25 Years Ago — April 17, 1991

Four area fire departments battled a barn fire in Salem Township that killed two dry cows.

Yankee Springs Township has agreed to pay Recycling in Barry County (RiBC) $100 a month for providing recycling services with a couple of bins at Gun Lake Community Church.

The waters of the Rabbit Rover overflowed banks east of the City of Wayland near the Northbrook Mobile Home Park.

The Leighton Township Board approved rezoning of a 160-acre parcel on Division Avenue to set the stage of a new industrial park. There has been talk of citizens circulating petitions opposing the change.

The Martin Township Board approved having a recycling site next to the grocery store in the village downtown. Clerk Joyce McGuire opposed, asserting it would be an eyesore at a busy intersection.

The Wayland City Council is asking for the public’s help in replacing trees in the downtown area. The request comes in the wake of cutbacks in state funding.

Heidi Keyzer was crowned Miss Martin 1991 in the annual pageant.

Todd Underwood, 25, a native of Albion, has joined the Michigan State Police, Wayland post, as newest trooper.

Don Mackey is directing the play “Morning at Seven,” offered at the Wayland High School auditorium.

The Wayland boys’ and girls’ track teams, under the guidance of Jerry Haggerty, won the Middleville Thornapple Kellogg Relays with 81 combined points, outdistancing both Caledonia and South Christian by 15 points.

The Hopkins girls’ softball team, under the tutelage of Mick Francis, banged out a dozen hits and stole an equal number of bases in a 20-10 victory over Saugatuck.

Herb Johnson, who won 156 games in 10 years as Martin varsity basketball coach, has decided to step down to devote more time to his family business at the Cheshire Hills Golf Course south of Allegan.

The Wayland varsity baseball team got some hot hitting and good pitching while winning two of three contests. Matt Edney just missed no-hitting Middleville.

Jeff Weber threw a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts for coach Mark Austin’s Hopkins baseball squad in a win over Saugatuck.

50 Years Ago — April 13, 1966

Scott Chesebro was named valedictorian and Ronile Brooks salutatorian for the Wayland High School Class of 1966. Brooks plans to attend Western Michigan University while Chesebro already has applied to Moody Bible Institute.

The second meeting of a newly-formed senior citizens’ group will be held at the Legion Hall of the basement of the post office on East Superior Street.

The Northeast District 4-H Style Revue was held at the Moline Community gym, with theme “Share the Fun.” Leaders were Don Borgic of the Wayland Wrangler and Diane Smith of the Leighton Club.

It was a tragic week for the community of Hopkins, as two young people lost their lives in accidents. Paul C. Kipfmiller, 19, a Hopkins High School graduate and member of the University of Michigan Marching Band, was killed in a traffic crash near Galesburg. Timothy John Wamhoff, 6, was killed in a tractor accident near the Wayland airport.

Curriculum changes for Wayland High School during the 1966-67 academic year were approved by the school board. One is history incorporating more of a literature component and another is a chemistry class that focuse much more on lab work.

The board noted the annual school election has been scheduled for June 13.

Connie Francis was starring in “When the Boys Meet the Girls” at the Wayland Theatre.

Members of the Wayland Grange will meet at the hall April 15. One the agenda will be music, a skit on “Community Programs in Action” and a reading and discussion.

The 1964 Allegan County Census on Agriculture has reported that Allegan County had 2,666 farms in operation that year.

A special meeting to discuss the proposed charter revisions and plans to move Wayland from a village to a home-rule city will be held April 18 at the Wayland High School cafeteria.

75 Years Ago — April 18, 1941

Fire was discovered in a large shed behind the residence of Fred Burleson on Church Street. Because the blaze was so close to downtown businesses, a large number of firefighters were summoned. Later in the evening, the village nighwatchman, George Douglas, found that the fire had re-ignited and he burned his hands attempting to put it out.

Wayland Grade School was honored for its safety education record by the Automobile Club of Michigan for the second straight year.

The Allegan County Selective Service Board has reported that 66 young men have been drafted into military service, the largest monthly number in a long time.

Miss Mary Bulis, Allegan County Demonstration Agent, gave a presentation to the Mothers’ Club on the topic of meal planning.

The Wayland Grange Orchestra will perform music at the community spelling bee April 25.

The Wayland High School baseball team is scheduled to play its first game of the season at Hopkins April 18.

The Wayland High School Junior Play will be “Yellow Shadow” April 17 and 18.

Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney and Faye Holden were starring in “Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary;” Lloyd Nolan and Lyn Bari were featured in “Sleepers West” and Jean Hersholt and Dorothy Lovett were appearing “Remedy for Riches,” all at the Wayland Theatre this week.

100 Years Ago — April 14, 1916

Appointed to positions for Wayland Village were Street Commissioner Joseph McConnell, Health Officer Dr. J.E. Bryson, Marshall George E. Ryno and President Pro Tem Clarence A. Ryno.

The Wayland Village Council will take up the issue of organizing a fire company in order to lower local insurance premiums and provide better safety. The council also will consider installing a “silent policeman” at the intersection of Main and Superior because auto traffic has increased greatly. Councilmen also will talk about some way to sprinkle the downtown streets during the dry and dusty season of summer.

Miss Ella Russ will lead a discussion for the local Women’s Christian Temperance Union about “Why Should a Church Member join the WCTU?” Mina Deuel is president of the group.

Philip Burlingame, who had operated a farm with his wife and six children in Hopkins, died April 6. He was 74.

Mrs. Fred VanPaten caught 100 fish this week out of Gun Lake. “It was a good thing that the lake was rough Friday and Saturday or Gun Lake would have lost many more,” Editor-Publisher George Mosher declared.

The Dancing Club’s bi-weekly party ay Yeakey’s Hall featured the Braceline Orchestra of Allegan.

The Wayland High School track team is preparing the field day in Allegan and another later in Kalamazoo.

Henry Rogers, accompanied by August Hardy, drove his motorcycle and sidecar to Burnips Corners.

The Anti-Can’t group’s play, “Fun on the Podunk Limited” was so well received that there will be a repeat performance for the benefit of the Boy Scouts.

Mrs. Frank Chamberlain, wife of the Wayland Township Supervisor, died unexpectedly at home. Her husband was in Allegan at a meeting of the Allegan County Board of Supervisors and rushed home by train as soon as he heard the news.

Because the cost of newsprint has increased recently, Publisher George Mosher made a plea for prompt payments of delinquent subscriptions and advertising accounts.

PHOTO: The Hopkins Creamery of long ago.