. They associate his name with these descriptors: Tall, slender, dignified, cultured gentleman, husband, father, scholar, disciplinarian, public speaker, actor, and “a general good fellow.” Mr. Wolner attended high school in Albany and was offered scholarships by Columbia University and Ohio Wesleyan. He declined both. Instead, he entered New York State Teachers College in Albany – the institution Dr. Woolworth had helped to create. He excelled while there. He was president of his freshman and sophomore class, editor of the college newspaper, captain of the debate team that competed with national and international teams, president of the Signum Laudis Scholarship Society, and a member of Myskanid, a senior honorary society for directing student affairs. Armed with these credentials, Wolner came to Homer in 1930 to teach high school English and to advise the senior class. He roomed at the Baptist parsonage, the building now attached to the Homer Center for the Arts, and took his meals at another boarding house on Cayuga Street. A boarding house on North Main Street catered to unmarried female teachers. Also rooming at the parsonage were two other dedicated teachers who, with Wolner and during their careers, would leave an indelible imprint on education in Homer. One was the math and chemistry teacher Joseph F. Herney. The second was George W. Butts, the physical education teacher and athletic coach fresh out of the Cortland Normal School. Butts was hired to replace Prof. Orvis and became known as sim-ply “Prof.” Three years after taking up residence in Homer, Wolner was appointed to succeed the academy principal who had hired him, Arthur E. Warren. He beat out almost one hundred other men who had applied. It was not an inconsequential matter in that era that Wolner was the first of the Roman Catholic faith to attain this administrative post in Homer. In 1936, he was the Chairman of Supervising Principals of the state of New York and the president of the Homer Chamber of Commerce. He would become involved in other civic organizations, such as Rotary. Under Wolner, the student newspaper The Olympian first started publish-ing, and it has continued ever since. As a principal, Wolner was known for tracking down truant boys. Once he found three enjoying a movie matinee at the Schine State Theater in Cortland. Slipping into a seat behind them, he informed them “We’ll stay until the end of the movie and then return to school so that you may do the work you’re missing.” The boys completed the neglected assignments at 6 PM in Wolner’s office, and the principal got to see a movie he had wanted to see, and for free no less. On other occasions, he found boys playing hooky at the pool hall on Main Street in Homer [floor above the present day Homer Men’s and Boys’ Store]. He tried his hand at an activity that was new to him before trotting them back to the academy, and he joked years later that he was “indebted to these pool sharks” for helping him to round out his education. It was “Lou” Wolner who would spearhead the move to merge twenty-seven district schools with the Homer Academy and Union School. He and the Board of Education, with the approval of the genial District Superintendent of Schools, Albert Wesley Armitage, made several studies in the 1930s of the advantages of centralizing the Academy district, the Scott Union School, the Preble Village School, and twenty-five common school districts in the area. It was felt that centralization was proving to be a positive trend elsewhere and that

1920-1944 - continued from page 4

it would allow for comprehensiveness for taking care of all students, both those wishing to continue education post-high school and those planning to enter the workforce upon graduation. Little interest was initially shown in such a proposal because, in Wolner’s assessment, “….during the Depression people were naturally more interested in keeping body and soul together than they were in the reorganization of the schools.” Times were so tough, in fact, that one year the school board asked the teachers to contribute five per cent of their salary in order to balance the budget and maintain the current tax rate. Wolner said, “The teachers did not respond cheerfully to this request, but they complied.”

Then World War II broke out in 1939, and the U.S. entered the fray in December of 1941. In March of 1943, it was announced that wartime plans were being completed to evacu-ate as many pupils as possible from the Academy during an air raid. This was in keeping with instructions from the Director of the State Office of Civilian Protection. Children, in groups of twen-ty, were to be taken by a teacher to their homes. The school board felt it would be safer to distribute them throughout the village than to concentrate them all in one site during an attack. Children outside the village would be super-vised at the school. Principal Wolner explained that “The final signal to take cover will undoubtedly sound before children…have reached home. In such an instance, the teacher will request shelter for the children and herself in the farthest home from school….” In November of 1944, Homer Academy students participated in col-lecting clothing and blankets for the Cortland Rotary Club to send to vic-tims of the German blitzkrieg attacks on London. As Wolner framed it, “When the war followed the misery of the thirties, people and the students themselves were too preoccupied with the struggle to consider redistricting the schools.” It would be a school fire -- the fourth in Homer’s history -- that would push the concept of centraliza-tion to the forefront as a topic worthy of serious consideration. Next Installment: Centralization of 28 Districts

