“DON’T LOOK ETHEL! But it was too late…”
Turn on a radio in the spring of 1974 and you’d likely hear a hit song by Ray Stevens, “The Streak.”
Those living in the day will recall a fairly short-lived craze of people running around in crowded places, naked. For the fun of it, publicity or a dare. Oneonta was no exception.
As The Oneonta Star of March 8 reported, “There was full moon last night. In fact, at Hartwick College there were many full ‘moons’ of nearly 50 students who dashed naked across the campus in Oneonta’s largest steak-in.
The well-publicized event drew nearly 500 spectators, who lined the sidewalks and roads around the field between Dewar and Leitzell Halls.
“All day Thursday, news of the streak-in had been passed by word of mouth and college radio throughout the campus. Organizers claimed that every dorm would be represented by a streaker and said the activities at the college was just a preliminary for a joint Hartwick-Oneonta State streak through the city.
“Last night’s bare affair did not measure up to the expectations of the organizers, though few of the spectators left dissatisfied.
The Watergate scandal was growing hotter by the day that year, and drew some attention by a guest speaker at SUNY Oneonta.
The Star of March 19 reported, “When Alger Hiss was sentenced to prison in 1949 on a perjury charge related to his alleged involvement in Communist activities, he had an energetic anti-Red Congressman named Richard Nixon to blame for at least a few of his woes.
“A quarter of a century later, the roles have changed somewhat — the not so young Nixon is enmeshed in what is generally referred to as the worst political scandal in U.S. history, while the even older Hiss, no longer thought of as a ‘Red menace,’ is voicing his theories from lecture hall stages.
“Last night, the 70-year-ol Hiss appeared in SUCO’s Hunt College Union before a crowd of about 500 and to the surprise and disappointment of many, he was reticent about the down-and-out President who was instrumental in arranging a halt to his own bright political career.
“But the little he did say was a clear indication of his feelings.
“Asked during a question and answer period if he would ever sign a petition calling for Nixon’s impeachment, Hiss replied, ‘If someone had one with him, I’d be glad to sign it.’
“Prepared for just such a response, the student trotted to the stage, presented his petition, and waited while Hiss signed it with a flourish.”
The appearance of Hiss in Oneonta was not well taken by some, as The Star of March 20 reported, “The protests prompted SUCO president Clifford Craven to issue a statement defending the appearance.
“Craven says he has received ‘several’ phone calls during the past week from area residents who felt that a man once accused of being in the Communist party should not be allowed to speak on a college campus. None of the calls were from students, he said.
“In a long statement, Craven defended the right of a speaker, regardless of his political beliefs, to express his views on the SUCO campus.”
Using the imagination a bit and returning to visual views, Star readers on March 12 learned, “A seven-story retail-apartment building will be constructed between Dietz Street and Ford Avenue, directly north of the municipal parking lot.” This would be directly north of what is today’s 22-40 Dietz St., the Dietz Street Lofts. The site is now a series of offices and studios at 50 Dietz St.
“The plan now calls for 80 apartments from studio sized to three bedrooms,” said Joseph Dobson, a developer who had hoped to have the high rise ready for occupancy by September 1975. It was never built.
A new look was coming to a property in nearby East Meredith, as The Star of March 22 reported, “The two-year long effort to save the ‘Old Mill’ at East Meredith has apparently been successful.” We know it today as Hanford Mills Museum.
“Officials of the non-profit ‘Old Mill Corporation’ picked up their option on the landmark, 12 hours before it was about to expire, yesterday afternoon.
“The corporation paid $100,000 for the landmark from Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kelso of East Meredith.”
This weekend, a look back at local homelessness and mental health issues during the Great Depression.
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/.