Dear Friends,
Watches and clocks are not particularly important right now, but our relationship with time is. Public health has become the focus of the world as the coronavirus pandemic continues to change our lives. A rapidly changing world can also cause us to focus on the short term rather than the distant future. Recognizing this and taking a break from the present can be a healthy diversion. With that being said, let me take you back to March 26, 1866.
The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) was founded on March 26, 1866, by George Schmidt and Frederick Ruoff, two watchmakers working in what we today call the Financial District of Manhattan. For a moment, consider New York in 1866. There was no Empire State Building or Brooklyn Bridge. The subway did not exist and the Statue of Liberty would not appear in New York Harbor for another 20 years. New York was a very different place then compared to now, but some things are still the same. New York is still a thriving city, a financial center, an architectural masterpiece, and a state of mind.
Today is HSNY's 154th anniversary. Last year at this time, the HSNY team was busy with last-minute preparations for our annual Gala & Charity Auction, which we hold every year in April. This year, for the first time in HSNY's history, our Gala has been postponed. But even with that necessary change, some things are still the same. On April 1, HSNY will award its 2020 Henry B. Fried Scholarships.
For 154 years, HSNY's dedication to its educational mission has also stayed the same. Generations of horologists before us worked to ensure this would happen, guiding the organization through the 1918 flu pandemic, Great Depression and both World Wars. HSNY will continue to serve watchmakers, clockmakers, and the interested public during this current crisis and into the future. HSNY is only able to do this because of our dedicated members worldwide and growing list of corporate sponsors. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to seeing you soon at a lecture, class, or the Gala!
Sincerely,
Nicholas Manousos
President, Horological Society of New York
