(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Sept. 7, 1994
Greg Dykstra was granted approval to rezone 10 acres of property just north of the corner of 20th Street and 142nd Avenue from agricultural to residential to accommodate between 15 and 20 lots for homes. However, representatives from United Bank were turned down in their request for the same kind of rezoning near the corner of 137th Avenue and 20th Street because it did not conform to Dorr Township’s master plan.
Dave and Arlene Nyhof plan to open a bakery and craft after winning Salem Township rezoning approval on 140th Avenue.
Wayland Union Schools, which is planning to ask voters to approve a $23.3 million bond issue, is reporting an additional 100 students for this academic year. School officials seek to turn the current junior high into an elementary for fifth- and sixth-graders and build a new junior high near the high school to handle the massive growth. They also insist they need to update technology.
Parent Roxie Miner, in a letter to the editor, said, “It’s important that we give our children the same resources as big city schools. I believe out students need modern technology to be able to compete and succeed in tomorrow’s world.”
Former long-time math teacher Claude Smith wrote a letter, saying, ”Computers were not part of my classrooms, but I can see that working with computers is an indispensable skill.”
The Globe’s “Soapbox” feature included information that the weekly newspaper was celebrating its 110th anniversary, but opined, “There is a lot of speculation about whether or not community newspapers can survive. We think there are good arguments for why they must.”
Hopkins Schools food supervisor June Krug has reported a positive response to the implementation of a breakfast program at the cafeteria.
The City of Wayland has received more than $12,000 for a grant to plant more trees, according to State Rep. Paul Hillegonds.
Wayland opened the football season with a 26-7 victory over Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, overcoming the shock of the Trojans’ 55-yard TD pass on their first offensive series. Ryan Nuvill rushed for 151 yards and Nate James came up with 12 tackles.
Randy Konecny, Joe Kuhtic, Regan Konecny, Alicia Santana and Mike Patterson qualified for the WWMT-TV bowling challenge.
Hopkins beat up Saugatuck 43-6 in its football season opener, Tim Hibma completed three passes to sophomore wide receiver Tim Kisner and Scott Langlois chewed up 131 yards rushing.
The Martin girls’ basketball team was pleasantly surprised by the debut of freshman Millie Kruzel, who scored 17 points in each of two victories.
Sophomore Angie Farmer netted 20 points to lead Wayland to a season-opening victory over Otsego and junior Heather Postma came off the bench to score 10 in the second game, a 44-23 decision.
Martin lost its grid season opener to Cassopolis, 36-13, with Richie Guerrant scoring both TDs, on a five-yard run and a 69-yard pass from QB Ken Humbarger.
Tracy Iciek had a successful debut as Hopkins girls’ basketball coach with a 50-42 victory over East Grand Rapids, as Karen Schwartz scored 14 points, gathered seven rebounds and dished out five assists.
Freshman Zeke Fletcher fired a nine-hole score of 40, including an eagle, to spark the Wildcat golf team to a win over Otsego and Delton.
An old-fashioned threshing bee, put together by Darrell Krogma, included a threshing machine in Watson Township.
50 Years Ago — Sept. 3, 1969
A massive photo on the front page introduced new teachers for Wayland. They were Mrs. Gerald VanderVoord, Mrs. Dale Armintrout, Mrs. Gary Milhalik, Mrs. William Hayes, Rick Morse, James Kroon, Mrs. Jack Buist, Mrs. Donald Wiersma, Mrs. James Roseboom, Jane Esch, Donna Rose, Gloria Horsevoort, Mrs. Duane Dykstra, Mrs. Wayne Keyser, mike Chesebro, Nelson Post and Gordon Smith. Among the new teachers at St. Therese were Mrs. Doug Bedford and Mrs. Leroy Genther.
Wayland Union Schools is opening the academic year with five new portable classrooms, but three of them have no toilets.
Michigan State Police Trooper Charles George has resigned his job at the Wayland post, but will remain living in the community as an official with the traffic enforcement division.
Lyle Kraft of Wayland was injured and hospitalized after a traffic crash south of Wayland on Division Avenue near Doan’s Lake.
Cattle belonging to Gay F. Hays at Springbrook Ranch broke loose from a fence and “managed to get into all sorts of places they aren’t supposed to be.”
Pvt. Keith DeVries, who began serving in Vietnam in January, died at a hospital in Japan when he reacted badly to medicine being administered to combat malaria. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ivan DeVries of Dorr, but was a Thornapple Kellogg High School graduate.
