On this date: January 16, 1951. Wiley Elementary School students were glad they came to school on this date. Actress and North Carolina native, Ava Gardner, visited the classroom of her niece, Jean Pierce, for “show and tell.”
Miss Gardner showed the students her necklace, a miniature showboat, a remembrance from her recent movie titled “Showboat.” She also answered many questions from students about their favorite Hollywood movie stars, and she signed autographs.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
I am the chairperson of the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC, and I wanted to inquire about the article from January 16, 1951: Ava Gardner Visits Wiley Elementary, and how we may include this in an exhibit at the museum. We are working on the Ava 100th Celebration which kicks off in October 2022.