A Small Town, More Than a Dozen Stories or Less |
This is the letter Tom McCarthy sent to the Class of 1962. It was formerly on the home page of this website, but has been moved here so that it will have a permanent home. The following replicates was was on the home page before it was moved here as its new home. There are too many homes in this paragraph. Sell one and move into a condo in your favorite resort area. The Prez has emerged and has sent us a letter. Unlike other Presidents, Tom McCarthy was elected for life, something he did not anticipate. However, he has assumed the mantle of power with grace and vision. To read his message, click on THE PREZ SPEAKS. It will bring tears to your eyes. Or maybe that's just because it's allergy season. |
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For Chuck Klaer's life history, click HERE. Anyone who writes three pages gets their own entry in the Stories section. Follow Chuck to Europe, Asia, and around the world. |
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Ithaca: A Wreck |
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Dancing with the Stars! |
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Vandalism of symbolic tree at IHS forces its removal ITHACA — The pine tree in the middle of Ithaca High School's quad area likely witnessed many first kisses in its 40 years there. The tree was cut down on Sunday after vandals gouged a large portion out of its truck with a chainsaw. The gouge made the tree unsafe because it could have fallen at any time, said Karen Rachetta, assistant principal at Ithaca High School. The tree was planted in 1966 by the senior class and has graced the cover of numerous IHS yearbooks, said Rachetta, a former student at the high school. “It just really symbolized Ithaca High,” she said. “Every time I walked by that tree it was a connection to past students and teachers.” Superintendent Judith Pastel called the incident “senseless” and “heartbreaking.” The vandalism was discovered on Sunday by custodial staff. The tree was cut down several hours later. The Ithaca Police Department is investigating the matter. The school provided police with surveillance images of the incident, Rachetta said. Rachetta wouldn't give details about any possible video footage of the vandalism. One school official did video the tree's last moments as it was being chopped down, Rachetta said. The military funeral song, “Taps,” can be heard as the video plays. Rachetta said feelings about the incident are mixed among the student body with some students being upset and others showing indifference. Two students even attempted to boost the school's spirits about the incident by nailing a smaller pine tree to the stump of the former pine. Other students kicked the smaller tree down sometime during the day. “Some of our freshmen haven't been here long enough to understand the meaning of the tree,” Rachetta said. The school plans to place a tribute to the tree on their bulletin board and a blog has even been created in honor of the tree. cbsanders@ithacajournal.com Originally published January 10, 2007 |
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The skunk/bear mystery and controversy began in the early 1980’s. The IHS skunk mascot made its first appearance in 1947 when a deodorized skunk was purchased from a ranch in Wisconsin for $15 and sent to a group of Ithaca High students. That skunk made an escape the following year, but he had left a lasting impression. In 1953, when the Pep Club was first organized, the skunk came back to life in human form, as the Pep Club’s mascot. The “official” IHS skunk mascot, Pepper, was introduced in the 1955 Annual. He grew in popularity over the years and was well-loved in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Then there were those in the early 1980’s who felt that a skunk was an inappropriately smelly mascot for Ithaca High School. A campaign to change the mascot from the Li’l Red Skunk to the Li’l Red Bear began. A school wide vote resulted in victory for the bear. The first sketch of the bear appeared on the end pages of the 1983 Annual, and in 1985, Trip Park, 1983 artist, provided a series of bear sketches for the cover and dividers of the yearbook. Soon after, a student dressed in bear costume appeared at pep rallies, football and basketball games, and the bear became “official.” Now sadly, there is a division among alumni between those who knew and loved Pepper the Skunk and those who have known only the Li’l Red Bear and are therefore too ignorant to understand what they're missing. -Thanks go to Rita MacDonald for this story. |
