Olski Winner of First Hugh MacDougall Essay Contest
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Central School junior Andrew Olski is the winner of the inaugural Hugh C. MacDougall Essay Contest. The writing competition, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cooperstown, is in honor of longtime Rotarian Hugh MacDougall. The contest is open to juniors enrolled at CCS and judged by faculty members, officials said. Olski was awarded a cash prize of $500.00 and attended a luncheon meeting hosted by the Rotary Club.
Jennifer Pindar, chair of the CCS History Department, explained the focus of the essays as “based upon history and life in Cooperstown in memoriam to town historian Hugh MacDougall.”
MacDougall, a retired United States diplomat, settled in Cooperstown in 1986 and became deeply engrossed in local history, particularly the life and works of James Fenimore Cooper. He served as village historian from 2006 until his passing in 2021. He was predeceased by his wife of 44 years, Eleanore. During MacDougall’s tenure, he founded and directed the James Fenimore Cooper Society, dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of the Cooperstown author.
