25 Years Ago — May 8, 1991
Michael Cook, 41, of Dorr, was a
rrested for assaulting Wayland Junior High School Principal Jon Jensen by threatening him with physical harm when Cook’s child was being removed from a classroom for being disruptive.
Three teen-agers, Brian Janisse, Steve Schneider and Matt Clawson, have been charged in connection with breaking in to Wayland High School, stealing candy bars and causing property damage.
Kirk Scharphorn of Professional Code Inspections told the Wayland Township Board that some building inspections in the township have not been done for as long as five years. Wayland Township recently switched to PCI from Michigan Township Services for performing building inspections.
Pat Staley wrote a feature story about Kathy Brenner, daughter of Wayland Schools Superintendent Robert and Sandra Brenner, who had just returned from undergoing a double lung transplant procedure. Kathy had been suffering from cystic fibrosis, and hopes now were being raised she could live a longer and more productive life.
The Hidden Valley Golf Course has been granted a liquor license from the State of Michigan.
City of Wayland Police Chief Dan Miller was presented with a special award for his investigative work in the death of infant Aaron Spencer. His mother, Diane, was charged with homicide for his death, which she claimed was the result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Miller learned that Spencer earlier in Pennsylvania had two other children she claimed had died of SIDS.
Wayland High School senior Christy DeWitt won an outstanding student award from the Tandy Corporation for her academic performance in math, science and computer science.
A special roast was held to honor Irvin P. and Helen Jane Helmey, editors and publishers of the Wayland Globe from 1953 to 1986. They both ran the weekly newspaper in a building that now has been christened with a plaque calling it “The Helmey Building” on East Superior Street.
The Hopkins softball team, under the guidance of coach Mick Francis, is just one victory away from capturing the River Valley Conference’s last championship. The River Valley will be disbanded in the fall of 1991. The Lady Vikings took major steps forward with a doubleheader sweep of Allendale. Julie Hall was the winning pitcher in game one as the starter and she took the win in the nightcap as the reliever.
The Hopkins baseball team under Mark Austin split a doubleheader with Allendale despite having only one hit in both contests. The Vikings were no-hit victims, 7-0, in the opener and Alan Brehm had their only hit in a bizarre 5-4 victory in game two. Hopkins now is 9-4 overall for the season.
The Wayland boys’ varsity track team was the surprise winner of the West Ottawa Relays. Coach Jerry Haggerty admitted he expected to finish second. Breaking Relay record were the sprint medly team of Steve Louwenaar, Chad Snooks, Troy Tarnutzer and Tyrone Johnson and the 3200-meter relay team of Tarnutzer, Brian Pankratz, Adam Ohlendorf and Shawn Dollarhide.
50 Years Ago — May 4, 1966
The Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors made an amazingly low-key announcement that the annual Cowbell Carnival would not be held in August. Directors pledged that the queen contest would continue.
Mrs. G. Mennen Williams, wide of the former Michigan governor, was guest speaker at the annual Allegan County Democratic Party Dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Hilliards. She said she has no problem in endorsing her husband in the primary contest for U.S. Senator against former Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh. The winner will face Gov. Romney appointee Robert Griffin in the November general election to succeed Democrat Patrick McNamara, who died earlier in the year.
The committee putting together the Democratic dinner was made up of Henry Kaumeyer, Robert Swartout, Mrs. Dale Hall, Joe Permoda and Steve Kuhtic.
Wayland High School alum Robert Andringa, who had just graduated from Michigan State University Honors College, was guest speaker for the Academic Honors banquet for Wayland High School.
Frank Langley and Richard Finkbeiner appeared to be on track to run unopposed for seats on the Wayland Board of Education in the June 13 annual school election. The seats of Ray Timmer and Ralph Duryea in Hopkins and of Bruce Culver and Charles Shoemaker also were up for re-election. Duryea and Shoemaker announced they would not run again.
Larry Brink, only 16, of Moline, died at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, but no cause of death was reported.
