25 Years Ago — May 30, 1990
Progress on a proposed modular h
ome construction plant in Wayland has been at a standstill in the past several months, leading city officials to wonder if the project will ever be completed. Developer Trish Curtis insisted progress is being made, but proceeding more slowly than expected.
Henika Library Board President James Barney told the Wayland City Council an audit found about $15,000 library officials didn’t know existed, but he added that sooner or later an additional two mills will be needed for the budget. The one mill the library receives from the city brings in $28,500 in a $50,000 budget.
Becky Bouwens, Mark McBride and Bjorn Olson will spend the summer of 1990 in Africa as missionaries for the New Tribes Mission.
David Arthur Klump and Dale Richard Kelch, both 23, have been sentenced in Allegan County District Court to spend 10 days in jail and were assessed a $300 fine in connection with their roles in making harassing and obscene telephone calls to Wayland High School teacher Denise Kling. They made the calls in support of Ken Klump, a senior and state-ranked wrestler who had been suspended and disciplined for insubordination and making threats in class against Klinge, but was allowed to compete in the state tournament. Ken Klump’s hearing will be in district court at a later date.
Josephine Brand was installed as president of president of the Wayland VFW Auxiliary and Clara Blain was installed at Hopkins.
The Wayland High School Class of 1990 graduated 156 seniors. Lisa Anderson and Darla Zuidersma both presented the class history at commencement, Don Rabideau read the class poem and Jeff Kaczanowski delivered the honor student address.
Shanda Kedde, Shannon VanPutten, Jenny Merren and Missy Bratsburg set a new school record again in the 1600-meter relay and broke the O-K Gold Conference record with a time of 4:09.5. Bratsburg also broke her own record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.8 seconds. The Wildcats took all the marbles in the league meet to capture their first-ever O-K Gold championship.
A terrific baseball season for coach Mark Austin’s Hopkins ballclub came to an end in a 4-2 loss to Hamilton in the pre-districts. Mike Rynearson pitched a six-hitter, but absorbed his only loss of the season. The Vikings finished at 15-3 overall.
Greg Obetts twirled a two-hit shutout in Wayland’s 8-0 pre-district baseball victory over Comstock. The Wildcats will be shooting for their first-ever district title under coach Rick Morse the following weekend.
Coach Cheri Ritz’s Middleville Thornapple Kellogg softball team tied for the championship in the O-K Blue Conference.
Martin’s disappointing baseball season came to an end with an 8-0 loss to Kelloggsville in the Class C pre-districts. The Clippers’ overall record was 2-17.
50 Years Ago — May 26, 1965
Former State Senator Fred Hilbert has been appointed State Labor Commissioner by Gov. George Romney.
Former Corning School teacher William Mauchmar of Wayland has been named principal at Kentwood Elementary. He had been a teacher there for eight years since leaving his post at Corning.
Hopkins High School graduated 57 seniors and Harry Lenhart was chosen by his classmates to present the class address.
Mrs. Gene Weber has agreed to serve as secretary to record proceedings of the newly-elected, nine-member Charter Revision Commission, which will meet every Tuesday evening in a conference room inside Wayland State Bank. Russ Rugaber has been elected chairman, Dr. Carl Bergstrom vice chairman and Walt Gurney clerk.
Walter Tolhurst, 92, a lifelong resident of Wayland and referred to as a “pioneer,” died at his home after being seriously ill for three years.
Thomas E. Ellis, who attended Wayland schools for six years, has been accepted into the Peace Corps program to work with people in India.
Pvt. David Miller, son of the Lee Millers of Wayland, has been assigned by the U.S. Army to serve in Korea.
Wayland High School graduate Robert Andringa, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Andringa, took part in a special youth leadership seminar on Republicanism in Washington D.C. Andringa is a graduate student at Michigan State University.
James Weick of Hopkins graduated cum laude at Western Michigan University and already has landed a job teaching history and American government at Belding High School.
The Rev. Fred Dunbar was scheduled to deliver the baccalaureate address to the Wayland High School Class of 1965. His topis was “How Shall I Invest in My Life?”
The 59th annual Wayland High School Class Reunion will include three members of the Class of 1915, Ruby Carpenter Smith and Ivo Sigler Milheim of Wayland and Lee Somers of Perrinton, Mich.
