25 years Ag
o — April 4, 1990
Kathy DeYoung was pictured on the front page as one of six Steeby Elementary teachers who promised to kiss a pig if students read the required number of books during March Is Reading Month. She was shown puckering up to the swine as children looked on with amusement.
The City of Wayland has received word it will get a 75-25% grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation, contingent on construction of a $1.5 million modular home factory at the south edge of the city. The city’s match would be $279,440.
James Merchant of Martin was found guilty of embezzling between $25,000 and $28,000 from the Martin United Methodist Church and could face up to 10 years in prison.
The Wayland Township Board has agreed to widen 10th Street between the City of Wayland and Bradley by an extra four feet of paved shoulder. The added cost will be $19,800.
Carol Haner, vice president of the Wayland Schools Band Boosters, wrote a letter to the editor expressing regret that it seemed that interest was absent in advancing music and art programs at the high school.
The new post office opened at its Gun Lake location on 124th Avenue, replacing the old one in Shelbyville. The new facility has four times as much space as the old.
Travis Risner, 14, of Shelbyville, is a leukemia patient at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. United Bank has established a benefit fund in his name.
Wayland Township resident appeared before the board at a meeting to complain about property owners who use wooded areas for dumping bed springs, old broken down appliances, car bodies and parts and broken machinery.
Martin’s Dan Herp was selected to the Class C all-state basketball team. He averaged 23.7 points per game on the season and set new school records in career scoring with 1,043 points and rebounds with 635.
Plans are being made for Wayland schools to establish an education foundation. Attorney Richard Hudson of Hastings, a Wayland High School graduate, was hired for $1,000 to set up the articles of incorporation.
A benefit basketball game pitting the local fire department against police officers raised about $1,000 for a weight room at the high school. Police and fire are talking about having a Tim Baugh Memorial softball tournament in the summer.
Hopkins junior Deb Huff has been given the Outstanding Ag Award at the state convention of the Future Farmers of America in East Lansing.
Deborah Pierce, Latisha Berzley, Barbara Pedbevsek, Gerilin Kimmel and Carrie Baranoski all will be candidates for the next Miss Martin pageant.
50 Years Ago — March 31, 1965
New Wayland High School National Honor Society members were Sherida DeWeerd, Janet Blauuw, Glenda Reed, Richard Blok, Faye Hall and Sharon Dobson, joining current members Tom Tarnutzer, Scott Chesebro, Bill Conwell, Russell Tobolic, Terry Parks, Joanne Gilbert, Rhoda Edwards, Roni Brooks, Ken Kaumeyer, Norma French, Diane Farling and Zandra Hurst.
Allegan County voters were set to go to the polls to decide the fate of a bond proposal to construct a new medical care facility to replace the long-standing County Farm.
The Hopkins FFA Demonstration Team of Tom Morris, John Merbs and Dennis Olson won the state championship in that competition at the Michigan FFA convention at Michigan State University.
Mrs. Lewis (Mary) Wilkins of Hopkins Township died at the home of her daughter in Wayland at age 92. She had been a longtime local teacher and a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute.
Sherida DeWeerd and John Chesebro were co-chairs of the annual sophomore penny carnival at Wayland High School.
A series of evening classes on the topic of school taxes and financing was to be taught by Wayland Schools Superintendent Dr. Carl Bergstrom. They were planned for consecutive Mondays at 8 p.m. for between three and six weeks.
An 18-member committee was studying the proposition of consolidating all rural schools in a smaller number of high school districts in Allegan County. The committee included Frank Langley, Mrs. Frank Buskirk, John Howard, Stanley Jansen, Reinder Hoeksma, Max Lautenschlager, Rusell Parmalee and LaVerne Young. They have invited school board members and officials from the Hopkins, Martin, Wayland, Sproat, Dorr No. 18, Moline, Corning and Hooker school districts.
Twenty-one candidates filed for nine seats on the City Charter Committee that will begin work if voters May 18 approve a ballot issue to decide if the Village of Wayland will extend its boundaries and become a home-rule city.
Jon Carroll has replaced the departed Tom Klomparens as junior varsity baseball coach for Wayland.
Only 25 athletes reported to practice for the WHS varsity track team and new coach David VanEerden. However, 10 were lettermen, including Jim Kotrba, Wes Compson, Alan Hayes, Phil Sykes, Tom Miller, Robert Brevitz, Jerold Shafer, Don Milburn, Lee Pepper and Bob Noble.
Walt Disney’s “The Moonpsinners,” starring Haley Mills, was showing the Wayland Theatre.
The Supremes repeated their No. 1 standing on the top 40 music charts with “Stop! In the Name of Love.”
75 Years Ago — March 29, 1940
An election will be held Monday to decide whether Wayland Township will have a new school constructed, with help from a grant from the Kellogg Foundation. Publisher Rollo Mosher opned, “The new school will be run by the entire township and not by a small clique. Everyone will have their say and will get a square deal… A child born into the poorest family in the country will soon be able to receive equal advantage as does most well to do families in town.”
“Village Barn Dance,” with popular WLS Radio (Chicago) stars Lulubelle and Scotty, Dan Wilson and the Kidoodlers will be shown this week in a double feature at the Wayland Theatre, along with “Parole Fixer.” Charley McCarthy and Edgar Bergen will star in “Charley McCarthy: Detective” later in the week.
Leander Chapple, pioneer druggist and Wayland’s oldest businessman died at Crispe Hospital in Plainwell. He had lived in Wayland for 76 years and was former president of the local school board.
The Blue Goose bus line has lowered its rates, so now travelers from Wayland to Grand Rapids and back now only have to pay 80 cents.
A quarantine on dogs running loose in all of the county will start to be in effect April 1 as a result of a larger than usual case load of rabies in West Michigan.
A warm sugar social will be held by the Order of the Eastern Star at the local Masonic temple. Included will be the serving of hot biscuits and games.
100 Years Ago — March 26, 1915
The township board met Tuesday for the annual settlement with the township treasurer.
V.S. Fish and son have just put a new steel roof on their farm residence and will otherwise improve the same.
Glenn C. Fales has his residence rooms over his place of business now completed and is occupying the same.
The Republican caucus called for tomorrow bids fair to be well attended. There are only three or four candidates for the office of township treasurer.
It is stated now that the time has been set for the interurban to run regular trains — May first.” The main line between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo is nearly completed and the branches from Monteith to Allegan and Battle Creek are being tested out. The first electric car went over the road to Allegan early last week.