(From the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — April 1, 1992
The Allegan County Promotional Alliance and Economic Development Commission have announced plans to put the old Kessler building on South Main Street on the market. The building once housed an infant sleepwear manufacturing business that employed more than 100 people, but went bankrupt in the late 1980s.
Allegan County Road Commission members are joining road commissioners from all over Michigan in opposing Gov. John Engler’s “Build Michigan” proposal. They insist it will be inadequate and tardy in combating the state’s serious infrastructure problems that include road potholes, crumbling pavement and deteriorating bridges. They insist a better solution is a gas tax.
Wayland City Clerk Helen Alflen has reported there will be no contests in the city election. Incumbent City Councilwoman Marie Hall and Mayor Linden Anderson are running unopposed and newcomersPaul Kaczanowski and John Bilski will seek the two seats being vacated by Mike DeWeerd and David Miller. DeWeerd is stepping down because of the press of business and Miller intends to run for the County Board of Commissioners.
In the wake of a Globe article about “The Great American Meatout” campaign celebrating vegetarianism, Yankee Springs Township Supervisor David VanElst and local beef producer Alan Arbanas in letters to the editor asserted meat isn’t as unhealthy as the proponents indicated.
Hopkins School District voters turned down a 5.6-mill, $10.195 million bond proposal to build a new high school and an addition to Sycamore Elementary, The vote was 757 to 619.
Dorr Township officials commented that doesn’t seem to be much interest any more in annual township meetings, as only about a dozen showed for Dorr’s latest such session.
The Hopkins girls’ varsity basketball team and coach Tom MacArthur won True Value of Michigan’s sportsmanship for their conduct in the district basketball tournament.
John Levandoski, only 11 years old, rolled a 629 series over three games at Airport Lanes north of Wayland.
Hopkins FFA members John Schut, Jerry Schricker and Randy Petroshus received state FFA degrees and alum Comer Skinner was presented with an honorary degree at the FFA state convention in East Lansing.
50 Years Ago — March 29, 1967
Specialist-4 Michael Jandernoa of Wayland was presented with a Bronze Star for his heroic leadership in the face of enemy fire from Viet Cong engagement.
All four proposals on the election ballot were approved by wide margins in Wayland’s first-ever millage vote as a consolidated school district.
Earning perfect 4.0 grade point averages for the most recent marking period were Kathy Smith, Mary Braendle and Lois Sykes at Wayland High School and Tom Lanning, David Smith and Louise Sykes at the junior high.
Private Roy (Bud) Chamberlain, 24, of Moline, was killed in combat in Vietnam when he was struck by mortar while taking part in a helicopter clearing operation.
Nation Farmers Organization (NFO) members were claiming at least a partial victory in their battle for higher milk prices. Otsego Dairy Creamery agreed to a contract proposed by the NFO.
The Wayland Board of Education made it officials by turning down requests from Sycamore and Plainview Schools to join the Wayland district, indicating there was no room.
John Helmholdt of Moline died while driving a garage truck for the City of Grand Rapids. He was an elder for the Moline Christian Reformed Church.
Arthur Predum, 56, died of heart attack at his Gun Lake home. He had been owner of the Lakeview Tavern for 14 years.
Carol Jager was announced as valedictorian and Russell Hansen salutatorian for the Hopkins High School Class of 1967.
Gene Weber and Forrest Frank officially resigned their positions as city clerk and acting city manager to pave the way for the arrival of Wayland’s first city manager, Blaine Bacon.
The Action Ambulance firm reportedly pulled out of the city three weeks earlier and drivers were reassigned to Allegan.
Russell Coffey was elected state officer for the FFA from Hopkins, succeeding Dennis Lambert. Coffey and Russell Hansen both were presented with FFA degrees at the state convention.
The Wayland Calvary Church Bible Quiz team upset the defending champions from Benton Harbor in the regional finals of a tournament. Team members were Kathy Jo Smith, Steve Parks, David Smith, Tim Nakken and Cynthia Dewey.
