100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 12, 1925
from the Gloucester Gazette
]There will be a Silver Tea for the benefit of Section B, Ware Church, at the home of Mrs. J.M. Lewis on Wednesday, March 18, from 3 to 6 p.m.
There will be a Campfire service Sunday night at 8 o’clock at the Presbyterian Church when Rev. H.L. Corr will preach. The public is cordially invited.
from the Mathews Journal
The Gwynn’s Island Community League gave a fine program at their meeting on Monday night last. The special feature of the evening was a debate by four members of the League: Resolved, that Children Under Sixteen Years of Age Should be Compelled to Attend School. The negative side won the debate.
The Gwynn’s Island High School will hold its Annual May Day Celebration on May 5. Among the features on the program will be “A Colonial Minuet,” and an “Indian War Dance.”
90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 14, 1935
from the Gloucester Gazette
B.F. Weaver lost a large two-story barn on his farm near Clay Bank by fire Saturday morning. The blaze was caused by a blow torch which was being used in some work in the building, and the building with most of its contents was completely destroyed. Mr. Weaver estimated his loss at about $1,000, partially insured. The structure, which was used as an implement shed and hay loft, will be rebuilt.
from the Mathews Journal
A young cyclone of freakish characteristics struck with terrific force at Foster, Tuesday, a little before noon, completely wrecked all buildings of E.L. Parker’s poultry farm, killed several hundred white Leghorn hens and passed on in less than a minute, confining its destructive force to an area of about one acre.
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 15, 1945
from the Gazette-Journal
No tickets were needed to get gasoline at Flat Iron for a little while last Wednesday. In fact, all one needed to get all the gas one could carry away was a bucket, barrel or something to carry it in.
A large tank-truck delivering high-test gasoline to J.C. Brown, Texaco distributor, overturned and broke a connection. In a moment gasoline was all over the place and running down the drain ditches. In a few moments came a bucket brigade of considerable numbers. When they realized the situation, however, re-enforcements were sent for and soon empty barrels began to appear and were rapidly filled.
A.W. Evans, a passerby, phoned his plant for one of the Evans Clearing Corporation Stump and Tree Pullers. When this machine arrived, accompanied by an expert crew of operators, the big truck was hauled back into the road, right side up in a few minutes – and gas was again rationed.
70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 10, 1955
from the Gazette-Journal
Miss Ann Shinault has been chosen May Queen and Miss Lavenia Callis Maid-of-Honor. The entire student body participated in the election of these two senior girls for the May Court.
Ann’s election, Queen of the May Court was no surprise, since she was chosen the prettiest senior in the Who’s Who contest held in the fall.
Both are members of the Beta, Dramatics, and Monogram Clubs, Annual Staff, and have been cheerleaders for the last three years.
The ladies of the court will be elected at a later date and their escorts chosen.
60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 11, 1965
from the Gazette-Journal
Clyde R. Royals, Inc. of Hampton was awarded a $152,424 contract by the State Highway Commission to widen seven-tenths of a mile on U.S. Rt. 17 at Gloucester Point.
This contract calls for the widening of the highway from the toll plaza at George P. Coleman bridge north. The new project will provide a median strip separating the north and southbound traffic lanes.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 13, 1975
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews County School Board Tuesday voted to recommend that steel structured modular units be used to house students in the kindergarten program, which will begin next year.
William A. Keith, superintendent, said two members of the county board of supervisors and a school board member had recently visited areas in Chesapeake where the facilities are being used, adding that it was “the consensus that this course will be the best way to go.”
Keith said the six buildings to be placed at Lee-Jackson School, will cost an estimated $200,000, which is about $7 less per square foot than regular style permanent construction.
40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 14, 1985
from the Gazette-Journal
Bids for the construction of Petsworth Elementary School are scheduled to be opened at 2 p.m., April 10, Gloucester school superintendent William B. Blanks announced at the School Board meeting Tuesday night.
The state Department of Education on Feb. 19 notified Krummel and Jackson Associates, the architectural firm employed by the school board, that it has approved school plans. Advertisements for bids appear this week.
30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 16, 1995
from the Gazette-Journal
A team of T.C. Walker Elementary School students advanced to state Odyssey of the Mind competition with its first-place win at the Regional OM Competition held Saturday at Menchville High School, Newport News.
The team of Matt Towell, Jessica Richmond, Melody Stanley, Morgan Geisert, Daniel McGowan and Carlie Cole, won first place in the Vaudeville category. The win takes them to the OM state level contest on March 29 at Old Dominion University.
20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 10, 2005
from the Gazette-Journal
Monday was sunny and warm and Gloucester High’s baseball team scrimmaged Tabb’s Tigers. Mathews High Schools crew coxswain Skye Tucker and rowers Will Thompson, Kyle Daugherty, Charlie Ober and Will Ober of the Blue Devils’ varsity four boat, got some practice time in preparation for the April 2 season opener at Williams Wharf.
Tuesday brought a sea change in the weather, with temperatures dripping swiftly into the thirties, and a quick but blinding snow.
10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 12, 2015
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 24 approved withdrawing $91,000 from the committed reserve fund to pay for replacing playground equipment at Port Fun, the public park near the high school.
Also, during the meeting, Sheriff Mark Barrick told the board that the new radio system being used by the sheriff’s office and fire and rescue is up and running and that reception has been greatly improved countywide.