To the Editor:

I remember back to 1956 it was so cold (-55 in Massena) work stopped on the Seaway, schools were closed, as they couldn’t heat them.

December 24 years past, 1957, was a green Christmas and 57 degrees. 1958 the snow was so high by the roads and streets that you could walk the wing back (unseen by many today) and touch the telephone lines. We tied red cloth on our antenna or could buy multi colored styrofoam balls to put on car antenna. 1967 the temperature was –25 and minimal snow. 2015 the temperature was 68.

Do you remember snow fence that the highway crews put up along the roads, plows, men shovel sand out the back of the trucks sanding the roads, chains on cars, snow shovels? Nearly every home had snowshoes, candles, lanterns and burned wood and coal.

We walked to school for many a long distance for all ages. There was no running water, cafeteria or central heating at the country school for my first six grades.

William LaPoint

Winthrop