25 Years Ago — March 20, 1991
A Gun Lake area Neighborhood Watch
program has been launched by Steve Ellis and others in the wake of recent arsons of homes in the area near Elmwood Beach. Trooper Terry Whitley of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police has indicated the fires were started in a similar manner.
Round Lake Drive residents have asked the Leighton Township Board about paving their road. Township officials told them to submit a petition with signatures of a majority of residents in the vicinity and that they would have to help with expenses.
Wayland Junior High School special education teacher Sue Brewer is this year’s Wayland candidate for Michigan Teacher of the Year.
The Martin Township Board has agreed to set aside $50,000 to help pay for the $106,175 project to improve and resurface Second Street from 116th Avenue to the township line.
Trooper Karla Christensen of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police wrote a letter to the editor in response to the previous week’s criticism of local anti-drug efforts in the schools. She defended the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program against the comments made by Christine Schwartz of Dorr.
A special Community Prayer Service to give thanks for the swift conclusion of the Gulf War against Iraq is being planned by local pastors Brewster Willcox of the United Church of Wayland, Jim Barney of the United Methodist Church, Father Dan Snyder of the St. Therese Catholic Church and Lambert Sikkema of the Christian Reformed Church.
Wildcat senior Eric VandenBerg has been named to the all-OK-Gold Conference first team in basketball. He was the league’s leading scorer, at 18.8 points per game, for the second consecutive season.
Julie Ainsworth, Annette Teitsma and Shelly Salisbury were named to the first unit of the O-K Gold Conference volleyball all-star squad. Salisbury also was all-state honorable mention.
A balloon message from Jodi Rehrs of Hampton, Neb., was found on Yankee Springs Golf Course property. The finders believe she is a young student and the balloon was launched in honor of the community’s celebration of its 124th birthday.
Wayland Junior High eighth-grader Mark Matz was photographed showing his parents, Sue and Neal Matz, his skills on one of the school’s new computers in an open house.
50 Years Ago — March 16, 1966
Former Editor and Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in his weekly “Observations Here and There” column, decried the few who have spoiled a good thing for others. He wrote that Mr. and Mrs. James Zazadil let people use the lagoons on their property for fishing, but noted the sites were cluttered with pop cans, beer cans and trash.
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey wrote a scathing front-page editorial about the recent village election that attracted a poor turnout of 169 voters. “Only 169 people in Wayland are entitled to criticize their village government… That was a disgraceful showing in a town that has more than 700 registered voters… It is astonishing to find that more than 500 voters couldn’t care less about one of the greatest freedoms we have…”
A letter to the editor from Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Dutkiewicz was critical of the Globe’s handling of the recent public forum on school consolidation, asserting it presented only the arguments of Wayland people. “With only one newspaper in this area, we depend on you to give both sides (of the issues),” they wrote.
The village election that drew only 169 voters showed Robert Hendrixson re-elected village trustee and two write-ins, Arnold Wilde and Leo Comrie were chosen. All others ran unopposed.
Hopkins Schools Superintendent John Andreson announced a special meeting will be held by the Board of Education to interview three or four candidates for high school principal.
Plans are being made to launch a Wayland Area Seniors Citizens group at an initial meeting at the American Legion room in the basement of the post office.
The Wayland Board of Education has authorized Superintendent Carl Bergstrom to research establishing a remedial reading program for the district.
The Allegan County Board of Supervisors adopted a retirement plan for county employees.
Wayland Development Corporation President A.H. Johnson said, “It’s a frustrating experience to receive inquiries from companies wishing to open manufacturing plants in the village when we have nothing to offer them in the way of plant sites.” Johnson, president of the Wayland State Bank, said prospective firms, most recently Lear-Siegler need police protection, water and sewer, and acreage for expansion.
The movie at the Wayland Theatre this week was “Village of the Giants,” starring Tommy Kirk.
75 Years Ago — March 21, 1941
Frank S. Cozzens, 58, former Wayland businessman who owned Cozzens Market downtown, died at St. Mary’s Hospital after an emergency operation to remove a toothpick he had swallowed and had punctures his intestines. The operation successfully removed the toothpick, but Cozzens died of peritonitis.
An unexpected March blizzard with terrible visibility caused massive traffic pileups just north of the village, particularly in the area near Herb Service Station, Moline. Allegan County Sheriff Louis Johnson had to spend the night sleeping in the village “hoosegow” because he was stranded after coming here to help with directing snarled traffic.
Robert L. Marshall, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Marshall of Martin, was killed when the car he was driving crashed into a tree near Shelbyville.
The Wayland and Pomona Grange organizations were in the thick of the Diamond Jubilee celebration. A special joint meeting and dinner was planned for Grange, “the oldest and largest fram fraternity in the history of the world.’ Mrs. Roy Smith was to present a history of the local Grange during the evening.
At the movies at Wayland Theatre this week were Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore and and Laraine Day in “Dr. Kildare’s Crisis,” Adolph Menjou, Carole Landis and John Hubbard in “Road Show,” Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Mary Martin and Rochester (Eddie Anderson) in “Love Thy Neighbor,” Lupe Velez, Leon Errol and Don Woods in “Mexican Spitfire Out West,” and Lloyd Nolan and Lyn Bari in “Charter Pilot.”
100 Years Ago — March 17, 1916
A total of 207 people voted in the village election, which featured Republicans sweeping the races. Elected were President Alveston Weaver, Clerk George Wilson, Treasurer Arthur Deuel, Assessor Frank Chamberlain and Trustees Mark Beall, Lewis P. Reno and Wilson Mosher.
Judge David Stockdale, an election inspector, boasted that he had voted Republican in very election since his first time, when he chose John C. Fremont in 1856, with one exception, when he picked Charles S. Osborne for governor.
Hundreds of people came to the Dollar Days in the village to take advantage of the deals. “The Globe is more than pleased with the outcome, as it proves the value of your local newspaper as an advertising medium.”
Asa Burlingame, Will Plant and Alvin Pierce captured a “monster mink” in a patch of woods about three miles north of town. The animal had been tracked by Indians and others outdoorsmen as far away as Gun Lake. It measured 35 inches in length and four and a half inches in width.
John O’Brien of Hopkins purchased a new tilling machine that is regarded as one of the most rapid ditchers on the market.
An oyster supper and quilt auction is being planned by the Ladies Aid Society at the Gun Lake Church.
Miss Mabel Foster has returned to teaching duties at the Shelbyville school after spending two weeks at home in Allegan with a sprained ankle. Peter Bush filled in for her.
Joseph McConnell, local agent for the Williams salting station in the village, said nearly 100 acres of pickle contracts already have been secured for the season.
Superintendent G.V. Fales, Lwelyn Anway and Francis Hooker were delegates to the annual business meeting of the Allegan County Athletic Association. They made arrangements for baseball and basketball schedules.
“It was indicated from the number of voters in the village election that this incorporation now numbers at least 1,000 inhabitants. At last census (1910), the figure was 725. A large percentage of this gain has come from the Helvetia Milk Condensing plant.”