25 Years Ago — Dec. 24 and 31, 1990
The Globe published its annual jo
int edition over the holiday weeks, this year focusing on the “We Live Here” theme of highways.
Pat Staley wrote a story about the origins of construction of and plans for the U.S.-131 expressway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The freeway was first completed in 1958 and the final pieces of the puzzle were put together in 1960.
Paul Jackson wrote a story and analysis about how Moline did not benefit with growth from the expressway, claiming, “The common opinion, based on some fact, is that Moline cut its own throat when it came time to grow with the new highway. The story was titled, “Moline’s struggle for access to the fast lane.”
Pat Staley wrote a feature piece on how the new Michigan State Police post was welcomed in 1956 in Wayland at the location it still has on North Main Street.
She also penned a feature about the many clubs and non-profit organizations, such the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Gun Lake Federation of Women’s Clubs, that did roadside cleanups under the “Adopt-A-Highway” program.
Paul Jackson wrote a story about John Buskirk of the Martin area, who was one of the last holdouts when the State of Michigan purchased farm land for the highway to go through.
An interesting side story was about the Blizzard of 1977 that closed down the expressway, and how people coped with the challenging weather.
Julie Ainsworth was named to the third team of the Detroit Free Press Class B all-state girls’ basketball team and sophomore Ann Iciek was given honorable mention accolades.
The Hopkins High School student council collected more than 2,000 items to distribute to needy families over the holiday season.
An advertisement from Dean Foods presented information about the origins of the former Pet Milk facility on Elm Street. The condensed milk business began in 1915 as the Helvetia Milk Condensing Co., employing 20 people. The name eventually was shortened to Pet Inc., and Dean Foods took over in December 1982. The facility today is Bay Valley Foods.
50 Years Ago — Dec. 22, 1965
German foreign exchange student Christel Schneider, a senior at Wayland High School, was featured in a story about German Christmas traditions. She is spending her senior year with the Lee Miller family.
Local residents are being encouraged to sign a huge sheet of paper at the Wayland State Bank wishing WHS graduate Don Japinga luck in the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl. Japinga, a defensive back who graduated from Wayland in 1962, was co-captain with quarterback Steve Juday of the undefeated and No. 1-ranked Michigan State football squad that was preparing to play UCLA in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Mr. and Mrs. Mack Short had their annual vacation trip to Florida cut short in a traffic accident near Henryville, Ind. Their trailer jack-knifed on the highway. They were not seriously hurt.
Ottawa Hills High School business education teacher Everett Griffin, 25, is spending two weeks observing procedures and operations at the Kessler’s Undies and Woolies infant sleepwear manufacturing facility. Griffin holds a mater’s degree in business from Eastern Michigan University.
Village of Wayland President Phillip Reno absorbed a lot of criticism at a council meeting for comments reported in a story published in the Grand Rapids about “Amateur Night at the Village Council.” Reno explained that his comments were about local government challenges in general, not specifically about Wayland officials. Councilmen Hugh DeWeerd and William Mauchmar suggested his comments may hurt changes for passage of a new home-rule city charter in next month’s election.
Former Globe Publisher Rollo Mosher, in his “Observations Here and There” column, said Christmas in bygone days was celebrated much more with the church and Sunday school in mind.
Middleville, led by all-stater Rob White, handily defeated Wayland boys’ varsity basketball team 70-47. Gordon Hudson scored 19 points, but the Wildcats’ record slipped to 1-4.
The Wayland girls’ basketball team, under coach Pat McKee, lost 34-28 to Hopkins. Sandy Ryman had 13 points, nearly half of the Lady Wildcats’ total.
Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker and Tommie Kirk were starring in a reprise of the 1958 Disney film favorite “Old Yeller” at the Wayland Theatre.
75 Years Ago — Dec. 27, 1940
A stiff neck, feet weary, arms aching from carrying packages — which adds up— Christmas shopping symptoms, and if that wasn’t enough, after signing, addressing, sealing and stamping several dozen Christmas cards, we see, taste, and look ink and glue, even in our spinach! Outside of that, we feel swell.
Pointing toward the six-day, perhaps seven-day week in defense industry, Defense Council Chairman Knudsen belabored American industry for lagging, and declared the United States was “not getting the spirit” of defense work.
The U.S. goal, declared Knudsen, had been 1,000 warplanes a month by Jan. 1. He said at the rate things were going, we’ll be lucky if we are getting 650 a month by that time.
Knudsen pulled no punches and told the manufacturers that they were spending too much time worrying about what do with their profits and earnings, and not enough getting out the material. This was a double-barreled blow at the employers for temporizing with employees’ demands.
100 Years Ago — Dec. 24, 1915
George Welch of Wayland just finished putting down a water well for J.F. Steeby, who “now has the finest flowing well of anyone in the township.”
There will be Christmas exercises in the District No. 10 School District Thursday night, consisting of music drills, recitations, dialogues and fun around the Christmas tree.
Carl J. Quist of Grand Rapids, manager of the local Standard Oil Station, now occupies the home of L. D. Miles.
D.F. Fox was elected worshipful master of the James Fenton Lodge No. 224 A & M of the Masons.
The Wayland Equal Suffrage Association was welcoming state association president Mrs. O.H. Clark to speak at a Jan. 5 meeting. “This means not only people of the village (should attend), but women who live on farms as well.”
Alfred Fitch of Tacoma, Wash., a city of about 100,000 people, sent a letter saying, “When I pick up the Globe and read about Dear Old Wayland, it gives me a longing for the place where I spent my boyhood days.”
The local post office will be open from 7 to 9 a.m., noon to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Christmas. Rural route mail will be delivered as usual.
The Wallace Cement Block Manufacturing Co. has its winter quarters in the old creamery building of A.E. Chapman.
Lester D. Miles has brought legal action against the Michigan Railway Co. to secure damages for a cow killed on the interurban crossing.
Harold Capple was elected president of the new Wayland YMCA group formed Dec. 16 and Robert Barhart was named vice president.
The family of E.W. Knowlton of Plainwell was shocked by a sudden noise in the bedroom and subsequently found Parker Knowlton, 56, on the floor. He had committed suicide by slashing his throat.
PHOTO: The Allegan County Poor Farm
