100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 15, 1921
from the Gloucester Gazette
The Patrons’ League of Belroi School will have a Christmas tree and entertainment at the Belroi school Thursday night, Dec. 22. Everything free, nothing to sell and no collection; just a social gathering for fun and the enhancement of community spirit. Everybody is invited.
Through the activities of County Clerk B.B. Roane, who went out with a subscription list, a bland smile and an ultimatum to “sign on the dotted line,” $40 was raised this week for the Community Christmas tree, and a check for this amount sent to Miss May Baulch to buy the candy and pay the other expenses of the tree.
from the Mathews Journal
Mrs. William Hunley of Retz, is very ill at this writing.
Mrs. Arthur Hunley was taken to a hospital in Norfolk last Saturday where she underwent an operation for appendicitis. It is reported that she is improving.
Mr. B.J. Bendall and daughter, Gladys, and Mr. John Jarvis motored to Norfolk Saturday and returned Monday. They were accompanied home by Miss Mary Bendall.
Mamie Lewis returned home Saturday, after visiting her friend Miss Fannie Bendall.
—Blue Bird
90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 17, 1931
from the Gloucester Gazette
The Botetourt boys’ basketball team met the Poquoson basketball team Friday afternoon on the Botetourt field, the Botetourt boys being victorious with a score of 6-4.
This is perhaps the lowest score that has ever been played on the Botetourt field. Both teams showed up very badly when it came time to shoot for a goal. The teams were well matched all the way through, the Botetourt boys getting more trials for goals than the Poquoson boys.
from the Mathews Journal
My Dear Old Santa: I am a little boy eight years old and live at Tabernacle, and I try to be a good little boy and want you to bring me a little milk truck, a racer car, a pair of boots, a leather sport jacket, a pop-gun, apples, candy and oranges. Good night, Junior Callis
Dear Santa: I am a little girl nine years old. I want you to bring me a doll that will cry and sleep, a story book, some crayons, a pair of gloves, lots of candy, oranges, apples and nuts. Don’t forget mother and father and also the little children that have no mother and father. Your little friend, Helena Rainier, Hallieford
Dear Santa: I am a little girl seven years old. I have tried to be a good girl this year. Will you please bring me a doll house, package of dominoes, a silver mesh bag, a pair of yarn gloves, some candy, apples and nuts. Please don’t forget to trim my tree. It was so pretty last year. Your little friend, Alice Mildred Armistead, Shadow
Dear Santa: I am a little girl just six years old. This is my first year at school. Please bring me a black board and some chalk. I also want a boy doll and a painting set. Please bring me a Christmas tree. Don’t forget my three brothers and my mother and father. Bye, bye, From Mary Jane Hudgins, Motorun
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 18, 1941
from the Gazette-Journal
Scouts Collecting Old Newspapers, To the People of Gloucester: Please do not destroy old newspapers and magazines! It is a patriotic duty to conserve paper of all kinds which will be gathered by the Boy Scouts and shipped from here to an authorized collector of paper for the Government. Please do not destroy metal coat hangers! This too is an important defense item and will be collected by the Boy Scouts and turned over to the proper agency. Anyone outside of the Village who desires to give old papers and coat hangers to the Scouts for defense purposes, please leave them at the Presbyterian Manse.
70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 13, 1951
from the Gazette-Journal
At least forty Christmas food baskets will be delivered to needy families of Mathews County by the Department of Public Welfare, on Dec. 21, because of contributions to the Welfare Department and Richard Moger, which have amounted to $85 received and $40 promised.
Each basket will contain staple groceries, for example, 10 lbs. of white potatoes, 5 lbs. of flour, 5 lbs. of sugar, 2 lbs. meal, 1 pkg. oatmeal, 1 can orange juice, 1 can evaporated milk, 1 can peaches, ½ lb. oleomargarine, 1 lb. onions, oranges, apples, which will cost $3.28, one half of a shoulder, $1.75 and candy, 25¢. With each basket costing about $6.28, the goal is only half reached. If you as an individual, church or organization wish to participate, we want and need your help. Please, will you help?
