Oct. 31
100 Years ago – 1924
The whistle signaling the opening of Stanley-Bassett Furniture blew: Friday, Oct. 31, 1924 was the official opening of the Stanley-Bassett Furniture Plant. The Henry Bulletin sums it up in one paragraph on the front page: “Little Miss Ann Stanley the beautiful daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Stanley, pulled with her own little hands Friday afternoon the whistle-cord which proclaims to our community that the new furniture plant at Stanleytown, of which Mr. J.B. Stanley is head, is about ready to do business. May little Ann and her fine parents soon see this new enterprise grown into one of the best in our Southland.”
Halloween observations included a party hosted by the Christian Endeavor society at the Christian Church, with many old and young people in costume, and a similar observance at the Baptist Church basement. Two of the high school classes held the regular class meetings on Friday night with Halloween observances and ceremonies marking the occasion.
The A Clean Classy Musical Company and Vaudeville company show was presented at the Hamilton Theatre. The company had 12 people: six singing and dancing girls, comedians, a male harmony quartet, the child singer and dancer Baby Ruth Graves and special scenery.
This notices was in the Henry Bulletin on Oct. 31: “The members of the local Klan numbering nearly three hundred will visit the five Protestant Churches of Martinsville on Sunday evening and make a beautiful gift to each of the churches. There is no intention in the visit to advertise the Klan.
A special meeting of the Martinsville Retail Merchants Association was held at the American Legion Rooms, to discuss the matter of incorporating the Association, which was approved. The president was Charles W. Holt. Directors were C.W. Holt, A.D. Beckner, W.P. Hodnett, J.W. Townes, C.D. Weaver, T.W. Carter, M.A. Richardson, Sam Kolodny and A. Globman.
75 years ago – 1949
Henry Mize, the president of Local No. 679, Textile Workers Union of America and an employee of the Martinsville Cotton Mill, died in a crash when the car he was in lost control near Morgan’s Ford Bridge in Ridgeway. Harry B. Warner and Harvey Gilley, also in the car, were injured.
Martinsville Police Chief H. W. Stultz warned Hallowe’en pranksters that they had better behave, because he’d have four officers out on patrol. He said that the prior two Halloweens had been peaceful, but before that, some motorists narrowly escaped serious injury. The chief also said a lot of Halloween parties would keep a lot of kids out of mischief. Bridge Street, Walnut street and Public Square were roped off so that children would have plenty of room to parade away from traffic. That party was sponsored by the City Recreation Department. Dozens of other parties were held in the area, including by the Jaycees at the high school. Only a few street signs were torn down but no extensive damage was reported.
Ad for County-City Laundry Corp. at 755 E. Church St. shows an illustration of a man on a roof with his hand at the waist of a woman at the edge of the roof – she’s wearing a pair of tie-on wings – and a man on his street is puzzled by that, as evidenced by the hands on his hips and the question mark drawn above his head. The text says: “FOR MEN ONLY – Try Your Invention On Your Wife! – She most likely won’t feel any worse if you make her the ‘fall guy’ than she does after spending long hours over steaming wash tubs. One experiment with our service is all you need. You and your wife will enjoy the benefits of our professional work which has long ago removed all guesswork from results. Hundreds of families have proved it more economical. Phone 2012, Bassett Phone 2741.
1960
It was a wild Halloween night as shotguns and rifles caused a lot of damage to houses and businesses. A glass marble was fired through the porch of Mrs. L.R. Rogers in Old Liberty, landing close to where she was sitting. An hour later, a glass marble went through the door of the David Eanes home, near her house, causing glass to spray over children who were playing. In Collinsville, marbles went through the windows of Finney Building Supply Co., Mitchel Tractor Co., Hurd’s Country Store, Clyde’s Television Repair Shop, the Sutton Window Co. and the C&R Stamp Store.
The Senior Citizens Club had 300 members, and an average meeting attendance of 125. They met in the Community Recreation Center on Cleveland Avenue and sometimes went on outings together.
50 years ago – 1974
About 150 Dominion LOF production workers were laid off for 2 weeks to compensate for a downward adjustment in the furniture industry. Dominion manufactured plastic components used in furniture. The plant was in Bassett in the midst of the Bassett Furniture complex. Frank P. Treckman was the plant manager.
25 years ago - 1999
Three area schools were vandalized on Halloween weekend. Twenty-six wire-grated windows were broken, a security camera was damaged and a sidewalk was spray-painted at Bassett High School; four windows were broken out and a sidewalk was painted at Magna Vista High School; and at Woolwine Elementary School in Patrick County, a break-in was reported and glue was sprayed into the lock cylinders and a vulgarity was scratched onto the gym wall.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.