Jan. 27
1925
In the Jan. 27 Henry Bulletin: “Martinsville may now boast of the opening of a real Broadcasting station, a product of the genius of Geo. Schleuter and Dr. H.V. Price. On last Sunday evening for more than five hours the air was vibrant with a varied program, sent out from the office of Dr. Price … From 3 until 5 in the evening a musical program was furnished by members of Class 19 of the First Baptist Church. It is planned now to secure a license for the station and arrange to broadcast programs weekly. If you heard the program Sunday write Station HVP, Martinsville, Va.
1950
A March of Dimes Ball, to raise money to assist polio victims, was held at Club Martinique. Paul Zimmerman and his orchestra played music, and Jack Armstrong planned a floor show. A talent show as part of the dance. Performers were: Manny Goller, singer; Ernestine Stultz, coedy songs and patter; Sue Raymond and Frank Raymond, mind-reading; Rocky Helms, Carl Getgood and S. E. Fishel, novelty act; and Mrs. Everett Holland, Spanish dancer and singer.
An armed bandit held up four teenagers at 801 Starling Ave.: H. Grady Moore Jr., Claude S. Turner Jr. Nancy Carr Hankins and Miss Ray Deal. It was at around 9:30 p.m., just after they had come in from a basketball game at the high school. He took some money and jewelry and left. Earlier in the day City Manager Kent Mathewson had reported that his home on Rives road had been broken into and some things stolen.
The streak of unusually warm weather continued with a high of 74 degrees.
1961
Association Extension Food Specialist of Virginia Tech Mary Thompson was in Martinsville to help local home agent Miss L.A. Witherspoon to conduct a training session for home demonstration club leaders. They gave special training at High Street Baptist Church on the topics Table Setting – Family and Buffet Style, Foods for Special Occasions and Quick Meals. Women who attended were Mrs. Mattle L. Gilbert and Mrs. Elizabeth Mitchell of Carver Heights Home Demonstration Club, Mrs. Flordia King, Mrs. Mabel Howell and Mrs. Lillie King of Marrowbone, Mrs. Alberta Manns and Miss Martha Manns of Oak Level, Mrs. Thelma P. Hairston of Graves Knob and Mrs. Louis Cabiness and Misses Rose and Elizabeth Moyer of Irisburg. Those women in turn would give classes on those topics at their clubs.
Claude R. Hopkins of 904 Myrtle Road sold wrought iron railings and columns, “Quick change to beauty and safety.”
1975
Martinsville native Priscilla Gordon appeared on the television show “To Tell The Truth” in January and February. She had been on the show twice before. She also performed in five operas in Hillsdale, N.Y., and other shows. Later in the year she would perform the lead in the opera “Adriana Lecouvreur” in New York City, and key roles in other shows.
2000
Though schools were closed because of snow, students in Carlisle School’s IBP and AP programs did their classwork online. Simon Owen-Williams was the headmaster.
A group of local leaders of MHC went with Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Ridgeway, to Richmond in hopes that they would get to plead their case before the Senate Finance Committee. They did not get a chance to speak, but reported that Reynolds spoke well on the problems of the community following the loss of more than 3,000 jobs since September. Reynolds was seeking approval for a number of relief initiatives.
Henry County Pallet and Box in Ridgeway had a fire, which began from workers trying to thaw water pipes.
Clearview Elementary School was the only local school that went year-round instead of the traditional school year. It was the students’ break time, but some third-graders got a field trip. They went along with City Schools Superintendent Ira Trollinger to Memorial Hospital to see some of what happens in cardiology. Trollinger, who had had a heart attack a few months earlier, had on cardiac probes and showed the students. Nurse Terry Nolen also showed cardiac probes to the students.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.