(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — July 28, 1997
Residents of Apollo Drive in Wayland are complaining about sewer backup in their basements. Officials say the city is not responsible for the problem, but promise to offer help.
The Allegan County Parks Commission plans to seek a grant again for Gun Lake Park improvements at 124th Avenue after its last request was denied.
Administrative changes have been announced for Wayland Union Schools at the high school and middle school levels. Kevin Wiltshire is the new athletic director, succeeding Jerry Fouch, and Mark Martin has been hired as new middle school assistant principal.
An area family, the O’Stranders, has been granted permission from a state judge to move from Hopkins to Byron Center schools. Hopkins Schools will appeal the decision.
Suzanne Wierenga penned a letter to the editor taking Louis Harnish to task for referring to the artist’s drawing of the new Dorr Township Library as “The Taj Mahal.” The millage vote on a new library on 18th Street went down for the third time.
Pastor George Heartwell of Heartside Ministries, later to be elected mayor of Grand Rapids, will be guest speaker Sunday, Aug. 3, at Gun Lake Community Church.
Kirk Scharphorn, owner of Professional Code Inspections, says the recent boom in residential building has peaked in this area.
The Globe published extensive information about building permits and zoning activities in area townships and the City of Wayland.
50 Years Ago — July 25, 1972
Burrell Stein was elected president of the Hopkins Board of Education.
The Wayland Board of Education agreed to fund self-contained kitchens in every school building in the district at a cost of $7,232 for such amenities in Dorr, Moline and Baker elementaries.
The J.C. Carlson Construction Co. of Grand Rapids was selected for a contract to build the new high school east along 135th Avenue in the city for $1.543 million. VanDyke was chosen for electrical work and Andy Egan for plumbing, heating and ventilation.
Engineer Peter McWilliam of New Zealand tour Wayland’s new sanitary sewer facility, accompanied by City Manager Raymond France.
Harold Dietiker was congratulated by Wayland plant manager Ted Green for his 40 years of service at Pet Incorporated.
The Globe published picture of two of the four Little League Softball teams, the first ever in Wayland, the Teddy Bears and Road Runners.
Jim Newell has been selected as new head football coach at Hopkins High School, succeeding David Dagley, who left to take an administrative position at Hart.
Larry Butler of Shelbyville carded a hole in one at Orchard Hills, witnessed by Ralph Marcott, Frank Suhusky and Omar Johnson. He used a seven iron at the par three 168-yard 15th hole.
The Wayland Fire Department water ball team took second in a tournament at Sparta. Dick Kugelard is captain the group, which also includes Hugh DeWeerd, Terry Baumgard and Sam Dykstra.
Wayland High School language arts teacher Mary Nyuli has announced her engagement to wed William Gulledge of Melbourne, Fla., and has accepted a position with the Radiation Inc., a computer firm.
75 Years Ago — Aug. 1, 1947
Grand Rapids Herald reporter Carlton Cady was guest speaker at Wednesday’s Wayland Rotary Club meeting.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher confessed to being bitten by the golf bug recently and he was among those to participated in the first round the first-ever Wayland Golf Tournament at Indian Trails, overseen by coach Walter Gillett.
The annual West Gun Lake chicken dinner and festival will be Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church.
Mrs. Clara Standish Tobin died at age 68. She had lived most of her life in Leighton and Wayland townships.
Wayland Rotary Club President Clarence Calkins has announced that District Governor Allen G. Miller of Grand Rapids will be guest speaker next Wednesday.
Mosher wrote in his “Observations” column that local folks should enter the fishing contest sponsored by Hastings civic organizations and suggested the Wayland area have a similar contest, perhaps bringing visitors into the community.
Clarence Boerman has been selected to teach math at Hopkins for the next year and his wife will teach fourth grade.
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Hoeve of Moline have learned their son Carlos now is serving in the Navy in China.
Joe Roxbury of Hopkins and Jim Schumaker will have a pitching showdown Sunday when the two baseball teams will meet. Schumaker is fresh from tossing a five-hitter at the Baldwin Merchants last weekend.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Lynn Roberts and Charles Drake in “Winter Wonderland.”
• Charles Starrett and Smiley Burnette in “prairie Raiders.”
• Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan and Anne Jeffries in “Trail Street.”
• Cornel Wilde, Maureen O’Hara and Glenn Langan in “The Homestretch.”
100 Years Ago — July 28, 1922
Mrs. William Nash of Allegan told the Allegan County Board of Supervisors more funding support is needed in the county for health services, particularly a $5,000 nursing program. She said it could be paid for by the current bounties on sparrows and rats.
Cora Edith Miles, 56, died at her Martin home. She had been ill for two years and last October was taken to St. Petersburg, Fla., but she still did not recover. “She governed her life by the golden rule.”
Two new motorcycles have been purchased by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department to patrol roads “where speeding is practiced to the point where it is dangerous.” Sheriff Leo Hare and Walter Jackson will be the speed enforcement bikers.
Allegan County is reported to have three emergency trucks available to transport mail in case of a serious railroad strike.
The Wayland traveling baseball team will play Dumont Lake Sunday at the Allegan County Fairgrounds.
A team of horses belonging to Jim Oatman ran away near Moline and tore the running board off a sedan driven by J. H. Jeffers before being controlled.
“Something a diversion in politic before the voters of Allegan County, as a woman for the first time is a candidate for a place on the Republican ticket. The office of register of deeds is sought by Mrs. Estella Rutgers Reid, who from past experience feels qualified to fill the same.”
Sales Manager George A. Clipper published a card of thanks advertisement noting that the previous week’s Beall Brothers merchandise sale was a huge success.
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Weidenfeller, residents of Wayland for the past 12 years, have decided to move west with sights set on Glendale, Calif.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: “The North Wind’s Malice, a story about the Gold Fields of Alaska, and “Unseen Forces, the Strangest Love Story Ever Screened.”
The Green Brothers have sold their meat market on Superior Street to A.E. Weaver & Son.
