25 Years Ago — July 10, 1991
Michael VanSledright, 24, of Grand Rapids, suffered third-degree burns to his left hand and forearm after he was struck by sparks from a misfired shell during the fireworks display at Gun Lake. A volunteer with the Gun Lake Protective Association, he received treatment at a hospital in Grand Rapids.
The Fourth of July means queen contests in Dorr and Hopkins. Shannon VanPutten won in Dorr and took top honors in the talent contest by signing Lee Hazelwood’s “God Bless the USA.” 1990 queen Heather Zuidersma offered Judy Collins’ “Send in the Clowns.” Crowned Miss Hopkins on the Fourth was Rebecca VanderWoude.
City of Wayland residents are being offered a collective $5,440 rebate for overcharges on summer tax bills, averaging about $4 per property owner. But city residents also are being asked to be stingy on watering their lawns over the next week while the local water tower is being cleaned.
Wayland Township Board has announced it will file suit against Michigan Township Services for failure to perform inspections on more than 300 local businesses and residents after completion of projects.
State Rep. Mike Nye and State Sen. Glenn Oxender have collaborated on a proposed law to abolish property taxes as a way to fund public schools. The revenue would be through an income tax increase from 4.6 to 8.6 percent and a boost in the single business tax.
The prospects of Clarence Thomas succeeding Thurgood Marshall on the U.S. Supreme Court prompted a couple of letters to the editor. Barb Chachulski, in a letter to the editor, quoted columnist Cal Thomas as saying, “God got kicked out of schools and sex educators with condoms were brought in, the courts have banned the Ten Commandments but tolerate blasphemy in assigned literature.” Sherry Kuyt of Byron Center said she and Editor Nila Aamoth live in two different worlds on the issue of abortion, calling it “the deliberate killing of an inoocent human being before birth.”
Robert Larr was elected president of Hopkins Board of Education and two new members, Boyd Navis and Gary Hoffmaster, were welcomed.
Lloyd Jarman of Shelbyville tied the state record for largest sunfish by pulling out an 11¾-incher out of Doan’s Lake just south of Wayland.
The Wayland Township Board reversed an earlier decision by agreeing to spend about $5,000 on applying a layer of oil well brine for dust control.
Bjorn Olson, a junior at Wayland High School, was elected to a county clerk’s position in a mock election at the Michigan Farm Bureau’s Young Peoples’ Citizenship Seminar. Olson said the positions on issues weren’t that dissimilar and none of the candidates knew how to do the job, but it was his outgoing personality that carried the day.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners officially came out against any plans by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to move the district DNR office from Plainwell to Kalamazoo.
50 Years Ago — July 6, 1966
“Wayland has own ‘Hands Across the Sea’ program” the headline at the top of the front page read above a feature story about six local students headed to foreign lands during the summer. The students were John and Dorothy Cook, Sharon Bezmeck, Ronile Brooks, Janine Hampel and Patty Nickels.
Dr. Betty Agree, daughter of Mrs. Fred Waugh of Gun Lake, earned a special achievement award as a pediatric specialist in practice with husband in California.
Carl Bergstrom, superintendent at Wayland schools for the past three years and high school principal for two years before that, resigned to take the school chief’s job at McHenry Community School in Illinois.
Robert E. Doublestein of Wayland, executive chef at Sayfee’s Restaurant in Grand Rapids, won seventh place in a sandwich contest sponsored by the National Association of Restaurants. His entry was a Deviled King Crab Meat Open-faced sandwich.
Wayland High School senior Martha Blain earned a place in the Michigan State University Science Clinic over the summer.
Senator Robert Griffin was the be guest speaker at the Allegan County Republican Party Ox Roast at the fairgrounds July 16.
Martin Township Supervisor Harold Monteith died at his home. He was 73.
Wayland High School graduate Phil Regan has been enjoying spectacular success as a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and he’s a good bet to be named to the All-Star team. Regan, who formerly pitched for the Detroit Tigers, is 5-1 with a 1.50 earned run average coming out of the bullpen for a team that features Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
Moline Agricultural School seventh-grader Louis Sykes was chosen as a winner in the annual “America and Me” essay contest sponsored by the American Legion.
Aunt Bertha and the Children’s Bible Hour were scheduled to be the featured entertainment at the Green Lake Drive-In Church Sunday evening, featuring 4-year-old Tiny Tot Mike.
Frank Sinatra topped the music charts with “Strangers in the Night.”
75 Years Ago — July 11, 1941
The Village of Wayland applied a layer of calcium chloride to all gravel streets within the village limits. The applications were done by huge tank trucks from Manistee.
The Globe published a letter from Jack Henderson, a recent Wayland High School graduate who was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri to serve in the U.S. Army.
Voters will chose two new school board members in elections next Monday afternoon and evening (July 14). The voting, which starts at 12:30 and ends at 7:30, will be by paper ballot.
Ann Beachum, mother of Mrs. Glenn Archer of Wayland, died at Blodgett Hospital. She was a resident of Ferry and a retired school teacher, but had spent her last five winters here with her daughter.
The Moline Agricultural School has set the millage rate for the next year for four mills, which includes debt retirement.
Four teams have agreed to start up a Twilight Softball League, with games to start at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The teams are Pet Milk, American Legion, Leighton Eagles and Sanger Softballers.
A five-week summer playground program for children has gotten under way. The program includes games and activities in town and swimming excursions to Murphy’s Landing at Gun Lake.
The movies this week at Wayland Theatre:
- Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette in “The Singing Hill.”
- Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore and Loraine Day in “The People vs. Dr. Kildare.”
- Tyrone Power, Rita Hayworth and Linda Darnell in “Blood and Sand.”
- A double feature — Maureen O’Hara and James Ellison in “They Met in Argentina” and Tim Weld and Marjorie Reynolds in “Cyclone on Horseback.”
100 Years Ago — July 7, 1916
Carl Auble, 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Auble of Shelbyville, was drowned in the Thornapple River while visiting his grandparents in Cascade. Authorities said Auble had been wading in the river and came upon a sand bar when he was overcome by cramps and slipped into a deep hole in the river.
Helvetica Milk Co. has raised the price of milk by five cents in July and August and by 10 cents in September. “The company has been taking on new patrons and is without a doubtthe best market for milk on a year-round basis in this part of the state.”
Heasley Cole of Dorr broke his arm while attempting to crank up and start an automobile.
The Dorr Band has a new wagon and continues to perform on the street Saturday nights.
The Wayland Order of the Eastern Star adopted a resolution of condolence in the wake of the June 8 death of John A. Turner. It was signed by committee members Bertha Pickett, Myrta Sargent and Rollo Mosher.
“The annual school meeting will occur Monday evening at the school building when the officers will be elected and the bonding proposition to enlarge the school building upon. Every taxpayer should attend.”
Beth Brush, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Brush, was bitten by a cat at the family’s Gun Lake cottage and was rushed to the Pasteur Institute in Ann Arbor for treatment for rabies.
The local Boy Scouts troop and Scoutmaster L.B. Mason have been camping and hiking at Gun Lake. There were reports they hiked 12 miles in four hours.
Children’s Day exercises at the Methodist Church in Bradley were regarded as a big success, with recitations and songs overseen by Mrs. Otto Wait. The offering was used to help foreign missionary work.