25 Years Ago — Aug. 8, 1990
The August primary election turno
ut was light, but Allegan County voters overwhelmingly approved implementation of an emergency 911 phone system. Republican Party primary winners were John Engler for governor, Bill Schuette for U.S. Senate, Paul Hillegonds for state representative, and William VanRegenmorter for Michigan Senate. Ken Pardee of Watson Township will face Hillegonds in the general election in November. Hopkins Township approved a community safety complex, Dorr Township OK’d by 293 to 266 a road millage renewal, but turned down millage request for new road work. Leighton Township turned down a request to fund dust control.
Rumors were flying that Kesslers Inc. was bankrupt, but owners Tom and Donna White and their son, Dan, tried to assure the public that wasn’t true. The company two years before had been awarded a $750,000 Small Cities grant. County Treasurer Fred Edgerton said the company was $60,000 in arrears in repaying the county and employees had been unable to cash checks at United Bank and First Federal Savings.
Fire killed one heifer and burned tractors and other farm equipment at a pole barn on the Martin-area farm of Ray Brenner. More animal fatalities were expected.
Tom Miller of the Miller Tree Service in Moline, spoke to the Wayland City Council about prospects of becoming a Tree City USA, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Sports editor Paul Jackson wrote an editorial asserting the United States government and its people had been short-sighted on use of fossil fuels. He was prompted by the news of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
Wayland citizen Gary Moore was directed to dismantle a fence on public property on Plum Street. He said he didn’t know he needed a permit to put it up.
Debra Hopkins of Allegan was crowned Miss Allegan County at the annual pageant. Heather Ann Zuidersma of Dorr was named first runner-up.
The twice weekly Fontana Festivals of the Arts were continuing Wednesday at Sunday evenings at the Art Emporium in Shelbyville. Upcoming concerts were featuring the music of Hindemith, von Weber, Mozart and Schubert.
A group of citizens were threatening to force a public vote on Wayland Township’s proposal to reduce agricultural property frontage requirements from 500 to 330 feet.
50 Years Ago — Aug. 4, 1965
Construction has begun on a new building to house village equipment on South Main Street between the highway and dumping grounds.
The Allegan County Democratic Party picnic will be held Aug. 8 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Hilliards with State Party Chairman Zolton Ferency as guest speaker.
Plans now were complete for the combined Cowbell Carnival and Community Fair the weekend of Aug. 26-28. Highlights were a variety of food booths, the Allegan County Community Band, a Cowbell Queen pageant, a horse show organized by the Wayland Wrangler 4-H Club and children’s rides and games. Coordinators for the event were Mrs. Roger Mynatt, Sam Dykstra, Gene Weber, Bill Conwell, Bryon Blue and Joe LaValley.
Church of Christ Disciples members have voted to merge with the Congregational Church, The former, led by Rev. Fred Dunbar, has been in town for 88 years and the latter has been here for more than 100 years. Committee members for the Disciples included Herman VandenBerg, Harold Reinhart, Harold Dietiker, Mrs. Stuart Henry, Mrs. Homer McAllister and the Rev. Dunbar. Congregational Church committee members were Arnold Wilde, Winfield Adams, Mrs. Clauder Smith, Mrs. Henry Kaumeyer and Henry Blauuw.
Marion Pearson, former president of the International Walkers Association and leader of the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk, was to be guest speaker at the next meeting of the Organic Soil and Health Builders Club in Bradley.
J.M. Bodine of Gun Lake, truck driver for Otsego Milk Producers, was seriously injured in a traffic accident on I-94 near Battle Creek.
State Highway funding for 1965 has been announced, and $50,000 has been set aside for construction of a bridge over the Rabbit River on 135th Avenue west of the village.
Rollo Mosher, in his “Observations Here and There” column, noted he found an old copy of the 1906 Wayland telephone directory, perhaps the second oldest ever. He said the first phones arrived in the village in 1898 and 1899.
Showing at the Wayland Theatre was “That Man from Rio,” billed as very similar to “It’s a Mad Mad World.”
The Wayland Grange’s next meeting Friday evening will feature the farm safety theme of “Stay Alive in 1965.”
75 Years Ago — Aug. 2, 1940
Plans for the new consolidated township school building are going ahead rapidly. Bids will be opened about the middle of August and the contracts let. Ground will be broken before long and the construction will begin in earnest.
The Oliver home at Bradley is receiving a new Mule Hide Roof this week. “Smitty,” the Chevrolet pusher is doing the job.
Hitler’s speech came over the radio, translated into an extreme, ultra, English accent. It must have been Lord Haw-Haw putting it across. It went on endlessly. Hitler said he didn’t want to destroy the British empire. He said he shrank at the destruction which hung over England, and suggested an “honorable” peace.
As hot weather prevailed generally over the state, lake fishing increased in popularity. When temperatures of small streams rose, trout moved out to deeper and cooler waters. In some districts a few dead trout have been found along stream banks.
Four books were recently added to our library.
The Young Again Club held its yearly meeting at the Methodist Church Friday, July 26. Rev. H.H. Harris gave short talks and then everyone told some of the hobbies which he, or she, followed and enjoyed. From plate collecting, which Mrs. Harris found must be given up because of high breakage in moving, to maple sugar making, which Mr. Atwater has stuck to since the time of the big sap run of 1864.
If you spend your money for printing in Wayland, you get a second chance at the same old dollar. When that dollar goes out of town, it’s Gone! Gone! Gone!
A&P Food Stores: White house milk, four tall cans, 25 cents. Pure lard, two-pound package, 15 cents. Wheaties, 10 cents a package. A-Penn motor oil, two-gallon can, $1.12.
100 Years Ago — Aug. 8, 1915
The fall festival this year will take place in the first week of October.
The Epworth League will have discussion about Bible characters Sunday evening, Aug. 8. Discussion leader will be Evelyn Lyons.
The Rev. W.W. Gray and family have returned from a lengthy vacation trip to Ohio. They stopped into Oberlin, hometown of Mrs. Gray, who went to school there. They also visited Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Cleveland and the home of Mary Carr Curtis, national superintendent of missionary work for college students.
There was yet another reported accidental death on the interurban, this time involving Walter Bice, 35, who was killed instantly when a wire dropped on his chin and thre him backward while he was making repairs. The incident occurred near Montieth.
Aid payments from Allegan County reported to local schools were $4,092 for Wayland, 515 students; $3,187 for Leighton Township, 406; Dorr Township $3,909, 498 students, and $3,854 for Hopkins Township, 491 students.
The Henderson Grist Mill has commended full running of the flour mill after repairs been made and new equipment installed.
The local International Order of Odd Fellows are planning an excursion to the IOOF Home in Jackson via the interurban.
H.N. Hall has sold his farm at the east end of Superior Street to George Myers of Yeoman, Ind., at a price of $3,800.