The Turtles remained atop the nation’s music charts with “Happy Together.”
75 Years Ago — April 3, 1942
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher: “If Globe readers find an unusual number of errors in the paper this week, you can blame it on yours truly. Due to the shortage of help in the composing room, we had to take our turn at operating the linotype, something we have not done in many moons.”
The Wayland Grange meeting Saturday night was focused on the theme of time. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Smith were to sing a duet on “The Grandfather’s Clock.” Mrs. Leggett was to give a history of the calendar. Mrs. Grandy planned a presentation on the pendulum. All members were asked to sing “When You and I Were Young.”
Sib Rumery of the Allegan County Draft Board announced anyone who wanted to see the list of those registered in the draft for war could view it at the Hotel barber shop.
Ted Willis has been promoted to chief carpenter in the U.S. Navy and has been transferred from Seattle to San Diego, where he will be engaged in constructing bomb shelters.
The Gamble Store, formerly located on the north side of West Superior, will move to the Hotel block into the former Gene’s Haberdashery business. It has been purchased from Nesen & Bebow by H.E. Meyers of Allegan.
The Rev. William Hainsworth of Dexter, formerly a local pastor, will be guest speaker for the next PTA meeting at Wayland High School.
The Wayland High School Student Council is planning a farewell assembly for industrial arts teacher Charles Wegner, who is leaving to teach at Grosse Pointe, and L.D. Wesley, who has decided to join Civil Service for the remainder of the war.
The Wayland High School Junior Play April 16 and 17 will be “Funny Phinnie.”
The Allegan County Defense Council has advised, “We must conserve food, even though we have plenty. That means as soon as spring arrives, we should plant a Victory Garden.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Ann Ayers and George Negrete in “Fiesta.”
- Ronald Reagan and Olympe Bradna in “International Squadron.”
- Wallace Beery and Majorie Main in “The Bugle Sounds.”
- Bill Henry and Sheila Ryan in “Pardon My Stripes.”
- Ronald Reagan and Jean Perry in “Nine Lives Are Enough.”
Admission is 10 cents for children 12 and under and 25 cents for adults.
100 Years Ago — March 30, 1917
Officials of the Wayland State Bank have purchased the lot on the southeast corner of Main and Superior streets downtown, the site of the old Chambers Hotel, to build the next location for the bank. The new bank building will be 25×80 feet, two stories high with red brick. “It will be an imposing and up to date building in every way.”
Roy Lee and Harold Hanlon wrote the only 100 percent correct papers for the current events test at Wayland School. Baily Franks earned a 100% grade in commercial geography.
Hillsdale College has announced it will award an academic scholarship to the Wayland High School senior selected this year’s valedictorian.
Wayland teachers have joined others in their profession all over the state to protest the State Legislature’s actions on their pensions. They have petitioned to have the law amended or repealed, calling it “class legislation that uninterested legislators have wished” on them.
The senior play, “Kicked Out of College” was reviewed in the Globe with such commentary as “Lellwyn Anway was at all times the hero, Harold Chapple was an excellent coach of the Dramatic Club… but it was Cleo Fox and Miss Fern Goodspeed who most frequently secured the applause.”
Paul Wing of Wayland was elected president of the Allegan County Boys’ YMCA chapter.
David A. Stockdale was reappointed deputy sheriff recently during a visit by Sheriff Hilman.
The fronts for H.D. Allgeo’s drug store and L.B. Mason’s jewelry store “have set a good example before the people by having them painted a pure white.”
William Judson Kitchen, 71, died of heart disease and dropsy. A native of Canada, he came to America at age 4, served in the Union Army in the Civil War in 1864 and 1865, moved to Wayland with his wife, Betsey, in 1875 and had lived three miles east of the village for nearly 42 years. He was buried in Hill Cemetery, where he had been sexton.
FOUND: “Pocket book containing a sum of money. Owner may have same by describing properly and paying for this advertisement.”