August 25

100 Years ago – 1924

While most of the business at the meeting of the Henry County Board of Supervisors had to do with the improvement and/or construction of roads and bridges, one unique matter was part of direction to clerk T.C. Matthews to settle accounts of treasury, including: “The check for $87.50 of Bassett Lumber Co., in payment for lumber bought at the Poor-House was directed to be used for current expense by G.U. Frazier.

Roanoke Business College was advertising shorthand classes in Martinsville. People were advised to learn shorthand if they wanted: immediate employment at a good salary; to get out of a rut; to go to College and haven’t the money; to become Manager of some big corporation; to learn every detail of some business; a Government position – Civil service or otherwise; wanted to become Private Secretary to some public official – a Congressman, Governor, Senator or President; to travel abroad under the most ideal conditions and earn a salary at the same time. “Short hand is the Master Key! It unlocks the door to OPPORTUNITY in every line of endeavor. Fall Session to begin September 2, 1924. Write for Catalog.”

75 years ago – 1949

The car count continued, with 65 people keeping track of motor vehicles entering and leaving the business section of Martinsville. At 17 stations, all vehicles entering the city were presented cards on which was marked the time, type of vehicle, origin and destination. Those cards were collected when the motorists left the city. This was done under the State Highway Department.

Meanwhile, at the city’s rock quarry, 18 prisoners from the county jail were working to repair the rock crusher.

1960

The Fieldale Community Center held a Goldfish Swim for boys and girls ages 8-13: Goldfish were dumped into the center’s two pools (boys to swim in one pool, girls in the other). Prizes were given to those who catch a special fish or the most fish, and participants could keep all the goldfish they could catch. Pool admission was 25 cents for members and 50 cents for nonmembers; admission for spectators was 10 cents. Jimmy Nester of Fieldale won a radio for catching the first-place black fish. David Hall and David Simmons, both of Fieldale, won a watch and free pool admission tickets, respectively, for the dexterity in catching marked fish. Steve Smith of Collinsville won a shirt and box of candy for catching the most fish – eight. Among the girls, Jennifer Strachan won the same award for catching five fish.

The local Civil Defense Welfare Service held a surprise practice of carrying out a spur-of-the-moment mass emergency feeding. The exercise was held on City Reservoir property. Women from the City cafeteria staff prepared the food for about 165 people while firemen worked the scene. Forty-five cafeteria workers and members of the Red Cross disaster committee prepared 8 gallons of beans, 32 pounds of cheese and lunchmeat, 24 loaves of bread and coffee and tea.

50 years ago – 1974

The talk of Fieldale nicknames continued in the Stroller: Leon “Frog Eyes” Ingram, Rodney “Boney” Copeland, William “Moose” Moore, Walter “Salty” Hale, Archibald “Shaky” Merriman, Ralph “Doc” Stone, R.C. “Husky” Hall, Donald “Duck” Patterson, John “Buck” Whitlock, Richard “Snag” Harris, Johnny “Showboat” Saunders, Eugene “Pee Wee” Aldridge, Teddy “Goat” Compton, Joe “Yogi” Plaster, Eugene “Peedly” Mills, Nash “Mutt” Lawson, Bobby “Cob” Merriman, LeRoy “Reed” Tilley, Jesse “Snake Eyes” Joyce, Emory Clifton “Peso” Pace Jr., Clyde Douglas “Curley” Joyce, Virgil Warren “Schoodge” Soots, James Harold “Tap” Joyce, Warren Leon “Popeye” Wilkinson, Douglas “Hoyte” Gilbert and Bobby “Moe” Turner. Several of those names were given by Avis Turner, who said she had been a cheerleader and remembered cheering these “and many other fine basketball players with less intriguing nicknames.”

25 years ago – 1999

It was the first day of school in both Henry County and Martinsville. It got off to a bad start, though as 13-year-old Corey J. Mayo of Summit Road. His mother, Linda Mayo, watched in horror from her kitchen window as he was hit by a car and his body thrown into the air. His father, the Rev. Joseph Mayo Sr., ran outside and held him for the 20 minutes it took for the ambulance to arrive. He was stabilized in a critical condition at Memorial Hospital, then taken to North Carolina Baptist Hospital. He had extensive injuries to his face, knee and hand and would have to undergo several surgeries. 

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.