(From the archives of the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — April 29, 1992
Globe staff writer Linda Hutchings did an enterprise piece about the continuing problems of urban sprawl, in which developers are buying up farm land and turning it into high-density residential property. She was prompted by a special meeting that attracted about 40 farmers from Dorr, Wayland and Shelbyville.
City-wide garage sales are scheduled for April 20-May 2 as part of a festival to re-establish Wayland as the “Dahlia Capital of the World.” The festivities will be kicked off by a “blessing of the dahlia bulbs.”
The community of Dorr is making plans to use its annual Fourth of July celebration as the time for a tongue in cheek election of mayor. Candidates for the first-ever office for a day are Dave Stebbleton, Fred Holbrook, Gene VanPutten, Paul Davis, Bob Wagner, Sharon Fifelski and Marcia Brouwer.
Anita Kerber wrote a letter to the editor protesting the Globe’s comparison of a school millage election to the Carp Festival in Hopkins.
Discussions are under way in Wayland Township for paving about a half mile of 7th Street north from 135th Avenue.
Wayland High School junior Christine Boucher has qualified for the nationals in the DECA business contest.
Jenny Fearnow struck out 10 South Christian batters in a big 4-2 win for Wayland.
The Lady Wildcats track team was gearing up for a showdown in the O-K Gold Conference with Hudsonville. Featured in Wayland’s success are two relay teams, the 1600-meter unit with Marice Brown, Angie Christensen, Shanda Kedde and Ann Iciek, and the 800 with Joanne Lodenstein, Jamie Brussink, Kedde and Christensen.
Coach Rick Morse’s Wayland varsity baseball continues to run away from the competition with a 7-2 record and 56 stolen bases in nine games.
Zack Wilson belted a three-run homer to power the undefeated Hopkins baseball team, coached by Mark Austin, to its eighth victory without a defeat.
Also unbeaten are the 10-0 Lady Vikings softball team, coached by Mick Francis, which sports an amazing .502 batting average collectively.
Diane Podbevack broke the Martin school record in the discus with a throw of 93-4.
50 Years Ago — April 26, 1967
Staff Sgt. Lewis Brandt, commander of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police since its beginning here in 1956, has announced he will retire at the end of the month. He will be succeeded by Staff Sgt. Harold Ernst.
State Senator Harold Volkema of Holland talked about farm issues in the State Legislature at a meeting of the Hopkins Lions Club at the Masonic Hall.
Ted Niemchick, longtime local postal worker and scout leader, died of a heart attack his home. He was 49.
Pfc. Donald Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Smith of Wayland, is recovering in a hospital in Vietnam after he was struck by a hand grenade in combat.
The top academic seniors for the Wayland High School Class of 1967 have been announced as Jerilu Shade, Sharon Dobson, Sherida DeWeerd, Richard Blok, Mary Jane Miller, Jim Chesebro, Carol Blaauw, Connie Smith Kay Shafer, JoAnne Halloran, Faye Hall, Gary Finkbeiner and Dennis DeHaan.
Hopkins school district voters will be asked in a special election 8 to approve a six-year, four-mill increase to replace the current 2.75-mill level.
Robert Riedlinger, a Wayland High School graduate and employed as a printer for the Wayland Globe, has been chosen exalted ruler of the Otsego Elks Club.
An emergency injunction has been issued against Action Ambulance of Grand Rapids to delay its pulling out of servicing the Wayland area.
The Globe ran a front page picture of a car with snow on it to show how the weather changed so suddenly just two days after Allegan County was on tornado alert.
“The “Night of the Grizzly” was showing this week at the Wayland Theatre.
Cindy Miller was elected president and Cindy Waite vice president of the Wayland chapter of the Future Teachers of America.
Mrs. Jack Cook was elected president of the Ladies’ Library Club.
