25 Years Ago — June 6, 1990
A series of fun races were held at Wayland Middle School during Handicap Awareness Week. The purpose of the special competitions was to call attention to frustrations and problems encountered by people with disabilities.
Michigan Township Services CEO John MacTavish is challenging the Wayland Township Board’s decision not to rehire, maintaining the move is a violation of the contract, which is renewed automatically every April. MTS had been performing building inspections and zoning enforcement services.
The City of Wayland is purchasing a 29.75-acre parcel of land from Doris Gaulke for $50,000 and 8% annual interest. The city wants to land to extend the sewer lagoons on the northeast side of the city near 137th Avenue behind the Singing Acres development.
Letters from Hopkins Superinendent Craig Misner and Wayland Superintendent Bob Brenner attempted to clear up public misconceptions about school aid funding in advance of millage elections later this month.
Wayland will have lively races for one one-year seat, one two-year seat and two four-year seats on the Board of Education. The seven candidates are Lee Pankratz, Roxie Muczynski, Michael Browand, Gary March, John Levandosky, Michael Slawinski, Sandy Bowman, Marshall Allen Moore, Michael Kelly and Dennis Noble.
In Hopkins, three will seek two open seats, including incumbent Karen Slater, Paula Sebright and Russell Elton Davis. Martin has two incumbents, Roger Evans and Barbara Keyzer, without opposition.
The alternative education consortium for Wayland, Hopkins and Martin schools is asking to have a portable classroom on Wayland school property for up to 24 students. The program up to now has been held near the Voc Tech Center east of Allegan on M-222.
The Wayland baseball team lost its district opener 4-1 to Kalamazoo Christian despite a three-hit pitching performance from Greg Obetts.
Coach Cheri Ritz’s Middleville Thornapple Kellogg team finally bowed out in the Class B district finals to Delton after scoring 19 runs in a win the semifinals over Allegan.
Ann Brazil, 73, became the oldest adult education program graduate in Wayland history and she attended commencement as part of a record 22 students.
The Wildcats girls’ 1600-meter relay team of Missy Bratsburg, Jenny Merren, Shanda Kedde and Shannon VanPutten placed second in the state and again set the school record at 4:05.2.
50 Years Ago — June 2, 1965
Donald Oakes was hired as consultant for the nine-member Charter Commission, which has been charged with rules to live by for the home-rule city approved by voters in the May 18 special election.
Allegan County Probate Judge Harold Weston, who had held that post since 1949, died at the Allegan Health Center. He was 67.
Don Japinga, a 1962 graduate of Wayland High School and co-captain of the Michigan State University football team next fall, also received academic accolades by being named to three honoraries. Japinga, a physical education major, is carrying a 3.4 grade point average.
Mrs. Milo Farnsworth and Mrs. Ray York have announced their retirement as elementary educators after more than a half century of service between them. Mrs. Farnsworth taught for 29 years and Mrs. York 25.
Elizabeth Pueschel, Richard Church, Kathleen Fein, Pauline Fifelski, David Harnish, Paul Kipfmiller, Dennis Lambert, Pamela Pratt, Pat Peck and Ryland Truax were announced as top 10 students for the Class of 1965 during commencement.
Wayland High School seniors Wes Compson and Richard Luyk apparently made a huge mistake in being good Samaritans by giving a couple of me a lift at a fast-food place in Grand Rapids. Their passengers were escapees from Kalamazoo State Hospital and the car Compson was driving was believed to have been stolen the day before. They had a lot of explaining to do when surrounded by a bevy of police officers.
Mrs. Henry Timmer, 73, was killed when she fell on steps at a Holland church and hit her head. A former Martin resident and the former Margaret Kleis, she had been married to Mr. Timmer for less than a week.
The Wayland High School alumni banquet welcomed 159 graduates, including three from the Class of 1915, and Walt Gurney was elected president for the next year of the association.
Twenty-one eighth-graders graduated from St. Therese School at a commencement. Ed Bergeron was presented with an award from the American Legion for his essay on “Americanism” and Mark Jourdan won the Outstanding Citizen award.
Former Wayland resident Bill Dobson shot a course record one-under-par 35 at the Sycamore Hills Golf Course in Fremont.
Janet Blauuw, who will be a WHS senior next fall, has been selected to be a delegate to Girls’ State in East Lansing this summer.
Editor and Publisher Irvin P. Helmey took offense in an editorial to the Democratic-dominated Michigan Senate refusing to confirm former State Senator Fred Hilbert as State Labor Commissioner.
75 Years Ago — May 31, 1940
The eating place familiarly known as “Toonerville Trolley” just north of Wayland, has recently undergone a change of management and name. Mabel Lyons is the new manager and she calls her place “Lavone’s.” Miss Kathrun Dobson of Wayland and Miss June Brady of Burnips are employed there.
Papers were served on the village last Tuesday by Sheriff Fred Miller for the village to be represented in Circuit Court on Monday, June 10, to show cause why the farm property of Mrs. Bertha Cooch, Mrs. Lillian Yeakey and Louis Jankovic should not be taken from the assessment rolls of the village and not be included in the corporate boundaries of this village.
The property involved all lies west of the village across the railroad tracks and is used for farm purposes. It is on the tax rolls of the village for $6,800 valuation and the owners seek to be relieved from the burden of village taxes, claiming they receive no benefits from being a part of the village.
The village will probably contest the action, which is being taken under a new law passed at the 1939 session of the State Legislature. They feel that it is setting a new precedent, which, if carried out to the fullest extent, would seriously cripple this as well as all villages.
Last Sunday morning, while the family of Louis Panyrek was at church, fire destroyed a brooder house on their place in the village. Nearly a hundred young chicks were destroyed in the blaze.
100 years Ago — June 4, 1915
The International Order of Odd Fellows will observe Memorial Day in a special ceremony Sunday, June 6. Representatives from lodges in Bryon Center and Moline and Rebekahs will participate. Rev. John T. Husted of Grand Rapids will be the guest apeaker, along with Mrs. Etta Smith, grand officer of the Rebekahs of Grand Rapids.
The Bradley Thimble Club met at the home of Mrs. Charles Ross with eighth members present. They were served sandwiches, pickles, oatmeal cookies, cakes and coffee.
Three new members were inducted into the Improvement League.Mrs. Pierce presented her recommendations for what books should be read to children.
School District No. 10 concluded its school year with a picnic, games and baseball. Miss Carver will be retained for her third year as teacher.
Thomas Andrew Barnes, 80, who served with the 82nd Ohio Regiment in the Civil War in 1863, died at his home in Wayland. He and his wife, Mary, had lived in Wayland since 1870. They seven children, but only two lived long enough to be adults.
The Wayland community was shocked to learn of the death of Mrs. Florence Mabey, only 36, at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
The June 5 Wayland Grange program was scheduled to include a penny march, roll call answerd by quotations from Shakespeare and a discussion about the best way to get rid of flies. Mrs. Ethan Smith and Mrs. Beulah Hooker planned to present readings and recitations.
W.B. Hooker was the first citizen to place an order for condensed milk manufactured by the new Helvetia Milk Condensing plant in Wayland.
