ONEONTA _ The Greater Oneonta Historical Society History Center was packed Monday night with people viewing displays commemorating the city's history.
More than 75 guests gathered at the society's Main Street home for the Sally Mullen Local History Awards open house. The awards, named in honor of a former Center Street Elementary School librarian and past GOHS president, are given annually to fourth-grade students in the Oneonta City School District who create history exhibits.
"We had a record number of participants," said GOHS President Bob Brzozowski.
Forty-eight students from Center Street Elementary, Greater Plains Elementary and St. Mary's School entered the contest, which is in its fifth year.
Len Pudelka, chairman of the GOHS Education Committee, served as the presenter for the awards. The projects each had a written component, and were focused on buildings and institutions in the Oneonta area. Subjects included the Oneonta Police Department, A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, Goodyear Lake, SUNY Oneonta and the Oneonta Fire Department.
There were many interesting topics, and the students were enthusiastic, Pudelka said.
Sarah Masucci, a student at St. Mary's, won first place for her project on the Oneonta post office building on Main Street that is now City Hall.
"It's amazing," Sarah said.
She said she learned a lot about the history of the Oneonta post office and City Hall while doing her project.
"I don't think I've ever done that much research," Sarah said.
Although most projects included a poster board, hers was contained in a three-ring binder.
The second-place winner was Marly Davies, of Center Street Elementary, for her project on the Wilber Mansion. Emma Tavarone, also of Center Street, won third place for her display on the Swart-Wilcox House.
Honorable mentions were given to Center Street students Keira Layman and Caroline McGraw for their projects on Oneonta Normal School and Hartwick College, respectively. Greater Plains student Keaton Mark focused on the Stanton Opera House for his project, which earned him an honorable mention. St. Mary's student Leia Vogel's project on Main Street Baptist Church won her an honorable mention. Vogel's classmate Anna Masucci also won an honorable mention for her project on the D&H Railroad Depot.
With so many great entrants this year, choosing winners proved a challenge, said Linda Syversten of the GOHS Education Committee.
"It was very difficult," she said.
GOHS Education Committee member Helen Rees shared her memories of Mullen, who died in 2004, with the GOHS' guests as she outlined the how the contest came about.
"She loved history, and she loved Oneonta," Rees said. "It was a pleasure to get this project under way."
The first place award was $75, second place was worth $50, and the third-place winner earned $25. The honorable-mention winners were given copies of the centennial edition booklet "A View From the Schoolhouse: A Picture Postcard History of Oneonta," edited by former Center Street teacher Ron Whalen. Other entrants were given certificates.
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