(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Nov. 16, 1994
As Director Barb Kaarlie pleaded, “We can’t let it fail,” the Allegan County Board of Commissioners agreed to make whole the Alliance in the wake of the news that two grants written by Brian Dilworth were bogus. The grant amounts were $153,000 and $212,000.
An 11.97-acre site behind Automotive Diagnostics, near the corner of South Main and Sib Rumery
Streets, now is up for bids on the open market by the County Board of Commissioners. The building, assessed at $48,000, formerly was Kessler’s, owned by Tom and Donna White.
Allegan and Ottawa counties are developing a joint agreement for a partnership in the Jobs Partnership Training Act.
Brent Sebright of Sebright Products in the Village of Hopkins is purchasing three empty parking lots at the corner of North and Water streets to better accommodate off-road parking.
Karen Paradiso of the Dorr Parent-Teacher Organization cautioned the Wayland Board of Education about establishing a multi-cultural committee. For example, she said, if the schools permit a Hanukkah display, it also must permit a Nativity.
The third annual Wayland Jaycees Thanksgiving Day dinner will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rudy’s Restaurant. Cost is a good will donation.
The Martin girls’ basketball team completed another 20-0 season and is getting ready for the district tournament at Lawrence. Clippers’ coach Robert VandenBerg has fashioned a 204-66 record during his tenure and there are high hopes they will return to the state finals like they did in 1987. The starting five includes Tracey Smith, Michelle Mazei, Kristin Fraaza, freshman Millie Kruzel and Holly Keyzer.
Wayland is preparing for its district tournament with another matchup against Middleville Thornapple Kellogg. Key players are sophomore sensation Angie Farmer, junior Jessica McEwen and Margie Reurink and senior Angie Burmania.
Coach Tracey Iciek said she is satisfied with the progress of her Hopkins girls’ team in her first season, with an 8-13 overall record. Leading the Vikings were Karen Schwartz, Katie Kloska and Kathy Hoffmaster.
Carol Stafford of Shelbyville, longtime manager of Gilmore’s Department Store, died in Plainwell, She was 87.
50 Years Ago — Nov. 12, 1969
A Veterans Day observance held in contrast to the Oct. 15 Vietnam War Moratorium dominated the news and opinion pieces in the Globe this week.
O.E. Latchow, public relations officer for the Michigan VFW, told an audience at the high school girls’ gym that “It’s time to switch the pitch,” and focus on the positive things the troops are doing in Vietnam. Supt. James Thomas was keynote speaker and mentioned the sacrifices made by Wayland High School graduates James Lyons and Dennis Lulofs.
WHS senior Greg Dandrow spoke at the Veterans Day ceremony, maintaining that the protesters in the moratorium acted disrespectfully toward the president and the United States.
Adolph Marks appeared before the Wayland Board of Education and opined that public property should not be used for people to express private political views. Petitions with 89 signatures were presented, asking the board to provide the names of the 17 faculty members who participated in the moratorium and have them printed in the Wayland Globe.
Eric Hooker, a Wayland High School graduate and soldier serving in Vietnam, wrote a letter to the editor saying, “I didn’t ask to be a part of this Army, but I have no regrets, either… It (the war effort) would really mean something — more than an anti-war demonstration.”
Mrs. Clarence Berens of Dorr wrote a letter saying her son, Kenneth Dietz, was serving in Vietnam and had stated he would gladly give his life for the USA.
Ken Kolk, a member of the Wayland High School faculty who took part in the moratorium, suggested the manner in which the Veterans Day programs were conducted was “a move to pervert the meaning of an important national holiday.”
Osborn Brown, a Wayland native and longtime supervisor in the accounting department at Fisher Body in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, died. He also had been a member of the school board from 1958 to 1965.
State Rep. James Farnsworth announced that Allegan County would receive $295,214 in quarterly weight and gas tax distribution funds.
In a column published on the front page of the Globe, Hugh W. Breeneman, executive director of the Michigan Medical Society, said 60 percent of county jail inmates are there as a result of drug use. He noted possession of marijuana could result in as many as 10 years in prison and sale could net a maximum of 20 years.