Homer Academy Faculty c. 19201st row: ? , Jennie Wood, Helen Lyman, Pearl Phillips Paquette, ?2nd row: Greenwood ?, Phelps, Louise Hobart, Greta Ames, Miss Corey3rd row: Ethelyn Potter Morenue, Prof. Armitage, Laura Beeston Merrick4th row: Lamb, ?, Mary Rothwell Rumsey, Ruth Stoker, ?, Miss Tilton, ?

607/753-1714Rt. 13 North at Lorings Crossing

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From the Archives....

3rd annual Coffee with Village of Homer Police Chief Pitman will be on Small Business Saturday, November 24th from 8am until 11am at Sinfully Sweet 17 South Main Street, Homer. Please come meet the chief & have a cup of coffee with him.

Progress On 23 S. Main St. Bldg.The second floor framing is in place on the new building at 23 S. Main St., replac-ing the Wheadon Building that was destroyed by fire a couple of years ago. In the bottom photo, a steel beam is being placed to support the third floor.

The Village of Homer Planning Board met on November 12th to consider an appli-cation by David Yaman for subdivision of property at 12 S. Main St. Mr. Yaman explained to those present that he was seeking approval to subdivide this commercial property into two parcels, in order to provide separateownership of two existing buildings. Mr. Yaman advised that the First National Bank of Dryden wished to purchase the existing bank building, as shown on an aerial photo accompanying the applica-tion. The property will be subdivided with cross easements so that both owners will share both maintenance of the parking lot and access from South Main Street and James Street. Mr. Yaman displayed a large survey map to the Board members. Member Mike Pollak asked if there would be any issues with parking, and the applicant responded that the only problem there is occurs when cars come in to pick up their children at school dismissal time, which is temporary. Chairman Irish acknowledged receipt of a memo dated 25 October 2018 from Daniel Dineen, Director of the Cortland County Planning Department stating that the Department was returning the application to the Village for local determination as it was technically adequate and had no State- or County-wide impact. As requested by Chairman Irish, the Board Secretary read aloud those ques-tions contained in Part II of the Short Environmental Assessment Form. Negative responses were obtained to all questions. A motion was then made by Member Pollak that, based on the information provid-ed and analysis of the SEQR concerning this application for a Minor Subdivision, the Village of Homer Planning Board has determined that the proposed action will not produce any significant adverse environmental impact, resulting in a Negative Declaration. The motion passed with all present voting in the affirmative.

Village Planning Board News

ALERT - ALERT - ALERTThe FINAL date for submittal of the Microenterprise Grant

Application has been extended to:

12/14/2018Do you have a great idea for a small business, or already

have a small business, then apply NOW!

Applications available on-line at: www.homerny.org

Questions or concerns, please contact:

[email protected]


News from the LibraryBy Priscilla Berggren-Thomas

WELCOME HOME TO HERIT

AGE

YOUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE CONNECTION

Library Funding The recent article in the Cortland Standard regarding the library and our funding may be easily misunderstood when it states that “the town and vil-lage of Homer were paying more to the library than they needed to.” We’d like to take this opportunity to clarify the situation. We work hard to be fiscally respon-sible, creating a budget that includes all the necessary costs of keeping our historic building safe, accessible and welcoming. That budget meets NYSED auditing requirements and is overseen by the library board, which takes its fiduciary responsibility very seriously. The library is a community service provided to residents of the Homer School District that has been supported for years by the town and village gov-ernments. In 2010 the state requested that libraries, whose original charters were old and unclear as what their ser-vice area were, amend their charters to state clearly who they served. Prior to this we had always said we were char-tered to serve the village of Homer and contracted to serve the town of Homer, but in fact we have always provided ser-vices to anyone who walks through our doors. At that time the state requested we amend our charter to serve the whole Homer School District, as large parts of the outlying rural areas did not fall into any library’s service area. The govern-ments of the town and village of Homer continued to support the library. The choice to support the library and how much they choose to give the library has always been the decision of and at the discretion of the town and vil-lage boards. We have been very thank-ful that the Town and Village of Homer have chosen to support Phillips Free Library for many years. With an expanded service area, we have expanded programs, repurposed our space, to reach out to all seg-ments of our service area and meet the diverse needs of our patrons. Meeting the evolving needs of our community as we deal with an ever changing world requires sustainable and secure funding. In recent years, the Division of Library Development, the State Library, and the New York Library Association have encouraged libraries to switch funding to ballot measures to make library fund-ing more secure and sustainable. In our continuing effort to serve all residents of the school district, including those in communities that are furthest from the library, Phillips Free Library made the decision to switch all our funding to the school ballot. We have discussed this with both the town board and the mayor

