1961:

Morse Leads Track Sectionals Title

Reed Harris Assists Edward R. Murrow

Two heavy snow storms struck the region in time for Christmas and New Years.

When TT Buckley resigned to become county sheriff, the Town Board appointed Ben English as Cambridge Supervisor.

The CCS Indians downed Schuylerville 55-31. Kenny Stinner led scorers with 21.

The Adirondack Community College was getting off the ground. Day classes were to begin that Sept.

Gus Dering was installed master of the Masonic Lodge.

CCS won a critical basketball game, 42-29 over Salem, to climb back into contention for the County title. A thousand spectators again jammed the local gym. Bill Potvin was led with 12 points.

A major league umpire was to be the speaker at the annual Holy Name Society smoker.

Two local Jap businessmen, "Lunaleni and Ke-caly" (Gardner Cullinan and Charlie Ackley), demonstrated Judo for a PTA fund-raiser.

At the request of the CCS Teachers Salary Committee, the BOE had two representatives meet with the committee to discuss salaries.

Bill Potvin led CCS on an easy, 87-45 conquest of hartford. This left the varsity with a record of 7-2, tied for first place with Salem and Stillwater as they began the second round of league play.

Then they took a close game from the Argyle Scots, 64-59. Bill Nygard had 19, Stinner 17 and Potvin 15.

Playing for a special, PTA benefit would be the local "Dixieland Jazz Band", composed of Charlie Bowler, Peter Proud, "Tink" Parrish, Gordon Herrington, Art Center, Dick Center, Cortland Cottrell, Ed Harmon and Joe Sorrentino.

Col Charles W. Raymond II retired that same week. The Col. was the third in his family descent to graduate from the United States Military Academy. He was a CHS graduate, the only member of the famous 1920's "champions of the world" football team to achieve a classics diploma from the Cambridge Union School.

Stinner, Fred Knapp and Potvin hit in double figures as CCS ran rough-shod over Fort Ann 72-48. Hoosick Falls led the league, with Cambridge and Salem tied for second.

Stillwater took a second game from CCS 53-41, after CCS blew a big opening lead.

Hoosick Falls downed the Indians a second time, 50-47. It left CCS with four losses in the League on the season. Salem was leading the league with 12 wins and two losses.

Stinner and Nygard led CCS past Hoosic Valley 79-65.

Bill Nygard led CCS over Schuylerville 64-50. The Indians were no longer in contention for the league crown. Salem led by half a game over Hoosick Falls and Stillwater, with a record of 14 wins and 2 losses.

Dan Severson, winner of the McWhorter Athletic Trophy at CCS the previous year, was a member of the track team at University of Maine. At the Feb. meet, Freshman Dan broke the meet record and tied the freshman school record for the 50 yard dash. He played right tackle on the freshman football team.

At the next meeting of the BOE, they raised teachers salaries. Teachers without BAs would recieved $4,300 the first year. Teachers with BAs would start at $4,600, with a maximum in 13 years of $6,650.

Teachers with BA plus 30 would start at $5,100 to a maximum of $7,750 in 16 years.

CCS lost 61-47 to Salem, who were guaranteed at least a tie for the League title.

The Cambridge Indians won their final game, 73-36 over Hartford.

A modern, language lab was installed at CCS. There were 20 student stations and a central control.

Kathy Dunn was crowned Queen of Hearts for a Valentine dance.

That March, the CCS Band went to Unadillo, as part of an exchange plan.

Tapped for the National Honar Society were seniors Sheryl Knapp and Alfred King, and juniors Josephine Boeker, Donna Pratt, Cynthia Wands and Ed Saari.

The Fifth Annual Masonic Basketball Banquet was given the CCS team, coaches and Cheerleaders.

The Unadilla Central School Band visited CCS, completed the exchange between the two schools.

Carson Fuller expected strong baseball and track teams that spring. John Herbert would assist him with track, where 33 boys had reported.

The Tri-State Music Festival would return to Cambridge on May 19-20. Eighteen schools were to be represented.

Frank Church took "Mr. Cambridge", a three year old chesnut gelding and others of his stable off for a season at the Canadian Raceways.

In May, the BOE approved a project to construct a track and level land for a baseball field.

The salaries of the principals were raised to be competitive with area schools.

The horse vans rolled out of the old fair grounds with Harry Motsiff's stable of horses, bound for the trotting track at Hillsdale, which opened for the season. Motsiff raced Darn Hansome, Onward Diamond, Jerry Products, Rice Brook Dean, Shirley's Dream, Mighty N' High, Tinkle Bell, Anna Barnes Indian Buze Dale and Mable Haven.

Once again the Lions Club hosted the Tri-State Music Festival. The community thrilled to the music of the bands and choruses from 17 regional high schools, then watched in awe as they paraded through the Village.

