90 YEARS AGO: “The Grange stands four-square against the legalized liquor traffic and will fight to the last ditch this greatest of all destroyers,” Fred J. Freestone, master of the New York State Grange, declared in his address opening the business session of the 63rd annual convention of the organization at the State Armory here in Oneonta yesterday. “We should remember that while the nation has repealed prohibition, the Grange has not done so,” he said. Mr. Freestone further asserted that “the repeal of national prohibition has plunged us into a state of chaos, lawlessness and disaster that was fully expected by all who remembered the liquor regime which preceded the enactment of national prohibition. Mr. Freestone also said, “Almost equally disturbing is the wild craze for gambling which is sweeping the country, resulting in the complete breakdown of anti-gambling laws. The state master criticized fraternities and churches for yielding to “the chance for easy money,” pointing out that they too “apparently hold the prevailing belief that we can gamble ourselves into prosperity. It behooves the Grange to maintain its well-known attitude of stern opposition to every form of dishonesty and make its influence felt at every possible point of contact.” December 1935…

110 YEARS AGO: The city council, at a special meeting held Tuesday evening passed a resolution directing the calling of an election for the purpose of voting on a proposition to appropriate the necessary funds for the purchase of a building and site for the Oneonta Public Library...…