of the village. While we are cautiously optimistic about a positive ballot outcome in May, we know the public will have questions and we will be providing answers - transparent and understand-able - to the community. Once the busy holiday season winds down, we'll be scheduling public meetings and shar-ing information to help all of our towns in the Homer Central School district understand how this transition will affect them. What’s New at the Library?

New Hours Did you know the library now opens at 10 am on Fridays? Stop by and see us. Toddler Story Time Toddler story time with Miss Ashley is on Wednesdays at 10:30 am. This fun program for children from infants to pre-school age meets every Wednesday morning when school is in session. There is no program on snow days or school vacation. Upcoming themes include:

November 21st: No programNovember 28th: DrumsDecember 5th: Hats and MittensDecember 12th: ArtDecember 19th: Polar BearsDecember 26th: No program

Rockin’ Readers Rockin’ Readers, our K-2nd grade story and activity time is every Wednesday from 3:25 pm to 4:15 pm that school is in session. This is a fun program with stories, crafts, games, and songs. Upcoming themes are:

Nov. 21st – No programNov. 28th – MonkeysDecember is Jan Brett MonthDec. 5th – Gingerbread Dec. 12th – Jan Brett Christmas Dec. 19th – Hedgehogs Dec. 26th – No program

Our First Zine is Out! The youth writers of Phillips Free Library have produced the first edition of our new Zine, This mini-magazine includes the art and writing of our 4th through 12th grade writers. After two months of writing, drawing, editing, and creating a layout, the holiday issue of Tomfoolery is available. Stop by the library to pick up an issue. This project is made possible through a grant from the Wilkins Foundation.

Teatime at the Library The library has a new podcast,

Teatime at the Library. Join us for con-versations about the love of reading. You can find a link to the podcast from our website or Facebook page. Fiction, Food, and Flick This unique, twice-monthly program includes a book discussion, viewing of the movie based on the book, and a chance to try one dish or snack that the characters in the story eat. Come for just the book discussion, just the food and flick, or for both.

The book/movie for November is The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard. We’ll be watching the movie (with snacks) on Nov. 27th.

The book/movie for December is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. We’ll be discussing the book on Dec. 11th at 6 pm and watching the movie on Dec. 18th at 6 pm. Holiday Sewing Want to make decorations for the holidays? Come to our holiday sewing projects time on Friday Nov. 30th from 10:30 to noon. You can chose between making a stocking or ornament. Supply lists will be available at registration. Space is limited to 5, so be sure to reg-ister early. Lego Club Lego Club for children in K-2nd grades will meet Monday, Dec. 3rd from 4-5 pm. The club for 3rd through 5th graders will meet Monday, Dec. 10th from 4-5 pm. A Writing Workshop for Adults This 3-session writing workshop meets the 1st Tuesday of the month from Nov-Jan. Sessions are from 6:30 – 8 pm and center around critiquing and discussing each other's work. It may also include some writing exercises. Don't forget to bring a few copies of your work! Max 5 pages.Holiday Writing Want to write some fun Christmas stories to read round the Christmas tree? Or maybe get your Scrooge on? Come to a flash fiction Christmas writing workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 5th from 5 pm until 7:30 pm. We will write sto-ries in the first hour and a half and share our stories in the last hour. Writers from 4th grade through adults are welcome

