August 3

100 Years ago – 1924

Fieldale Baptist Church was dedicated with preaching by Dr. J.P. McCabe of Martinsville.

75 years ago – 1949

Four unnamed Henry county tobacco farmers would have to pay 20 cents a pound to market the leaf, because they were growing without allotments. They would receive red marketing cards indicating that a larger acreage would be harvested in Henry county than in the previous year. Growers who have no allotment would pay the penalty in marketing the crop in the hope of receiving a small quota the next year, Henry County Agricultural Conservation Association Secretary J. Frank Wilson said. Average prices for tobacco on the Border Belt market was between 48 and 52 cents a pound, slightly lower than the opening day price the year before. The Old Belt market, which included Martinsville, would begin sales on Sept. 12.

1960

The Martinsville School Board adopted a new policy for married students. It was that married students and at least one parent attend a conference with the superintendent and principal right before or right after their marriage. The superintendent would recommend any further action to be taken by the school board if deemed necessary. The policy in place before that was that married students and at least one or both students would have to appear before the school board before being admitted back into school.

Mrs. Frances Knox-Dick, Martinsville High School’s Latin teacher for five years, submitted her resignation.                

50 years ago – 1974

A four-man team from the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads was put together to investigate allegations of carelessness and thrill-seeking by the Martinsville-Henry County Rescue Squad.

25 years ago - 1999

Clearview Elementary School operated as a year-round school. Students attended 180 days a year just as students at all schools did, but they got three-week breaks at the end of every nine-week grading period.

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.