Wayland senior Jim Kotrba broke Lee Pepper’s school record in the 180-yard low hurdles by two-tenths of a second with a 21.3 clocking. The Wildcats lost the dual meet to Kelloggsville, however.
Gary Finkbeiner tossed a two-hitter and Steve Bird hit a grand slam homer as Wayland defeated Plainwell 7-4, but the ‘Cats lost to Hamilton in an Expressway League encounter.
The Wayland High School Student Council was sponsoring a folk music festival at the “girls’ gym.” Local and out of town talent would be featured for adults at 75 cents each and students 50 cents apiece.
The Wayland Rotary Club’s first travelogue film season was coming to a close with its final showing, on Japan.
“Our Man Flint,” starring James Coburn and Lee J. Cobb, was being shown at the Wayland Theatre.
“Monday, Monday,” the Mamas & the Papas’ hit song featuring puzzling lyrics, took over the No. 1 slot among the nation’s top 40 tunes.
75 Years Ago — May 9, 1941
Author Edythe Frank Andrus, formerly of Wayland, was to be the guest speaker for the annual Mother-Daughter Banquet at the Wayland High School auditorium May 14. He topic was “The Value of Poetry in a Frantic World.”
Workmen were busy with the new school building, putting the finishing touches on it, which Editor Rollo G. Mosher insisted would be ready for occupancy in the fall.
The Allegan County chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) held its annual convention April 24 at the Presbyterian Church in Allegan.
The wedding of Ruth Lehman to Harold Doxey was held in the home of the Rev. J.D. Shorney. Vivian Doxey, sister of the groom, was the maid of honor.
Co-chairs Frederick Hilbert and Fred Greenawalt have appointed committees for the “Nights of the Cowbells” festival set for later this year.
Allie Standish suffered a fractured leg in an auto accident about two miles south of town. He swerved his vehicle to avoid a coupe and left the roadway, striking a tree.
The movies this week at the Wayland Theatre were Gene Autry in “Back in the Saddle,” Sidney Toler in “Dead Men Tell,” Richard Dix, Patricia Morrison and Preston Foster in “The Roundup,” Anna Neagle, Richard Carlson and Victor Mature in “No, No Nanette” and Cesar Romero as the Cisco Kid in “Romance of the Rio Grande.”
100 Years Ago — May 5, 1916
Wayland High School defeated Martin in both baseball and basketball by identical scores of 9 to 3 to remain undefeated this season. Wayland will be eligible to play western county teams if it wins one more contest.
William Wortz, 66, a native of Germany, died in Grand Rapids, but had lived for many years in Leighton Township. Like so many other immigrants, he arrived in western New York and then set up a farm in West Michigan.
The local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star published a resolution of condolence upon the death of Gladys Nelson Baker April 24.
Allegan County Farm Agent Alfred Bentall visited five area schools and seven townships in connection with the Corn and Potato Club.
Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Herbert, Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Currie and Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Warner traveled to Grand Rapids to see the D.W. Griffith movie “Birth of Nation.” Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Kitchen and children and Doris and Roy Hogeboom went to Kalamazoo to see the same film.
Mrs. Treet lost her rural home to fire about four miles east of Dorr. All was lost except a foot stool and the clothes she was wearing at the time of the fire.
Mrs. Frank Burlington is undergoing electrical treatments under the care of Dr. J.H. Reed and says she is feeling better.
Matt Mullen of Traverse City was in town to give a presentation sponsored by the Anti-Saloon League to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Grant M. Hudson, state chairman of the Anti-Saloon was guest speaker at a program at Bowens Mills.
County Road Commissioner Douglas earned praise for his work on improvements for the county dividing line north of Gun Lake.
C.H. DeVine of Shelbyville will sow 25 acres of onions on his Gun Lake marsh farm after he suffered a broken leg the previous winter. W.P. Vreeland of Leighton Township escaped serious injury when a horse slipped and fell on him in his barn.
PHOTO: The old Kroger grocery in downtown Wayland.
