Feb. 15 through the years
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
100 years ago - 1924
A Henry County Farmers’ Institute was held Thursday and Friday, Feb. 14 and 15, at the Agricultural High School in Axton, for farmers and their wives. The Smith Hughes Agricultural High School was the only such school in the county, built and completed in the fall of 1923. It had an agricultural laboratory, workshops, manual training tools and a home economics headquarters. The principal was C.H. Kelly, and the home economics teacher was Miss Kagey.
75 years ago - 1949
Gen. Joseph Martin Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution celebrated its Silver Anniversary with a luncheon and fashion show at the Towne House. It was attended by 41 members, including 14 charter members, and about 300 more people. The club’s regent was Mrs. H.Z. Smith of Fieldale. Guests included Mrs. A.J. Fischer, regent of the Patrick Henry Chapter; Mrs. Henry Reed, regent of the Fort Trial Chapter; and organizing members of the host chapter, Mrs. H. Dyer. Mrs. J.A. Brown, Mrs. Hamilton, Miss Kizzie Carter, Miss Loula Jones, Mrs. H.F. Kearfott, Mrs. John Gravely, Mrs. G.W. King, Mrs. H.D. Pannill, Mrs. Claybrook Lester, Mrs. R.M. Simmons, Miss Beth Tuggle, Mrs. S.S. Walker and Mrs. K.C. Whittle.
Three parents were fined $10 each plus court costs for failing to make their children go to school. City Visiting Teacher Ada White testified in the cases that she believed the parents had made honest efforts to get their children to school. Each of the parents testified that their children left home to go to school but they didn’t know where their children really went.
1960
“Jack the Ripper” would be playing at the Rives Theater in two more days, after “Hell Bent For Leather” closed its run.
After the deluge of snow and sleet a couple of days ago, here it came again! December 17, 1930 was the last time this area experienced similar weather. All state highways in the area were finally cleared, but secondary and rural roads were progressing much more slowly. This record system has already dropped 13.5 inches of snow in the area and as much as 16 inches in other parts of the east and was expected to continue the next day with rain, sleet and snow, and lows of 13-19. Nevertheless, city schools were going to open the next morning, while Henry County School Board deferred its decision until later in the day. Patrick County schools remained closed.
50 years ago - 1974
Area gas station managers continued to be worried about the national gas shortage. Herbert Boaz, manager of Broadview Texaco, told the Martinsville Bulletin that his gas supply might last for 6 days; he had less than 1,100 gallons in the ground and was expecting a delivery of 4,000 more gallons during February, but he sells about 1,800 gallons a day. Charles Rakes, manager of Rakes Texaco in Bassett, said he had 1,900 gallons left and would close once it was sold. He was limiting sales to $3 per customer.
25 years ago - 1999
The $2.50 Cleaners at 1320 Memorial Blvd., in the old Mann’s Building, had a special with a coupon – bring in 10 or more garments and get them cleaned for $1.50 each.
The Photo: Taken in 1941 by Marion Post Wolcott, archived in the Library of Congress, with this caption: Floyd W. Fleming, defense worker from Spencer, North Carolina, who lives in new rural home built by FSA Farm Security Administration on T.H. Walters farm near Radford, Virginia
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.