(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — March 23, 1994
Grass fire season is approaching and the Globe interviewed Dorr Township assistant Fire Chief Norm Fifelski about the best ways for residents to obtain burn permits.
Allegan County voted overwhelmingly to approve Proposal A as a new way to fund public schools by lowering property taxes and increasing the sales tax.
Editor Nila Aamoth, in her Soapbox, defending the showing of the Oscar-winning film “Schindler’s List” despite some scenes of nudity because of its honest depiction of the oppression of the Jews before and during World War II.
Rusty Dutkiewicz penned a letter to the editor decrying attitudes that permit assisted suicide.
South Main Street soon will be torn up for the next 30 days as city crews replace water mains and set up a new water tower and pipelines.
Jose Blanco of Shelbyville, former co-owner of Blanco Furniture, has announced he intends to seek the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate being vacated by Donald Riegle.
Mark French, Pete Howard and Max Barnes all have resigned their seats on the Wayland City Planning Commission, suddenly creating three openings for appointment by Mayor Linden Anderson.
The home of Steve Drewyors on 120th Avenue now has been struck twice by lightning in the past three years.
The Hopkins Area Fire Authority, given up for dead last fall, has been resurrected by passage of a budget to include the Village and Township of Hopkins, Watson Township and now Monterey Township has agreed to pay a flat fee.
A Jackson County Circuit Judge has ruled in favor of Consumers Energy in the legal complaint of stray electrical voltage on farms causing animals and humans to fall ill.
The Globe published a feature story on Rick Tokarchick on the celebration of his 25th year of coaching wrestling. The event featured a surprise appearance by Tokarchick’s wrestling coach from his high school days at Niles.
The clock finally struck midnight for the Cinderella Hopkins basketball team in the Class regional finals, where the Vikings fell to Centreville. They scored their third straight post-season upset in the first round when Ryan Rewa nailed a 15-footer to edge Hartfrord.
Wayland’s late season success was concluded in the regionals by a 21-2 Ionia team. Matt Barghan ended his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Ken Stewart and Jon Ainsworth both added 14. Coach First-year coach Mike Hudson took a team that had lost 12 straight the previous season and 37 of its last 42 encounters to fashion a 13-10 overall record and a district championship.
Scott Sullivan wrote a feature about the Dorr “Knights of the Round Table,” a group of retired men who meet frequently at the Colonial Kitchen Restaurant for spirited conversations. They included John Baker, Rufus VanGoor, Herm DeKraker, John Dykehouse, Bill Wenzel, Ed VanderVeen and John Hagel.
50 Years Ago — March 19, 1969
Miss Wayland and Allegan County Harvest Queen Roxie Greenawalt, daughter of Fred and Effie Greenawalt, is preparing for the Miss Michigan pageant in Muskegon. She plans to play a piano solo for her talent.
The final Rotary travelogue of the season will be “Wings to the Bahamas” March 27 at the Wayland Theatre.
City Assessor Ernie Martin told the City Council that local assessments have increased significantly, particularly in personal property.
Two new troopers, Stanley Raak and Gene Seibel, have joined the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police.
Word has been received of the death of Thomas E. Bennett, former Wayland Village funeral director furniture store owner and charter Rotary member. He was 66.
Harold Hunt, proprietor of Hunt’s Pharmacy in Martin, has been named to the board of directors for Pipp Community Hospital.
Loralei Deremish, 11 years old, of Hopkins died at Grand Rapids Osteopathic Hospital.
Globe Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey was elected president of the Wayland Chamber of Commerce. Ted Green was chosen first vice president, Chet Brevitz second vice president and Richard Worfel treasurer.
A front page “Read and Discuss” question and answer column by City Manager Blaine Bacon was published on the upcoming vote for a sanitary sewer system in the city.
Editor Irvin Helmey wrote an editorial in support of approving the sanitary sewer issue in the April 7 election, maintaining Wayland should be on the right side of progress.
Milfred and Ben Potter and Ralph Lettinga of Moline, Bob Weick of Hopkins, and Clifford Cooke of Dorr were injured in a traffic accident near Lapeer on their way to participate in a farm tour.
Spec-4 Ken Engel of Wayland, a radar mechanic, and Chief Warrant Officer David Sebright of Hopkins earned Army commendation medals for their service in Vietnam.