Mel Spencer was selected the winner of the Louis Japinga Award for athletic excellence at a Wayland High School sports banquet. Guest speaker at the dinner was Western Michigan University basketball coach and star guard Ron Kidney, who was a 1964 graduate of Wayland High School.
The Wayland High School tennsi team is 4-1 overall and unbeaten in three matches in the Expressway Conference.
Wayland High School senior Chris Lanning has won a scholarship from Western Michigan University and plans to be a drum major for the WMU marching band.
The Church of Christ on West Superior Street was planning a special weekend celebration honoring the church’s 90th anniversary.
75 Years Ago — May 1, 1992
More than 300 area men registered for the draft the previous weekend in light of the current wars with Germany, Italy and Japan.
Gurney’s Food Market at the corner of Main and Superior streets is expanding to accommodate a new frozen food locker.
Brooks Market in the village has announced it will close its doors.
Plans are being made for paving the road between Wayland Moline in the wake of the news U.S.-131 is being designated by the federal government as a military road.
Wayland Village has been carved up into five different air raid zones with an auxiliary warden designated for each street. Senior Air Raid Warden is Justin McCaslin.
The Wayland High School speech class banquet in Grand Rapids at the Country House had as honorary guests Bessie Baker, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Steeby and Mrs. Horace Bennett.
The U.S. government reportedly needs stenographers and typists and local women are urged to apply in Grand Rapids. The jobs pay $120 per month.
D.E. Taylor of Wayland was injured in a fall while painting at the civil defense plant at Ypsilanti.
Mrs. Harold Weaver is recovering from serious surgery at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids.
The Wayland High School baseball team will finish its schedule with five games in May, starting with Middleville, Byron Center, Martin, Hopkins and Middleville again.
Roll call for the Wayland Rural Grange meeting May will be answered with “Why I like Mother’s Day and one thing my mother taught me.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Ginger Rogers, Adolph Menjou and George Montgomery in “Roxie Hart.”
- William Tracy, James Gleason and Joe Sawyer in “Hay Foot.”
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in “Ride ‘Em Cowboy.”
- Brenda Joyce and Joseph Allen Jr. in “Right to My Heart.”
- Sidney Toler and Arleen Whelan in “Castle in the Desert.”
100 Years Ago — April 27, 1917
Otsego defeated Wayland 7-2 in a baseball encounter, even though pitcher Clayton Tarnutzer struck out 12 Bulldog batters.
The Wayland girls’ basketball team, showing a lot of improvement under the tutelage of coach Audley Calkins, handily defeated Otsego 26-6.
Phila Deuel was elected president of the Ladies Library Club, Stella Moser first vice president and Louis Hanlon second vice president. Fannie Hoyt remains as librarian.
Advertisement for Chamberlain’s pills — “You occasionally see it stated that colds do not result from cold weather. That is rank foolishness. Were it true, colds would be as prevalent in mid-summer as they are in mid-winter.”
Allegan County Farm Bureau is urging area farmers to purchase tractors or some kind of mechanical devices in the fields for their crops, insisting they can do the work of three or four horses.
Leona Noble and Ruth Warner were Wayland representatives Friday at the Allegan County spelling contest in Allegan.
Sarah J. Abbott, 78, died at her home on West Superior Street after suffering for many years from rheumatism. The Globe published an extensive list of people who attended the funeral at her home.
Wayland Globe Editor-Publisher George Mosher reported that he and friend Mark Beall rode in an aeroplane to Middleville and was impressed by the many patriotic displays along the way.
Advertisement — “All red-blooded Americans should see (the movie) “Liberty” every Wednesday at Frank’s Opera House downtown.”
A violent spring rainstorm caused serious damage in the village, uprooting trees and even tearing down porches from home. Bradley reported similar troubles a a result of the storm.
Free ice will be given away by Wing’s Furniture for the sale of each new refrigerator.
The Rebekah’s Hope Lodge No. 12 continues to have monthly birthday auppers at the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Lodge.
