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100 YEARS AGO
From Greensboro Daily News, Oct. 18-24, 1909

Reidsville now has a public library, thanks to the efforts of some ladies of the community.

Working together, they have secured handsome quarters in the new Ward & Somers building, with three rooms fitted up for use as a library.

The ladies this week will canvass the community for contributions to sustain and support the library.

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The Reidsville town commissioners adopted a resolution making it possible to build a new electric plant on a vacant lot owned by the city adjoining the Market House. All of the electrical equipment and part of the steam plant have been purchased and work will be started immediately and pushed to rapid completion.

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Blankets made in Leaksville have become so well known that some stores are advertising them as “Leaksville blankets.” One such company is Harry-Belk Bros. Co. in Greensboro, which is offering “Leaksville all-wool blankets” for $3.48 and $4.48, the difference in price being based on the size of the blanket.

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James H. Combs, a well-known farmer and a former deputy sheriff, died at his home seven miles from Reidsville after an illness of several days. He was a volunteer in the War Between the States.

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W. Brackin Cobb, son of J.M. Cobb of Reidsville, took his friends by surprise when he drove to Danville and there met his girlfriend,  Lessie Burton of Scottsburg, Va. They drove to the home of the Rev. Mr. Guyer, who united them in marriage.

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For rent: seven-room house, $12.50 month.

75 YEARS AGO
From Greensboro Daily News, Oct. 18-24, 1934

Charles Gordon, alias Charles Bear, and Mrs. Anna Walker, have been transferred from the Reidsville jail to Greensboro  to await trial in the December federal Western District Court on charges of passing counterfeit money in Reidsville.

Gordon was arrested in Reidsville while the Walker woman was arrested in Danville as a confederate.

It is believed Gordon and Walker  are part of a large counterfeiting ring. Several other people were spreading the counterfeit money in other areas under Gordon’s direction, he reportedly told officers.

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The Reidsville tobacco market continued to perform well, closing the week with Friday sales of nearly 750,000 pounds and bringing sales for the season to 3.5 million pounds. Meanwhile the Madison market had a good break, with tobacco selling at 40 to 55 cents per pound. The Madison market already has sold as much tobacco this year as it did all of last year at prices twice as high.

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Thieves broke open a safe in the office of county auditor Eugene Irvin at Wentworth and stole a small amount of cash, plus documents that were in the safe.

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The Women’s Auxiliary of Mayodan Moravian church met at the home of Mrs. W.H. Boilin, with Mrs. W.H. Price Jr.  as joint hostess. After making plans for future meetings, the auxiliary heard a short talk by the Rev. Graf.

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Reidsville High School defeated Burlington High 13-6 in a football game played at Burlington’s home park. Burlington scored first but Reidsville pushed across touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters.

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For rent: seven-room house, $45 month.

50 YEARS AGO
From Greensboro Daily News, Oct. 18-24, 1959

Chinqua Penn was formally given to the University of North Carolina in ceremonies attended by about 200 people at the plantation site just west of Reidsville.

Gov. Luther Hodges accepted the gift of the 826-acre estate and a supporting gift of $750,000 from Paul A. Schoelkopf of Niagara Falls, N.Y., a nephew of Mrs. Jefferson Penn, who is donating the plantation, its plantation house and cash to the university with the only condition being that she be allowed to live in it as long as she desires.

Mrs. Penn was hailed by Gov. Hodges as “a very great and very gracious lady who has become a Tar Heel immortal today.” The plantation was built in 1926 by the Penns.

The audience included friends of the Penns, university officials, General Assembly members and state officials. Woman’s College students served punch after the ceremonies.

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The Leaksville school board took a new look at the need for guidance in junior and senior high schools after receiving reports from Morehead High and Leaksville-Spray and Draper junior highs indicating the problem of guidance has grown beyond the ability of teachers and administrators to handle. The report recommended setting up guidance counselor programs with a ratio of one counselor for every 250 to 300 students.

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The Rockingham County 4-H Booth took third place at the State Fair, adding more lustre to the already shining record of the 4-H’ers.

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Results of a single day’s sales on three Rockingham County tobacco markets: Reidsville, 132,956 pounds averaging $51.98 per hundredweight; Madison, 82,070 pounds averaging $51.77; Stoneville, 97,016 pounds averaging $50.63.

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Widespread rain washed out the Western 3-A Conference football schedule, forcing rescheduling for next week. Reidsville rescheduled its game with Page High of Greensboro for the following night while Morehead will go to Mount Airy on Monday.

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For rent: six-room house, $60 month.

25 YEARS AGO
From Greensboro Daily News, Oct. 18-24, 1984

Hourly workers at the Miller Brewing Co. plant in Eden, one of the largest employers in Rockingham County, ratified a new union contract that will likely result in pay increases.

The three-year contract between the Teamsters Union and the company passed by a vote of  614 to 138. Teamster spokesman Jack Cipriani said the contract calls for an hourly wage increase equal to whatever the Teamsters and Anheuser-Busch agree to in their nationwide contract talks.

For Miller workers, who now earn $15.45 an hour, any raise will be retroactive to Sept. 30.

The plant has 1,096 workers but 358 are laid off. The contract calls for pay increases for laid-off workers, rising gradually from $50 to $65 a week.

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Owens-Illinois Inc. will close the Eden manufacturing plant that it opened in November 1981, laying off 72 hourly workers and 32 salaried employees. The 200,000-square-foot plant makes plastic labels, foam cups and plastic carriers.

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Rockingham Community College will receive eight scholarships from the state to be awarded for the winter quarter of 1984. Each scholarship is worth $500.

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The Reidsville Board of Education approved a $9.9 million 1984-85 budget for the city’s schools. The budget includes $6.3 million from the state, $1 million from the federal government and $2.6 million from local funding.

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Southern Guilford High nipped Morehead High 14-13 when Morehead missed the extra point try with 1:06 remaining in  the game. Morehead dropped into a second-place tie with four other teams in the Triad 3-A Conference with a 4-2 win while Southern took over the top spot with a 5-1 record. Elsewhere Reidsville High Rams ran past Eastern Guilford 18-8 and moved into a tie for second place with Morehead.

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For rent: 3-bedroom brick ranch house, $650 month.