Bound Volumes, Hometown History
July 24, 2025
90 YEARS AGO
A threat to legislate Jews out of Germany was the loudest gun fired today in the Nazis’ big drive against “reactionaries.” Julius Streicher, husky, bald Nazi boss of Franconia, who is considered the soul of Nazism’s hatred of Jews, voiced the threat in an address he delivered at Bernau, suburb of Berlin. He emphatically predicted anti-Semitic laws in the near future to put “Jews in their places” – the first time any high official had said anti-Semitism “must be made part of German law.” In other news, some 500 Jewish children between the ages of 6 and 14 coming from poor families have been told by social welfare workers they can no longer go to the sports grounds to play after incurring the ire of their Aryan playfellows. The Nazis also took action against Catholics with a decree from Gen. Hermann Wilhelm Goering dissolving Germany’s Catholic war veterans’ organization.
July 1935
70 YEARS AGO
A bill providing federal aid for state and local school construction moved a step closer to action in the House of Representatives but is still threatened with controversies that may block its passage this year. On a vote of 22-9, the House Education Committee approved a measure authorizing $1,600,000,000 in federal grants at the rate of $400 million a year for four years on a dollar for dollar matching basis with the states. The chief threat to the measure is an amendment, defeated in the House Education Committee that would bar federal aid funds to states or school districts practicing racial segregation. The anti-segregation issue also hangs over a similar bill in the U.S. Senate where it is bottled up in the Education and Labor committees. Meanwhile, the Alabama Legislature took a bold, far-reaching step to preserve classroom segregation by giving local school boards almost unlimited authority to determine where individual pupils must attend school. The vote was taken without debate or dissenting votes, passing 32-0. Gov. James E. Folsom has not indicated what action he will take.
July 1955
30 YEARS AGO
Once secret research documents show tobacco giant Philip Morris has tracked hyperactive third-graders as potential future smokers and subjected college students to electric shocks to see if it would make them smoke more cigarettes according to U.S. Congressman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Recently, Waxman unveiled stacks of documents from the world’s largest tobacco company on the House floor. Waxman contends that Philip Morris has engaged in unethical and possibly illegal research in its efforts to promote nicotine products. “Philip Morris has targeted children and college students, the youngest segments of the market, for special research projects,” Waxman said. “These documents make it crystal clear that we need regulation of tobacco to protect our children from becoming addicted to a life-threatening drug.” The Food and Drug Administration and the White House are discussing ways to curb childhood smoking, including banning cigarette vending machines and advertising attractive to children.
July 1995
20 YEARS AGO
Oneonta may soon get a new park. Mayor Kim Muller said that she and others in city government and the community are looking to establish New Island as the fifth official city park. The 82-acre New Island Park would join Neahwa, Catella, Wilber and Susquehanna River parks. New Island, named for former State University College at Oneonta biologist John G. New, is east of Neahwa Park between Interstate 88 and the Susquehanna River. It features an abandoned railroad bed and other trails that cut through a low-lying wooded area. Muller said that creating New Island Park would make it easier to develop the Susquehanna Greenway while also preserving the ecology of the New Island area.
July 2005