to the writing workshop. Everyone is invited for the last hour to hear our sto-ries. Refreshments will be served. MakerSpace in the Wonder and Discover Center Our MakerSpace is open to everyone on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 pm. Come learn and play with every-thing from Little Bits (an electronic building blocks that snap together to make ideas into inventions), Cubelets (magnetic robotics), Snap Circuits (electronic kits to learn about electric-ity), and other building and engineering toys. The library’s Knight of the Tech Table is available to help with whatever tool adults and children what to use. The MakerSpace will be open Wednesdays December 12th and 19th and we’ll be featuring our 3-D printer, Tinkercad and Thingiverse. Stop by for some fun on Wednesday evenings. TEchExplorers – Technology and Engineering Exploration for Children Our TEchExplorers program, includes a robotics component using Cubelets for K- 5th graders and an electron-ics invention component using Little Bits for 3rd through 6th graders. These programs are funded by a generous donation from a community member. Cubelets will be on Wednesday Dec., 12th from 4:30 to 5:15 pm. Little Bits will be on Wednesday, Dec. 19th from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. Space is limited to 5 children. Sign up starts a week prior to each program.

Board of Trustees Meeting The Phillips Free Library’s Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, Dec. 17th at 7 pm in our Wonder and Discovery Center. Meetings are open to the public.

For more information about any of our programs call 749-4616 or check out our website at www.phillipsfreelibrary.org. Phillips Free Library Hours:Monday 10 am to 6 pmTuesday 2 pm to 8 pmWednesday 10 am to 8 pmThursday 2 pm to 8 pmFriday 10 pm to 6 pmSaturday 10 am to 2 pm

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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MICHAEL KILMER, administrator

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Homer Men’s & Boy’s Store- QUALITY FAMILY CLOTHING SINCE 1951 -

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Historic Homer Tours

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Solution toNov 8 Puzzle

= TOTAL ENCLOSED ________________

The Homer News

CLASSIFIED ADS - $7.50$7.50 per issue for the first 20 words,

5¢ for each word over 20 wordsFill out and mail this coupon with your payment to the Classified Department,

PO Box 125, Homer, NY 13077. All ads must be in our hands by Friday at 5 p.m. for Thursday’s paper.

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A gift subscription to The Homer News will help keep your out-of-town friends and relatives informed. $36/year for 1st Class Mail. Call 749-2613

Publication ScheduleTHE HOMER NEWS

HANDYMAN SERVICES

VOL ISS PUB DATE DEADLINE

10. Misfortunes11. Curved molding12. Was ahead15. Black or brown haired guy20. Idealized image22. Free24. ____ of limitations25. *Disneyland and Disney World, e.g.26. Characteristic27. Perfume obtained from flowers29. *Mickey Mouse organization31. Fiddle with32. Medicinal plants33. Wispy clouds34. *a.k.a. Permanent World’s Fair36. Of sound mind38. *Mom, to Gaston or Lumière42. *”The Fox and the Hound,” e.g.45. Stinking rose?49. Ornamental carp51. Like “Hebrew National” hot dog54. Fashion designer Hervé56. Yemeni’s neighbor57. ____ E. Coyote58. Terrorist org.59. Grassy land tracts60. 31 days61. International Civil Aviation Org.62. Profit63. Augments64. Zip or zilch66. New prefix

9 12 12/6/2018 11/28/20189 13 12/20/2018 12/12/20189 14 1/3/2019 12/26/20189 15 1/17/2019 1/8/20199 16 1/31/2019 1/22/20199 17 2/14/2019 2/5/20199 18 2/28/2019 2/19/20199 19 3/14/2019 3/5/20199 20 3/28/2019 3/19/20199 21 4/11/2019 4/2/20199 22 4/25/2019 4/16/20199 23 5/9/2019 4/30/20199 24 5/23/2019 5/14/20199 25 6/6/2019 5/28/2019

SHANE'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Lawn Mowing; Fall Clean Ups; Gutter Cleaning; Junk Removal; Painting; Staining; Shrub Trimming; Pressure Washing Houses, Decks; Driveway Sealing; Landscaping; Mulching; much more. Fully Insured. Reasonable Rates. Free Estimates. 607-299-4676 12a