The Hopkins Senior Play, “Marrying Margaret,” will be presented Nov. 21 and 22.
Wayland freshman football coach Linden Anderson praised his team at the athletic banquet, noting they went undefeated, scored 206 points and yielded only 58.
Gary Swainston, Chuck Collier and Tom Earhart won the summer drag state championships in snowmobiling.
Lt. Russell Tobolic, a 1965 Wayland High School graduate, earned his commission as an electrician at Officers’ Candidate School for the Air Force.
75 Years Ago — Nov. 17, 1944
Axel Westman, 82, was killed while walking on Division Road near Cutlerville when he was struck by a car driven by David John Dewey of Wayland.
Ivan Fales, 16, of Wayland, was reported by authorities to have fallen asleep at the wheel just before he crashed his car one mile south of Middleville on M-37. He and his passenger, John Ritsema, 16, were treated at Pennock Hospital and later released.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote, “So great was public interest in the (local soldiers’) Honor Roll that the Globe office was swamped with letters, calls and personal calls… knowing of names to go on the board.”
At the Nov. 25 meeting of the Wayland Rural Grange, female members were asked to answer roll call with accident hazards in the home and men with accident hazards on the farm.
The local PTA Thanksgiving program included a history of the holiday by the Rev. Ellinger from the Congregational Church and a sermon by Rev. Starr of the Church of Christ on “What we should be thankful for.”
Major Bud Malmstone of Wayland has been reassigned to Indianapolis doing distribution work after completing a highly decorated tour of duly in the South Pacific that included 250 successful flight missions.
The Crofoot sisters led the singing and the Leighton Grange meeting and there was discussion about what can be done for the returning servicemen.
F.D. Cutler, who oversaw a dairy held sale in Wayland several months ago, wrote a letter to the Globe rebutting charges in a Farm Journal article that the Farmers Union he was part of was communist. He wrote, “Don’t be misled by by the statements of a multi-millionaire publication whose interests are the same as the common farm.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Jimmy Lydon in “Henry Aldrich’s Little Secret.”
- Chester Morris, Nancy Kelly and Lloyd Corrigan in “Gamblers’ Choice.”
- Jean Arthur and Lee Bowman in “The Impatient Years.”
- Joan Davis and Bob Crosby in “Kansas City Kitty.”
- Bob Livingston and Smiley Burnette in “Beneath Western Skies.”
100 Years — Nov. 14, 1919
Herbert Blowers wrote a letter to his sister, Mrs. E. F. Calkins of Wayland, about his trip to Florida and all the stops along the way.
The Farm Bureau membership drive in Allegan County will commence next week.
Mrs. Isabelle White-Gibbons gave the Ladies Library Club a speech and musical presentation. Her talk about “Americanization” held that those who don’t speak English should be given the opportunity, but if they don’t learn it, they should be deported.
Katherine Page and Mrs. White will present a piano and voice recital Nov. 17 at the Christian Church.
Edward C. Brabon was admitted to Robinson Hospital in Allegan for surgery, but later died of his illness at age 70.
About 80 people attended the 40th anniversary of the Congregational Church despite the terrible weather conditions.
Dr. and Mrs. Ira Slater have sold their home on West Maple Street and are living with her parents until their new home is built.
Mr. and Mrs. S.O. Hilborn, proprietors of the Gun Lake summer resort, have sold the hotel to a Mr. Uhle of Cleveland.
Andrew Brog, a Swiss native and longtime resident of Leighton Township, died at his home and was buried in Hooker Cemetery.
Roy Smith’s home narrowly escaped catastrophe when an oil heater overheated, but the trouble was handled quickly before it got out of hand.
Petitions are being circulated favoring the building of a highway west of Martin rather than between Plainwell and Otsego.
There was no formal celebration locally of the first Armistice Day. Some residents displayed flags and visited other area communities, including Martin, Plainwell, Hastings and Grand Rapids.
Generous applications of gravel were made at the four corners in downtown Wayland. Some hope for the proposed paving of Dixie Highway from Moline south through Wayland.
Senior class students at the high school are vigorously studying socialism theories.
