(Taken from the archives of the Wayland Globe at the Then and & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Aug. 15, 2000
The traditional Friday evening series of musical concerts in the Wayland City Park featured the River Rogues Jazz Band. Next Friday’s guest artists would be the Williams Family playing bluegrass.
Correspondent Peri Stitzel and assistant editor Pat Staley both wrote editorial pieces in the weekly Soapbox lamenting the poor election turnouts for the primaries.
Robert G. Merren of Dorr was the high bidder for Wayland Township’s 1984 one-ton “Fred Flintstone” Dodge truck for $3,172.
The new Hunter’s Glen mobile home park on the west side of Division in Leighton Township was scheduled to open in September with 150 housing units. Developer is Sun Community Inc.
Ericsson com.Net was the winning bidder for Allegan County’s new 911 emergency system, at a cost of $10.867 million, which was lower than Motorola.
Tabetha Ann Elzinga of Hopkins is a contestant for the Miss Junior Teen Grand Rapids pageant. Leslie Anderson, a Martin High School graduate, was second runner-up in the Miss Michigan pageant.
Officials for the Fontana Music Series in Shelbyville are looking for a new home for the programs because the Art Emporium is an aging structure that has seen better days.
The primary election for Watson Township yielded newcomers taking office, with Mike Brown, Stephanie Bogdan and Rod Zeinstra capturing trustees’ seats. Zeinstra is alone on the ballot as a Republican. Kelli Morris upset Cathy Pardee for the clerks post.
Veterans Jack Sipple and Jim Brenner won trustee seats and Carrie McBride edged Julie Spencer 167 to 163. Randy Marklevitz won the supervisor’s post for Wayland Township after being edged by Jose Blanco four years earlier.
Hopkins Township voters approved millage requests for roads and fire equipment.
Blain Koops upset Dave Haverdink in the race for county sheriff.
Barry County Sheriff Steve DeBoer, former commander of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police, has been elected chairman of the Michigan Criminal Justice Information Council.
Josh Permoda, a Wayland High School student, attended a 2000 Michigan State Police Student Trooper program. His dad, Tim Permoda, is a trooper and WHS graduate.
Nick VanderPloeg, 19, a Hopkins High School graduate, took first place in the Michigan math competition and was seventh in the national contest in Kansas City, Mo.
Optimism has been running high for the Wayland and Hopkins High School varsity football teams. The Vikings are back from being state runners-up a year ago and the Wildcats are counting on successful newcomers such as quarterback Leon Hilaski, running back Matt Longstreet and wide receiver Justin Stuive. Martin will have to overcome small numbers of gridders at 17.
Daniel C. “Gomer” Thomas, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, medically discharged in 1966, died Aug. 7 at the age of 53.
50 Years Ago — Aug. 12, 1975
Kenneth Maher was announced as the new Hopkins High School principal, coming from Caseville. He succeeds James Danhoff, who has left to take the principal’s job at Plainwell.
The Wayland Board of Education has sent a resolution to the Allegan County Intermediate School District supporting a plan to organizing the Career Education Planning District into one unit.
The school board is getting close to hiring a new assistant recreation/education director to assist Director David VanEerden and handle programs in Hopkins and Martin. The board hired the school district’s first-ever swim coach in Bill Fritz.
Col. Robert Heaton, certificate of merit award winning military man for his work on North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is visiting his two sisters, Mrs. William Sleeman of Hopkins and Mrs. Clifford Holbrook of Gun Lake.
Patricia Slomski, daughter of Doris Slomski and Edward Slomski, has been accepted into the first-year law program, at Wayne State University. She is a 1972 graduate of Wayland High School who graduated magna cum laude earlier this year from Michigan State.
The annual Wayland Globe tennis tourney will be held this year from Aug. 18 to 22.
Larry Johnson has been hired as new head varsity football coach at Martin High School, succeeding the resigned Dave Barrett. Johnson had been junior varsity coach for the past four seasons.
Allegan County Extension Director George Mansell published the second of two articles about the Farmland Preservation Act.
Leighton Township Clerk Arlene Oatman published a legal notice indicating the township plans to spend the $16,643.75 due from federal revenue sharing on roads for the coming fiscal year. Wayland Township will spend its $7,552 on roads as well.
Singer Bobby Vinton, the guest star at the Ionia Free Fair, planted a complimentary kiss on photographer Julie Heth of Wayland while she was trying to take his picture.
The five local families hosting Japanese foreign exchange students this year are headed by Burrell Stein, Robert Weber, William Weick, Larry Oetman and Lou Miedema.
Work crews from Michigan Bell Telephone have been digging up West Superior to install new communication lines.
Wheeler Shinville, past master of the Bradley Masonic Lodge, past vice president of the Order of the Eastern Star and former cemetery sexton died. A longtime resident of Bradley, he was 74.
Carol W. Crocker, a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army, retiring as a master sergeant, died at the Veteran’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla. He was 70.
Local veterinarian Dr. Kenneth DeWeerd suffered head injuries when kicked in the head by a horse on a farm near Dorr.