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

THEME: DISNEY

ACROSS

1. *Store princesses6. Pop-ups9. Violin’s Renaissance predeces-sor13. Relating to axis14. *Like Cinderella Castle at night15. Lowest part of a ship16. Easily irritated17. North American country18. Ticked off19. *Mighty Ducks home base21. *Disney vacation23. Philosophical system24. Epidermis plus dermis25. School group28. Consideration30. Vandalize35. Performing ____37. Air of allure, slang39. Tiptoe around it?40. Pro ____41. Revealed43. Cleopatra’s necklace44. Tibetan ass46. Dog nemesis47. Any number multiplied by ____ is zero48. Brett Favre’s 297 consecutive starts, e.g.50. Shipbuilding wood52. Spot command53. *Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus55. Farm sound57. *Mickey’s predecessor60. *Princess of Agrabah64. Japanese-American65. African migrator67. Inverted circumflex above cer-tain letters68. Hipbone-related69. Slippery sort70. Related on mother’s side71. More to some?72. *Walt’s brother73. Civil unrest, pl.

DOWN

1. Facts and figures2. A yoked pair3. Actress Kudrow4. Policeman’s club in India5. Trickiest6. Reunion attendee7. *NYSE acronym8. Library storage9. One of English Henries

This Could Be YOURBusiness Card Ad

$15 for 1 issue$85.50 for 6 issues

email your ad to:[email protected]

credit card payments accepted

THE HOMER NEWSVolume IX November 8, 2018 Issue 10

Hours:Mon.-Fri. 8AM-6PM

Sat. 9AM-1PM orCall For An Appointment!

For a complete list of homesfor sale, visit:

www.yaman.com

Emergency Preparedness Tuesday, 12/11/18 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Rm. 302 of the COB

With severe weather events becoming more frequent and more extreme, it is more important than ever that New Yorkers are prepared for disasters. The NY Citizen Preparedness Training Program teaches residents to have the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to disaster conditions. The 1.5 hour long training course will provide an introduction to responding to different types of disasters and "Active Shooter / Active Violence “situations. Participants will be advised on how to properly prepare for any disaster, including developing a family emer-gency plan and stocking up on supplies. Please join us for this free event hosted by the Cortland County Area Agency on Aging’s Caregiver Resource Center, Call (607)753-5060 to register.

Honoring Families & Programs who give selflessly to our country & community.

November 27th, 2018 is #GivingTuesday

Help us put the "Giving" back into the holiday season this year and join Clear Path for Veterans for #GivingTuesday.

Your support allows us to continue offering our programs & services to the Veterans, military members, and families in Up-State New York. Thank you for helping us continue our mission of supporting their journey home.

Make a contribution today

DONATE NOWClear Path for Veterans | 315-687-3300

How to Take Advantage of National Scholarship Month(StatePoint) Bargain hunters will spend November tracking down Black Friday deals to save on holiday shopping, but savvy higher education shoppers know November is also National Scholarship Month, a perfect time to find free money for college.

To help students and families get the most out of scholarship season, Sallie Mae, the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company, is offering six tips:

• Get an early start. Apply for scholarships your junior year of high school and every year in college. Approximately 50 percent of available scholarships are for students already enrolled in college. There are also many scholarships available for graduate school.

• Don’t miss out. To qualify for $150 billion in financial aid, including scholarships, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Schools use the FAFSA to put together financial aid packages, states use it to determine eligibil-ity for state aid, and it’s required for many scholarship applications. Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, or from programs with limited funds, so the earlier families fill out the FAFSA, the better.

• Remember, not everything is a deal. Never pay for scholarships and be wary of “guaranteed” money. Don’t be lured in by sites or organizations that charge a fee to access scholarship applications. School counselors and school financial aid offices can recommend reputable options.

• Even small savings count. Many scholarships may just be for a few hundred dollars, but these can add up and can be used for a variety of college expenses. Apply for as many as possible -- you’ll be surprised by how much you can earn.

• Take advantage of doorbusters. Some scholarships awards are as easy as showing up and registering. Sallie Mae, for example, offers a $1,000 monthly sweepstakes for those who sign up for its free college planning tools. To com-memorate National Scholarship Month, the company is increasing the award in November to $5,000.

From: The Homer NewsP.O. Box 125 Homer, NY 13077

Copyright © 2018

Deliver to: LOCAL BOXHOLDER PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE PAIDHOMER NY

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Where is The Homer News Being Read??

Barb and Lou Closson read the Homer News at Old Faithful...after spouting....Yellowstone National Park, WY

homer news 11-22-18

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