The Wayland High School doubles team of Tom Tarnutzer and Wayne VanDuine captured the Class B regional championship in their flight in Kalamazoo. Wayland finished third in the team tally, as Mick Mutschler, Robert Ayers, Scott Chestnut and Mike Crum added points.
Mrs. Thomas (Ann) Haveman was the champion in the Moline Riding Club’s annual 50-mile endurance horseback riding competition.
The Wayland High School baseball team won two of three encounters for the week, defeating Middleville and Caledonia, but losing to Hopkins. Jim Koperski and Terry DuMond picked up the pitching victories.
Wayland High School seniors Don Klok, Robert Peterlein, Robert Noble and Gary Truax all signed up for duty with the U.S. Army under the 120-Day Delay program.
Jonathan Winters and a very large cast was featured in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World” at the Wayland Theatre.
The Beatles returned to the No. 1 slot on the top 40 charts for the first time in two months with “Ticket to Ride.”
75 Years Ago — May 24, 1940
Headlines in Thursday’s morning paper telling of the murder of a man at Camp Lake, near Sparta, Wednesday evening, created no little consternation among local people, as two Wayland folks were almost witnesses to the shooting and lived next door to the cottage where the killing occurred.
Mrs. Karl Gustafson, whose husband is constructing a new theater in Sparta, and who lives at a cottage at Camp Lake, while the building was going on, heard the shot and immediately called the police. Shortly, Claire Williamson, who is also on the job with his brother-in-law, with others, rushed to where the dead man lay and while, they were there the killer, Clyde Bittenbender, returned and remarked that he might as well make a “mess” of it and pointed the gun he used at the three who were there, and who promptly fled from the scene.
Wayland people who have lived here for some time will remember the Bittenbenders. Joe Bittenbender and his brother Pete, came here from Bradley about 35 years ago, where the former opened a shoe repair shop in the building now occupied by Fred Ehle as a residence. Pete soon opened a variety store.
After a short time they moved to the site of the Sessions store, where the post office is now located, and operated a confectioner’s store. Pete had two sons, Clyde and Frank… Both boys left Wayland about 30 years ago, Clyde, the youngest, entered the service during World War I, and since has been head pattern maker at the Sparta foundry. He was reported to have been intoxicated when the killing occurred.
War-weary mothers and the children.. those humanity calls to respect and protect, look to America today for hope from Europe’s tragic fields. The American Red Cross had been called on once again to help lessen their suffering You can help the American Red Cross by sending your contribution to your local chapter now. The need is great.
Speed’s OK in baseball, but I like my cigarette slow-burning. Camels burn slower and give me the extra mildness I want. George Case leading base stealer of the major leagues, Joe DiMaggio, Bucky Walters, Johnny Mize, so many of the top-flight players in America’s favorite sport prefer Americas favorite cigarette.
100 Years Ago — May 28, 1915
The Grand Army Boys, headed by the Wayland Military Band, will be featured in the Decoration Day March to the ME church address. Fay C. Wing will present a sermon, “The New Patriotism.” Foster Fuller, Beatrice Everhart, Violet Smith, Anna Whitcomb, Lila Ehle and Myrtle Chamberlain will perform recitations. Everyone with an auto is asked to come to the church for the procession.
Wes McBride of Hopkins is erecting a a new 20-x40-foot bungalow. “It will be one of the finest in town when completed.”
The Moline Milling Co., under the supervision of Mr. S. VanderMeer of Grand Rapids, has been putting the flour mill in excellent condition, running every day.
Wayland High School commencement for the Class of 1915 will be held at the Christian Church. There will be eight graduates. Deyo B. Fox is valedictorian, Lee Somers salutatorian. The class motto is “Keep On.”
Frank Burlington has leased the building of C.H. Wand on West Superior Street for a bakery, ice cream shop and dairy lunch. Mr. Earl Ewing will be manager of the business.
The 16th annual reunion for the Lewis-Corning School will be held at the Green Lake home of James Corning.
Joseph McConnell, local manager of the Williams Brothers and Co. salting station, told the Globe the plant has shipped out is last jar of pickles to Detroit. The company already has secured a contract for more than 100 acres of “cukes.”