110 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 16, 1911
from the Mathews Journal
The Board of Supervisors has decided to meet on March 31 to decide upon the rate of taxation for the coming year. The citizens of Westville District will remember that they pled in vain for a raise last year. Such of them as desire to see our schools improve should come here this year also and request of our representative on the Board that our school levy be made equal to that of other Districts.
If you owe the “Journal Man” anything, come in on March Court Day and settle up. It is just as hard for him to live on air as it is for anyone else to accomplish this remarkable feat.
100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 17, 1921
from the Gloucester Gazette
Bunnie Deal, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Deal, died Tuesday, aged 20 years. The young man was kicked by a horse when a small child and had been in poor health ever since. Besides the bereaved parents, he is survived by two brothers and five sisters: James Jr., Ernest, Kate, Vernetta, Mrs. Jack Sterling, Mrs. Wm. Sterling and Mrs. Betty King.
There will be a meeting in the Directors’ room of the Bank of Gloucester (Thursday) at 3 p.m., of persons interested in the building and presentation of a home to Rev. Wm. B. Lee on his retirement as rector of Ware and Abingdon parishes. The purpose of the meeting will be to form a better organization of the Lee Home Committee, and all interested in the matter are invited to attend.
from the Mathews Journal
There will be a box supper and fancy sale at Gwynn Island High School on Friday night, March 25, 1921. Proceeds for the benefit of the new High School.
Mrs. T.E. Edwards, who had the misfortune to fall and hurt her foot very badly, is much better.
Mrs. Mattie Williams was carried to the hospital in Norfolk last week for treatment.
The little baby girl of Mrs. Roland Respess who has been quite sick is much better, we are glad to say.
The fishermen are catching a lot of shad every day.
90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 19, 1931
from the Gloucester Gazette
The Gazette is in receipt of a letter from Mrs. R.L. Brown, Glass, Va., requesting a denial of the report published in this paper last week of the contemplated marriage of her daughter. The item published in this paper was sent by mail from Glass P.O. and bore the reputed signature of the alleged bride-to-be. The Gazette is glad to make the correction asked for, and at the same time would remind all persons who think it smart to give false information to a newspaper that it is a misdemeanor and legally punishable as such.
from the Mathews Journal
Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Garrett entertained on Saturday evening, the occasion being the sixteenth birthday of their son, Hunter Jr.
A color scheme of pink and green was carried out in decorations and refreshments. Covers were laid for thirty-two. Those present were Misses Bessie Grubb, Ethel Salmon, Ernestine Callis, Vivian Garrett, Ida Soles, Bertha Hurst, Martha Shipley, Mable Grubb, Mrs. H.W. Garrett, Messrs. Wilber Foster, Eldridge Hatch, Edward Joslyn, Horace Lilly, Raymond Walker, Archie Matthews, F.L. Joslyn and H.W. Garrett.
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 20, 1941
from the Gazette-Journal
For several days Trumpet Major daffodils, first harbingers of Spring in Gloucester and Mathews since their ancestors came over with the first English colonists, are being shipped to market this week.
The Trumpet Major has the distinction of being the beginning what is fast developing into the most important industry of this section. The little trumpets were the first daffodils to be shipped in quantity from Gloucester more than twenty years ago by Mr. and Mrs. M.K. Smith, at “Holly Hill,” now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Field and one of the largest daffodil farms in the county.
It is predicted that shipments of King Alfreds, the next of the daffodils to come into bloom, will be made in a week or ten days, if the weather is mild.
70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 15, 1951
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews High School Junior-Senior Banquet and Prom has been set for Friday evening, April 27, at the school.
The following committee chairmen have been appointed: decorations, Shirley Hudgins; program, Joan French; invitations, Phyllis Hudgins; table, Jo Ann Oliver; menu, Joyce Diggs; music, Rena Hudgins; door, John Lee Machen; refreshments, Arlene Ashburn.
The music will be furnished by Mac Graham and his orchestra from West Point.
The junior class sponsors are Mrs. C. Aubrey White and Mrs. John W. Wroten. The senior class sponsors are Mrs. Eleanor Respess and Mrs. Irene Sanger.
60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 16, 1961
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews High School drama group received a distinguished rating for its performance at the District E, Group III One-Act Play Festival last Wednesday at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg.
The play presented by the Mathews students, “Readin’, Ritin’, and Rithmetic,” was directed by Mrs. Clayton S. Hammond. Members of the cast were Johnny Sadler, Scott Crewe, Maxwell Hudgins, Bobby Chestnutt, Ronnie Broaddus, Charlene Davidson. Joanne Brown, Barbara Gayle, Suzanne Dillehay, Elaine Hudgins and Dottie Ann Lewis.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 18, 1971
from the Gazette-Journal
Monday was a busy day for vehicle licensing agents in Gloucester and Mathews.
According to F.H. Trevilian of Ark, agent for issuing the state tags in Gloucester, and C. David Burke, county treasurer who sells the local licenses, it was the biggest first day they ever recall.
Both men said people were lined up just as if it were the last day,
Trevilian said he sold a total of 311 license plates on Monday and Burke said just about the same number of county tags were issued.
Tuesday was reported to be not quite as busy; however, “sales will pick up again on Friday,” Trevilian said.
James Faulkner, Mathews DMV agent, reported that 256 state licenses were sold on Monday, which is slightly above the total recorded last year on the first day of sales.
40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 19, 1981
from the Gazette-Journal
Three hundred and eighty seven of the 440 students enrolled at Mathews Intermediate School have signed up to participate in a field trip Friday to Mount Vernon and Washington, D.C.
Melvin L. Fry, principal, said eight buses have been chartered for the trip which will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 8 p.m.
He said this is the first time that the entire school has gone on a single field trip as in the past each class has had its own special outings. Fry said the idea is unusual and “we thought the students would enjoy it.”
Forty-five chaperones including teachers and parents will accompany the students on the trip.
30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 21, 1991
from the Gazette-Journal
All raccoons encountered locally should be assumed to be rabid and accordingly avoided, health department officials said in a press conference Monday. They further warned that contact with any wild animal, stray dog or cat should also be avoided because of the number of rabies cases confirmed here already this year. Four cases have been confirmed since January 1991, with a total of 15 rabies cases confirmed since the outbreak began in Gloucester in 1989.
20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 22, 2001
from the Gazette-Journal
The principal and vice principal at Thomas Hunter Middle School got into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, and made good on a bet, by getting their hair dyed green on Monday. Principal Dino A. Papas and vice principal Linda Via got their hair done by students Amy Ashberry, Jennifer Balseca and Nicole Stillman. Papas and Via promised to get their hair colored green if the SCA raised $500 between Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Through a luncheon, hat day, dance and other events, the organization raised $530. The money will go toward the Mathews High School Auditorium Fund. The SCA expects to raise more for the MHS fund at the SCA’s annual Lip Sync program, which will be held on April 11.
10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 17, 2011
from the Gazette-Journal
The first Clean Gloucester Day, held on Saturday at locations throughout the county, was a major success, with more than 40 groups pre-registered for the event, joining others in picking up trash along the side of county roads, parks and neighborhoods.
With only 14 of the 41 groups reporting 453 people picked up a total of 474 bags of trash. “The Gloucester County clean-up day was an apparent success,” said VDOT Gloucester Area Headquarters supervisor Kevin Sears. “On Monday we at Gloucester VDOT picked up 10 heaping dump-truck loads of bags throughout Gloucester County. Not to mention what the cleanup people brought to the recycling centers on Saturday during the pickup.”