Oct. 8 through the years

100 Years ago – 1925

Elizabeth Morris of Martinsville won the top prize for the State Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Convention’s essay contest in the fifth- and sixth-grade division. The topic of her essay was “Why the Automobile Drivers should not use Alcoholic Drinks.”

75 years ago – 1950

It was the start of Fire Prevention Week, and three local films were in Martinsville for the week: “Before the Alarm,” a story of fire prevention engineers at work in a typical American community; “Crimes of Carelessness, which showed appalling loses in fires and property as a result of preventable fires; and “These Are the Facts,” about fire insurance companies. Club wishing to show the films were to contact Fire Marshal Clay Easterly or J. Shelton Scales of the Volunteer Fire Co. The first clubs which has signed up for the films were the American Legion, the Lions Club, Jaycees, Optimist Club, Volunteer Fire Company and the Kiwanis Club.

50 years ago – 1975

The draft board ordered 64 men from the City and 16 from Henry County to report to Roanoke for physical exams for the Korean War.

25 years ago - 2000

The Rev. Clyde Dupin was leading a week-long crusade in Martinsville. He called the area’s economic decline an opportunity for spiritual awakening. Seven hundred people attended his first service, which was held at Martinsville High School.

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