Frederick G. TenHoor of Moline earned an Army air medal as a search and rescue mission pilot in Vietnam.
Wayland High School English teacher Mary Lou Bell wrote an “Our Teachers Speak” essay on the increasingly popular use of the word “they” in common language.
Mrs. Edward Merren is in charge of the Moline Christian School’s style show April 1.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: John Wayne and Katharine Ross were starring in “Hellfighters.”
Ed Hager, Western Michigan University freshman basketball coach, will be guest speaker at the Hopkins Sports award banquet.
The Rev. Robert and Terry Parks are two members of the Evangelaires gospel group that will perform at the Wayland Calvary Church Thursday evening, March 27.
75 Years Ago — March 21, 1944
Dorr Township native Stanley Iciek died in Norwich, Conn. He was 62. He was widely known as an author and lecturer and had been a chaplain in the Polish Army in World War I. His funeral was to be held at the St. Stanislaus Church and he was to be buried in Hilliards.
A chimney fire at the Masonic Lodge on South Main caused an astonishing amount of smoke in town.
Mrs. George Singer has been appointed local chair of the Victory Garden project
Marion DeWeerd was elected president of the Wayland Rod & Gun Club and Earl Satterlee of Hopkins vice president.
Elton Calkins will speak to the members of the Wayland Rural Grange on the question of “Which Is Needed More? Better Marketing or Better Production Methods?”
Lt. Roman Niemczyk, a pilot and son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Niemczyk of Dorr, wrote a letter to his parents praising the Red Cross for arranging a Christmas package for him as he is in Germany as a prisoner of war.
Lt. Carl Hilaski of Hilliards has earned his wings as a fighter pilot and he now wears his bars as a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. A 1936 Wayland High School graduate, he entered the military in 1942.
Ford Mauchmar of Wayland has been transferred from Denver, Colo., to Pullman, Wash., where he expects to be enrolled as an aviation student.
Pines Lunch proprietors Leo and Clarice Bailey have announced the eatery will be open again starting March 27, from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Lum & Abner, Alan Mowbry and Mildred Coles in “So This Is Washington.”
- Tim Holt in “Fighting Frontier.”
- Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, Lena Horne, Richard Ainley, Patricia Dane and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in “I Dood It.”
- Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray in “No Time for Love.”
100 Years Ago — March 21, 1919
The J.D. Rockwell “Sunny South” colored comedy troupe will perform at the Opera House in Wayland March 25. “There is snap and ginger from beginning to end. The accompanying concert band, Koontown,” also will be featured in a parade. Admission is 35, 50 and 75 cents.
Mr. and Mrs. George Hartwell of Wayland received a letter from their nephew, Russell Perry, who is still overseas in Germany, recovering from influenza and laryngitis in a hospital. “The Germans keep pretty quiet over here,” he wrote. “They know better than to start anything.”
In caucus nominations, Frank Chamberlain was nominated for Wayland Township Supervisor by the Republican Party, as were Clerk Leander Chapple and Treasurer William H. Jackson. They will be opposed by the newly-formed Peoples Party candidates Wilbert A. Croles, Darius Clack and Myrtie Smith Houston, respectively.
In Leighton Township, Republicans Samuel Hanna, Laura Francisco and Willard Purchase will face Independents Clarles Ellis, Charles Mapes and Emory Jones for supervisor, clerk and treasurer, in that order.
The Peoples Party announced its establishment, insisting, “This is not a political party or connected with any in any way. But it is for the best interests of the people.”
A joint meeting of members of the Michigan Milk Producers Association was held at the Christian Church in Wayland. Organizers said, in a statement, “Wayland is becoming and really is the center of attraction in the production of milk, especially since the Helvetia Milk Condensary established one of its numerous plants here.”
The mumps has kept a number of students at home, away from the classroom.
The practice of “yells” was part of assemblies at Wayland High School in preparation of the basketball team’s upcoming Allegan County tournament games against Allegan and Hopkins.
A university inspector reported his satisfaction with the improvement of spirit in the school and his written report will be submitted in about two weeks.
The Plainwell Current Events Club will make a presentation to the Wayland Ladies Library Club.
Wayland’s downtown was bustling the past weekend because of the auto show, Dollar Day, two election caucuses and pay days for workers at the Helvetis Milk Condensary.