CCS track team had won three of four meets to that point in the season. Carson Fuller was assisted by John Herbert. The Indians defeated Greenwich, Salem and Stillwater, losing only to Schuylerville.

Runners were Chad Morse, Jerry Coon, Bob Nygard, Al Broadhead, Steve Morse, Paul Harris, Dick Morse, Pete Morse, Dan Penrick, Norm Hahn, Ed Saari, Cliff Walrath, Jim Perry, Alan Bell, Doug Dornan, Tony McEvoy, Don Gagne, Carl Adams, Darryl Decker. The field men were Tom Canzeri, Butch Dering, Bob Potvin, Paul Harris, Carl Adams, Dick and Steve and Peter Morse, Jerry Coon Gagne, Decker, Nygard, Bob Craig, Terry Briggs, Ray Purdy, Potvin, Vince Cristaldi.

CCS did not do well at the County meet, since most athletes were taking College Board exams.

The State of New York took bids to spread asphalt over the yellow brick road through the Village of Cambridge. The estimated cost was $42,000.

Don Vitello played baseball for the Univ. of Maine freshman team, which won five of eight games. Don played second base.

With Chad Morse, senior sprinter, leading the way, CCS Track Team won the Class D Sectionals, held at Hudson Falls. In doing so, they dethroned perennial champions Ft. Edward.

Morse won both heats in the l00 yard dash and the 220 and went on to win the finals.

Jerry Coon placed third.

Tom Canzeri took another first by hurling the discus 128 ft., breaking his own distance record in the event by eleven feet.

The rest of the points were earned by seconds, thirds and fourths, which were specially planned by Coach Fuller.

The total team score was 40 1/3 to Ft. Edwards' 35 1/6. Ten other schools were strung out behind the leaders.

A large black bear was sighted in Coila that month. It appeared by the side of the road as the Robert McCartys were motoring past the pond at the north end of Coila, sauntered across behind them and continued on its way.

Plans got under way to build permanent fair facilities on the flats west of Middle Falls.

Donald Record, a pitcher on the SUNY Cortland baseball team, finished the season with three wins and two losses. His earned run average was 1.94. In 16 at bats, he had 7 hits, for a .438 ave.

The team was 7-1 in its conference and took the championship.

By June, the Lions Club had raised $1,400 toward the public tennis court. Rather than string out the plan, the Lions Club gave the money to the School with the understanding that they would come up with the rest of the money and build the court.

The Cambridge area recreation program got underway. This included the Red Cross swim program and the evening baseball leagues.

Director Carson Fuller reported that the swim program set new records that season, with 73 students riding the bus to Hedges Lake and 20 already present there.

Reed Harris, a CCS alum, was appointed executive assistant to Edward R. Morrow in the United States Information Agency.

Mr. Harris was a reserve on the great CHS football teams of the 1920s. He married the former Martha Tellier of Cambridge. He attended Columbia Univ, and gained publicity as editor of The Columbia Spectator, an undergraduate newspaper. He wrote several articles deriding professionalism in college athletics and later wrote a book entitled "King Football" He was suspended from the University, which caused wide publicity. He was reenstated, and promptly resigned.

He had served the State Department since 1946. Prior to that, he served in the US Army Air Corps and the Office of War Information. Prior to WW II, he was director of the New York State office of Government Reports.

Under pressure from Senator Joseph McCarthy, chairman of the House Unamarican Activities Committee, he resigned from the State Dept. to operate his own publishing company.

In 1961 he lived in Chevy Chase, Md. with wife and three children.

He had written several books on gerontology, the best known being "Aging in the Modern World". He became a major force in the National Veterans organization, "AMVETS".

Because it had become so popular, the swim carnival Carson Fuller put together at the end of each summer of instruction would be held two nights at Hedges Lake.

The Cambridge Valley Bank announced that it would build a modern facility on the property at 25 W. Main St.

Gov. Nelson Rockefeller called George Morse that August to inform Morse of his appointment as Washington County District Attorney.

The CCS teaching staff numbered 59 for 1961-62.

Stephen Tierney Jr. was appointed as a third phys. ed. teacher. He would introduce the varsity sport of wrestling. Some saw him as Carson Fuller's "successor", but Carson's shoes were too big to be filled by even two new coaches.

The Board of Education approved the building of one tennis court by Morehouse Construction of Middle Falls, at a cost of $3,600.

Half of this had been raised by the Lions Club.

Coach Fuller, assisted by Coach Tierney, found 42 boys out for football that fall.

CCS launched their football campaign with a 19-0 win over Salem. Terry Briggs was the student reporter that fall.

The Village Board instructed Chief Sica to enforce parallel parking on the West End of Main St.

The Indians lost to Stillwater Warriors, defending League champs, who went to 3-0. CCS lost decisively 27-6, to go to 1-2.