Mrs. Ervin Johnson of Hopkins placed third in the state fair contest in the knitted articles division.
Larry Dorman and the Country Gentlemen were playing Saturday night and Sunday night at the MiddleVilla. Sunday afternoon’s featured entertainment was “Sing Along with Maxine.”
Dean Martin’s Golddiggers were the featured entertainment at the Allegan County fair, along with country singer Sonny James.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Joseph Cotton and Pat Conway in “Brighty of Grand Canyon” based on the best-selling book by Marguerite Henry.
Wayland is starting the football season with three starters out with injuries, Jay Mutschler, John DeWeerd and Mark Kuper.
Airman apprentice Terry Sturman of Martin is serving aboard the USS Oriskany in Vietnam.
Mrs. Rudy Cernkovich has returned from an extensive trip to Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
75 Years Ago — Sept. 8, 1944
The Business Men’s Paper Press Co. is warning area residents against being flim-flammed by slick roofing and siding salesmen who have been canvassing the area.
The old Rider farm a mile south of Moline was destroyed by fire. The barn, hay and chickens were lost. Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher reported, “The fire followed an electrical storm, but some seem to think the it was caused by spontaneous combustion.”
Wayland Union School District is reporting an increase of about 20 students from a year ago to 181 pupils.
More than 1,300 meals were served at the annual Knights of Columbus chicken dinner over the Labor Day weekend in Hilliards.
Mack Howard, who had been employed in Wayland at Pet Milk, has been honorably discharged by the U.S. Army after three years of service.
Jerrod Chrisman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Payson Chrisman, has been promoted to first lieutenant in the Air Force. He is serving in the Pacific and has earned a Distinguished Flying Cross and Oak Leaf Cluster.
Football practice for Wayland High School began earlier this week under the guidance of coach Louis Japinga.
The Wayland Grange discussion thjis week was about the weakest point of management on family farms with speakers Elton Calkins, Harrison Jackson and Ray Smith.
Twenty-three neighbors and friends of the E.L. Koehler family spent Labor Day clearing the corn from the fields of the farm. Mrs. Koehler, in appreciation, cooked a chicken dinner for all the workers.
The Globe published a letter from overseas by Guy Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claud Smith, who was stationed in England.
Ted F. Jackson of Wayland and Frederick Siefert of Dorr were among the 53 Michigan State College recipients of doctor of veterinary medicine degrees.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Trigger, “The Smartest Horse in the Movies,” in “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”
- Edmund Lowe and Janis Carter in “Girl in the Case.”
- Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton in “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek.”
- Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray in “Standing Room Only.”
A special added attraction for the week was the U.S. War Department’s “The Memphis Belle.”
100 Years Ago — Sept. 5, 1919
The Wayland Grange program discussion topic this week is, “Should the scarcity of food products raise their prices’ values?”
Douglas Fairbanks was to appear in a movie Sept. 11 at Frank’s Opera House.
Resuming work at Martin High School this year will be Vera Frue, Ward Dean, Claire Suell, Clyde Snell, Alfred Noble, Vern Norris, Hazel Doxey, Ruby Fullman, Lillian Knapp, Leona Noble and Ardis Dean. Ne incoming freshmen include Ray and Doris Hogeboom, Ruth Warner, Roy Adams and Harold Briggs.
The Crawford Reunion was held Aug. 31 at Gun Lake. “All came by auto and talked about eats. We certainly had them.”
The Hoosier Picnic at Selkirk Lake was well attended.
An advertisement: “Follow the crowds to the Christian Church Sunday evening, Sept. 7, for two reels of good pictures, good music.”
The International Order of Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs enjoyed a chicken dinner at the home of Frank and Mary Morduff with 29 present. They went through three bushels of watermelon.
Mrs. M. Stockdale has sold the Kandy Kitchen business downtown to Mrs. Metta Sooy. The slogan on the kitchen’s ad is, “Running water makes our glasses clean.”
John E. Ward is carrying a broken hand as a result of a collision between a Ford and a Denby milk truck.
Charles Maples of Leighton was badly hurt and his horse was killed by a passing auto southeast of Moline. The motorist pleaded guilty to driving at night without lights and was assessed a fine of $33.75.
Ann Eliza Herrington, a longtime Wayland resident who was characterized as a patient mother of four daughters, died at age 84.
The ninth annual Brog Reunion was held at Streeter’s Resort, Gun lake, with 102 present.