60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 14, 1961
from the Gazette-Journal
Mrs. James R. Lewis, chairman of the Home Life department of the Mathews County Woman’s Club, said in a report prepared for the club, that interest shown in the special meeting of Nov. 30 was stimulating. About 30 people were present, including Mrs. Allen Foster and members of her home economics class who are participating. Mrs. Lewis said the speaker urged that the person entering this General Federation of Women’s Clubs and Vogue sewing contest should select color and fabric texture suited to her personality. That it is equally important to choose accessories suited to the person’s personality.
The program closed with a question and answer period. In the scoring system, workmanship counts only 25%; appropriateness of the costume for the occasion, 25%; becomingness to wearer, 25%, and fashion-rightness in terms of today’s style, appropriateness of accessories chosen, good color coordination and good taste, 25%.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 16, 1971
from the Gazette-Journal
William B. Blanks, superintendent of the Gloucester public schools, told the school board Tuesday night that the building program must move ahead as some of the facilities are already at excess capacity. He said that Achilles Elementary School is exceeding its capacity by 21 students and Abingdon Elementary has six more than its rated capacity, Botetourt Elementary is now within 20 of its rated figure, he added. It is hoped that the feasibility study now being developed by Joseph V. Cuicci Jr., Richmond architect, will be ready for presentation to the board by early January, the superintended said. The report is to outline requirements for the school system for a ten-year period.
40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 17, 1981
from the Gazette-Journal
If action taken Tuesday by the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors, and opinions expressed by state Senator Elmo. G. Cross Jr. of Hanover, and Del. Harvey B. Morgan of Gloucester, are held to the bid to charter a town in Gloucester Court House might well have received its death blow. The board voted by majority decision to support a resolution calling on the state representatives to not introduce a Botetourt Town charter bill in the coming 1982 General Assembly session.
30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 19, 1991
from the Gazette-Journal
The influenza epidemic among Gloucester youth appears to have reached its peak last Friday when over 16 percent of the county’s 5,900 public school students were absent due to illness.
Wayne Fox, student services director, said only 841 students were out Monday compared to 958 absences Friday. He said absentee numbers for Tuesday were incomplete, but appeared to be lower than Monday’s number.
Fox said he was told by Dr. Philip Winter, director of the Three Rivers Health District, that the epidemic would take about three to four weeks to run through the community. School absences first became notable almost two weeks ago, and Fox predicts that the epidemic will have subsided when students return from Christmas break on Jan. 2.
20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews High School varsity volleyball team caught fire last week, winning four matches without losing a single game, including back-to-back victories on the road against Eastern Shore foe Chincoteague.
The Lady Devils even got their first taste of Tidewater District competition, defeating West Point on Monday night, 15-8, 15-7, in a contest that will not count in the district standings. Mathews currently holds a 5-0 record.
“If we continue to work hard, we should continue to do well,” said MHS head coach Pat Moughon. “We just need to continue to play our game, despite our opponents’(style),” she added.
Last Thursday, the Lady Devils defeated the visiting Rappahannock Raiders in straight games, 15-11, 15-8.
10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
from the Gazette-Journal
Longtime Gloucester natives often brag to others about how the people in this community stand ready to help one another out in times of need. This story is no different.
When a local farmer had a sudden medical condition arise last week, his fellow farmers banded together, in some cases temporarily putting their own work aside, to ready his land for the winter season.
Ray Rilee, who farms land in Gloucester and surrounding counties, suffered a stroke last Thursday. He still had about 150 acres of beans left to harvest. Another local farmer, Jimmy Blake, almost immediately started receiving phone calls from others wanting to help.
“From the time everyone heard Ray was in the hospital, the phone started ringing off the hook,” said Blake’s wife Beth.
“With all of those people we figured they could spread out and get it all done quickly, at least if nothing breaks down and the weather holds up.”