75 Years Ago — Aug. 18, 1950
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote, “Patrons and taxpayers of the Wayland Union Schools will be interested in reading the minutes of the recent school board meetings, which are being published for the first time since it was voted to publish the minutes in the Globe at the annual meeting held in July.”
The old GR&I (Grand Rapids and Indiana) depot in Shelbyville is being closed because of the rising popularity of automobiles and buses. The waiting room has been remodeled for the headquarters of a hand car storage in the Wayland section.
Jim Henry pitched a no-hitter against Middleville, facing just 23 batters, and striking out 14. Harvey Bredeweg led the offensive attack with two singles.
The Wayland Rod and Gun Club will have its annual field day on the picnic grounds at Murphy’s Point, Gun Lake, Sunday, Aug. 20, with potluck luncheon.
Fred H. Rider, 80, formerly of Moline, and Alfred Schuman, 71, formerly of Hopkins, died out of town.
Members of the Wayland High School Class of 1947, will be honored for their first class reunion Aug. 20 at Murphy’s Point, Gun Lake.
The purse for harness racing this year at the 127th anniversary of the Allegan County Fair has been estimated at $12,000.
“Wayland Heights” is the name of the new subdivision in the southeast section of the village. Mr. And Mrs. Naman Frank are the developers. The subdivision includes 37 lots.
Local school districts receiving state sales tax returns are Wayland, $4,801.99; Hopkins, $2,488.14, and Martin, $3,317.52.
Paul Wrobleski of Watson survived head injuries when the car he was driving overturned into a ditch near Hilliards.
Lee Dale Arnsman, James Newell and Ted Nicolai of Hopkins passed their swimming test at the Boy Scout Camp Shawondosse.
The Hopkins 4-H Club will have a weiner roast, tour and picnic at Dumont Lake.
Board of Education Secretary Ruth Fox published a legal notice announcing the Sauger School property will be sold at 8 p.m. Aug. 26.
The Wayland PTA Executive Board and families are invited to gather for a weiner roast at the Pauline Johnson home, Gun Lake.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hanlon boarded the Clipper in Muskegon for a lake ferry trip to Milwaukee.
Allegan County Schools Supt. Ray Sturgis has announced rural school children will meet for classes Tuesday morning, Sept. 5. Teachers will meet at Griswold Auditorium in Allegan. Superintendents of all county schools will meet Aug. 16 to discuss bus drivers, hearing clinic plans, financial accounting systems and hot lunch applications.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Robert Hutton, Ruth Warwick and Lola Albright in “Beauty on Parade.”
- Gene Autry and Champion in “Mule Train.”
- Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor in “The Big Hangover.”
- Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Bennett in “Father of the Bride.”
100 Years Ago — Aug. 14, 1925
Marl demonstrations will take place at the Colburn Farm two and a half miles south of Hopkins Aug. 18. The discussions will be about uses for the excavation of marl.
The Allegan post office was victim of the theft of about $800 in cash and a .45-caliber pistol on a Saturday night.
Leon Schuh has been commissioned as a first lieutenant in the reserve officers corps of the Motor Corp.
The Wayland High School Class of 1916 had its annual reunion at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gosling, Grand Rapids.
Mrs. J.L. Smith and daughter Julia, entertained for a girls’ house party Aug. 5-7 at Gun Lake.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Johnny Walker in “The Slanderers” and Marguerite DeLaMotte in “In Love with Love.”
About a half mile of railroad tracks was torn up when an axle broke on a rail car on a northbound freight train.
The Globe published a huge full-page advertisement suggesting, “Your dollars do double duty when you spend them at home in Wayland.”
Jerry Doar of Moline has been suffering with blood poison in one of his hands.
About 250 members, guests and friends are expected for the Moored Reunion at Green Lake.
For the nearest correct guess of the number of beans in a jar on display at the Allegan County Fair, the winner will take a Marwol radio receiver. The contest is sponsored by First National Bank of Allegan.
Library Director Fanny Hoyt wrote in her weekly report that television is an inevitability, soon to be a common thing in American households.
Florence Slater finally has returned home from the Battle Creek Sanitarium after suffering from a serious disease for 12 weeks.
Seth Oliver of Mancelona is working at the local depot, relieving John Cash, who is enjoying a two-week vacation.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher and wife have returned from their auto trip around Lake Michigan during his vacation from post office duties.
Jack Spiegel had a pleasant surprise Sunday when his nephew from Indiana, whom he had not seen for the past 19 years, called on him.
Fred Bouman has moved from Wayland to Fremont, where he is opening a jewelry store. He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge and an adjutant for the American Legion while he was here.
John W. Knowles, who was born in 1840 in Beaver County, Pa., and who came to Michigan in 1856, died July 29.
Some 200 descendants of Mr. and George Kibby, who came to Michigan 80 years ago, held a reunion Aug. 2 at Goguac Lake. Next year’s gathering will be at the Allegan County Fairgrounds.
