June 4 through the century
100 Years ago – 1925
The brick walls and roofs of the buildings of Globman’s Department Store and T.E. Gravely’s Hardware Store on the Public Square caved in in the early morning. The crash was heard at a considerable distance. Globman’s part had been undergoing remodeling over the preceding weeks. The basement was being excavated to be expanded from mere storage space to additional shopping display space. The day before the cave-in, dynamite had been used to blast away large rocks. It was assumed that the jarring of those explosions weakened the walls. The walls separating the two stores and roofs fell into the basement. The front and rear walls of both stores were leaning inward and would have to be completely rebuilt. Globman’s employees moved as much of the stock as they could to the Finley building on Main Street, which recently had been rebuilt following a fire the previous year. Globman would move there while a bigger and better building was built in the original location. T.E. Gravely and Co. began moving his stock of merchandise to his new building adjoining the Finley Building. Gravely’s new building was on the site of the former Rayless Chain Store, which also had been destroyed by fire.
Physical inspections were held of children entering the Martinsville Grammar or High School were held at the Martinsville Grammar School. Teachers, the Red Cross Nurse and a doctor were in charge. Children were weighed and measured and their eyes, teeth and throat were inspected. The goal was that children showing any physical defect have proper medical treatment over the summer and be healthy and ready when school started back up.
Employer-Employee Night was held at Hotel Henry, hosted by the Kiwanis Club. Claude Turner, Sam Stephens and Billie Jones were the coordinators. About 30 or 40 of the foremen and other important employees were there as guests of the employer-members of the club.
Phospho-Lithia Hotel’s first dance of the season was held from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Westbrook’s Orchestra played music. A large number of people from Martinsville, Danville, Ridgeway (where the hotel was located), Stuart and other areas attended.
75 years ago – 1950
It was graduation day for every school in the city and county. Martinsville High School graduated 120 students, Albert Harris High School for black students graduated 45 and Henry County schools graduated a total of 315 students. Speakers for the various graduation ceremonies were: Rev Chevis Horne of First Baptist Church, at Axton High; the Rev. W. Otis W. Sheppard of Fontane Baptist Church at Ridgeway High; Dr. Charles W. Reed, pastor of Anderson Memorial Presbyterian Church, at Spencer-Penn; the Rev. Garnett Phibbs, pastor of Bassett Church of the Brethren, at Bassett High; the Rev. H. K. Swann, former pastor of Fieldale Methodist Church, at Fieldale High; the Rev. R.E. Foster of the Presbyterian Church, at Henry County Training School; the Rev. George E. Simmons, pastor of Starling Avenue Baptist Church, for Martinsville High; and the Rev. William R. Crawford of Winston-Salem, N.C., at Albert Harris High. [That’s eight city and county high schools then, compared to three now.]
A four-car pile-up happened on the Danville Road. Twelve people were injured. Albert Daniel Hall, 40, died, and his wife, Elsie Hall, 38, was in critical condition with a crushed chest. Two others were in critical condition.
The Supreme Court outlawed segregation on railroad dining cars.
50 years ago – 1975
Controlling interest in Lacy Manufacturing Co. in Martinsville was purchased by five company officers. They were W. Jack Lester, Clarence Benfield, James R. Godbee, James E. Spencer and Frank M. Lacy Jr. The company had been owned by Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Lacy Jr., who founded it in 1942.
25 years ago - 2000
At Grayson’s Barber Shop, 321 E. Market St., Martinsville, “Nobody Walks Til The Clippers Talk – Where We Make Less Look Better,” their ad stated. A regular clipper cut cost $5, and a style, shampoo and cut cost $10.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.