The football season continued to go downhill, although CCS put up a game fight in the rain and mud, holding the Black Horses of Schuylerville, still undefeated in the league, to a 12-6 victory.

That Fall, Matt Meagher opened his Town House Restaurant on N. Park.

In those days high school students took phys. ed. every day, but, due to short periods (I presume) it was still 100 min. per week less than the State required.

The Cambridge Ski Club owned a ski tow. But they advised the Board that they had sold it.

Mike Severson, a CCS grad and athlete, entered the Academy of Aeronautics, LaGuardia Airport, New York.

Cambridge salvaged something of the football season by defeating Hoosick Falls 12-0.

The November 2nd, 1961 issue of the Old WCP announced its sale to Nicholas J. Mahoney Jr., formerly of Massachussets, then of Hoosick Falls. It was the first time since it was moved to Cambridge in 1849 that the Post had been owned out of town.

Gardner Cullinan, the seller, was to continue as the editor.

A steadily improving CCS football team downed Fort Edward 25-13. Apparently inspired by Coach Fuller, the third quarter effort was the best the Indians had played all year. Mike Baratto was Indian QB. Dan Pemrick played well, as did Dick Morse and Fred Knapp. Morse, a track star as well, ran 54 yards for one TD. Pemrick passed 32 yards to Knapp for another. Baratto "sneaked" 26 yards for another.

Harry E. Van Surdam began to write a big-time college football column for the WCP and the Hoosick Falls Standard-Press.

Then in a fine finish to the season, the Cambridge Indians easily defeated St. Peter's Academy at Saratoga, 12-0. David Warboys and Ben White were stand-outs in the line. Tackle Seth Craig, guard Carl Adams, ends Fred Knapp and Ken Stinner, Backs Pemrick, Baratto and Saari played their last game, as they were seniors.

In typical Fuller fashion, by half time, when the game was in hand, Coach Carson Fuller begain playing his second team.

The Holy Name Society gave them the traditional banquet.

Stillwater won the Washington County League championship that year, with a perfect, 7-0 record. Greenwich was second, Schuylerville third and Cambridge, at 4-3, was fourth. Hoosick Falls, at 3-4, was fifth in the eight school league.

The CCS tennis court was nearing completion. Only the fence and net were yet to be installed. The Lions Club raised $1,400, but more than that was contributed by CCS District tax payers.

The total cost was $4,500.

The Petersburg Pass Ski resort was laid out with a purchase of 500 acres on the Taconic Trail.

Skidmore College acquired 1,000 acres north of Saratoga for a new campus.

With the November issue, as never before in its history, a great amount of Hoosick Falls and Berlin news began to appear on the inside pages of the WCP, as the new owner began to consolidate and streamline the production of his two weeklies.

The editorial page came alive with a feature that would be written by the publisher for a number of years: "Knick's Knacks".

In the fall elections, George Morse was elected Washington County District Attorney.

A general discussion of the proposed consolidation of central schools, among Argyle, Salem, Greenwich and Cambridge took place at a meeting of the CCS Board led to the Board's vote to dispense with the idea and to continue looking at adding space at CCS.

John Bell completed his varsity season of football at St. Lawrence. He was a sophomore.

Thirty-five boys reported for basketball at CCS.

The BOE that November presented a building plan that would add 21 new classrooms and a "three station" gymnasium to the existing plant at CCS. Ten rooms would be for the elementary and ll for the secondary.

CCS began the '61-'62 basketball season with a win over Hartford, 74-61. Ken Stinner led scorers with 24, Fred Knapp contributed 19, Dan Pemrick 14 and Ray Purdy 11.

On December13, 1961 one of the most remarkable women in local history died. Grandma Moses passed quietly in her sleep. She was l0l.

CCS got a second win, leading Argyle all the way for a 65-48 victory. Ken Stinner hooped 27. Stinner, Knapp and Pemrick led rebounding.

Then they downed Greenwich 53-49. Stinner continued to lead scoring.

In December, the ownership of the Village library heated up. The fight, led by Katherine Brash, led the BOE to adopt a resolution which would bring the question before the voters of Union School District # 10.

Voters would decide two questions: One, to formally close the library for school purposes; and two, to convey the library plot and building to the Village of Cambridge, providing that within two years a charter os obtained from the NY State Board of Regents for a public library.

The Trustees of the Village pointed out that tax payers would have to provide approx. $3,000 in addition to the usual burden. That was the amount of the proposed annual library budget.

The Student Council at CCS innovated a holiday alumni basketball tournament, to feature former CCS greats and to be run off during the Christmas vacation.

Bill Nennstiel captained the winning team. Bill Nygard's team came in second. He was voted most valuable. John Bell most sportsman-like.

CCS downed Stillwater 51-37.

Then it was standing room only at Hoosick Falls as the Hoosier varsity downed CCS 47-37. They had stood atop the league tied for first place with identical, 4-1 records.