25 Years Ago — March 28, 1990

The Wayland Township Planning Commission told petitioner Ron Heilman that it cannot grant tax property relief for his 40-acre “wildlife preserve” site on 127^th Avenue and First Street.

Mayor Linden Anderson and council members Mike DeWerd, David Miller and Marie Hall all were unopposed for re-election in the April city election.

Voters in the election also will decide on whether members of the Planning Commission will be paid. Anderson very clearly went on record as supporting planning commissioners getting compensation. “I urge everyone to get behind the proposal,” he said. “They deserve to be rewarded for their efforts.”

Three men, ages 23, 18 and 17, were arrested in connection with breaking and entering incidents in the storage barn behind the Wayland Hardware store,, the VFW post and the Hop-In gas station on South Main.

Wayland teachers have decided not to contest the school board’s action to dock their pay one day after they refused to show up for an in-service in protest of the board’s disciplinary action of high school senior and wrestler Ken Klump, who has been accused of harrassing a teacher.

Scott McClintock penned a letter to the editor deploring the tattered and torn condition of some American flags flying in the city and expressing umbrage with middle school students who took a flag off the post and laid it on the ground before folding it.

Wayland Fire Chief Hugh DeWeerd said a fire that destroyed a Gun Lake area cottage owned by Ron Lewis of Otsego was of suspicious origin. The cottage had been unoccupied for two weeks prior to the blaze.

“No Greater Love,” a Good Friday oratorio, will be performed at the United Church of Wayland under the direction of Lorna Clyma. Singers included as soloists with the combined choir were Sandy Kast, Carol Ritz, Dan Constantino, Walter Chrysler, James Barney, Paul Schloop and Wayne Goodwin. Narrator was Jeff Salisbury.

Kathy Duryea of Hopkins showed the grand champion steer at the Ottagan Livestock Show.

50 Years Ago — March 24, 1965

The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that Allegan County’s retail trade has increased by 22 percent between 1958 and 1963.

The Wayland High School band, under the direction of Steven Working, earned a Division II rating at the Michigan High School Band and Orchestra Association district festival, the highest rating it has earned since 1960.

Mrs. Russell Middleton has been hired as the new secretary in the high school principal’s office, succeeding Mrs. George Deveroux, who resigned.

Wayland will have the annual Mayor Exchange Day festivities in May with Village Presidents Phil Reno and Jack Gingrass of Iron Mountain.

Four Moline students, Len Nagle, tuba; Don Jackson, baritone, and Mary Ellen Noble and Eugene Bartman, trombones, have been selected to perform with the Calvin College band.

Sixty-two English students and chaperones Mrs. Viola Carroll, Mrs. Agnes Strong, Miss Mary Nyuli, Miss Marsha Martin, Joe Iciek and Mrs. Helen Gambee, attended a performance of “Oliver” at the Grand Rapids Civic Auditorium.

Terrance Chesebro of Moline, a Wayland High School graduate, earned his bachelor of science degree in agriculture education and Michigan State University commencement.

Publisher-Editor Irvin P. Helmey, in another front page editorial, exhorted citizens interested in the local government to be candidates for the nine open seats on a special Charter Commission that will be necessary if there is a positive vote May 18 on the question of Wayland Village becoming a home rule city.

Eighth-graders Cheryl Brower, Gary Lehocky and Cheryl Young earned perfect 4.0 grade point average at Wayland Junior High School for the latest marking period.

Wayland Schools Superintendent Carl Bergstrom reported that the local district has had eight snow days this year, as opposed to 11 in 1963 and none in 1964.

The Globe published a front page photo of an artist’s rendition of the proposed expansion of the Wayland United Methodist Church at Maple and Church streets across from the city park.

Wayland junior varsity basketball coach David Nelson scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to help the Muskegon Panthers defeat the Grand Rapids Tackers 119-117 in overtime of a North American League contest.

Cliff Robertson was starring in “633 Squadron” and Walt Disney’s “The Tatooed Police Horse” in a double feature at the Wayland Theatre.

The Supremes scored their fourth straight No. 1 hit when they took over the top slot with “Stop in the Name of Love.”

New Village President Roll Mosher, now serving only a little more than a week, reported, “The sudden fall of eight inches of wet snow got the snow plowing department in a jam, and one or two side streets were missed. And did we hear about that!”

Former Wayland teacher Gladys Schantz died in Jacksonville, Fla., at only age 35, leaving behind two small children. She had been widowed only four years before. She taught at Wayland High School for three years, beginning in 1924.

Prof. Laug of Martin is scheduled to make a travelogue presentation in costume at the Church of Christ about his recent trip to the Holy Land.

Most stores in the community will be closed between noon and 3 p.m. in observance of Good Friday. Many appropriate services are being planned as well.

The Jersey Parish Show for cattle breeders in Southwest Michigan was held in the Legion Hall, with some participants coming from as far away as 100 miles.

“Life Eternal,” an Easter cantata, was to be presented Easter Sunday by the Congregational Church Choir under the direction of Mrs. W. E. Dolfin. Also included on the program as soloists were Mrs. Julius Andringa, Guert Fales, Mrs. L.P. Reno and Mrs. Hattie Mills.

The Wayland Theatre has a busy week, showing a double feature, Zane Grey’s “Knights of the Range” and the Dead End Kids in “On Dress Parade.” Also showing that week were Alice Faye, Fred MacMurray and Richard Greene in “Little Old New York” and H.G. Welles’ “The Invisible Man Returns.”