(From the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Aug. 26, 1992
St. Stanislaus Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary at the church building in Hilliards.
Wayland City Council members have decided to contribute $500 to the legal defense fund for the City of Holland, which is being sued by owners of an apartment complex. Local officials said the outcome of the court case will have impact on Wayland in its legal battles over taxation with the Westbury and Heritage Village apartments owners.
A letter to the editor from Allegan County Road Commissioners Bruce Culver, James Rolfe and Phil Quade thanked voters for approving a request to renew a one-mill levy for maintenance and repair of roads county wide.
Pat Lemon, American Hybrids, Inc., chief financial officer, wrote letter in support of the proposed amphitheater in Bradley, acknowledging its presence would benefit his company, but also would provide economic benefits to many others in Wayland Township. American Hybrids plans to have a ground breaking for its new mulch manufacturing plant in October.
Dennis Reno, chairman of the Wayland Downtown Development Authority, has announced that the downtown streetscape beautification project is nearly complete.
Sixteen Wayland High School athletes took part in the Camp of Champions tennis camp at Wayland High School, under the watchful eyes of Wildcat varsity coach Cheri Ritz.
The Globe published season previews for girls’ basketball. Martin and veteran coach Robert VandenBerg were looking to improve on their 11-10 season of 1991. Coach Zack Moushegian was looking forward to improving on 15-7 a year ago with the return of high-scoring Ann Iciek. And Hopkins and coach Tom MacArthur were going to a youth movement, pulling up to varsity four sophomores, Karen Schwartz, Clarice Sage and twins Kathy and Kristie Hoffmaster.
Angie Permoda was a key returning veteran for coach Steve Harcourt and the Wayland Lady Wildcats’ cross country team. Seniors Mike McBride and Todd Meconis were being counted on heavily for the boys’ squad.
50 Years Ago — Aug. 23, 1967
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey expressed his displeasure with the lack of progress in negotiations on a new teachers’ contract. He wrote: “The school board is elected to run the school system with the money available to it from tax sources, and make no mistake, taxes are the ONLY source. Teachers are hired and paid with that tax money to teach our children. We think that the whole matter is indeed the public’s business. We think it’s high time to tell us all about what offers and counter offers have been made, and which group has been dragging its collective feet.”
Margita Fredrickson, a foreign exchange student from Sweden, will spend the 1967-68 academic year attending Wayland High School, staying with the Edwin Belkas. She was shown in a front page picture with her American mother and American sister, Rita Belka.
Rudolph Cernkovich, postmaster at Bradley for 10 years before retiring in 1960, died at the age of 77 at his home. A native of Yugoslavia, he also was an accomplished composer of music from the Balkans.
The Martin Board of Education set a budget of $439,180 and approved a teachers’ contract, with the entry-level salary set at $6,150 annually and highest pay at $8,350.
Classes will begin at all local schools on Sept. 5.
Mrs. Marta Reed of Pittsford has been hired as the Martin school district’s first special education teacher.
City Manager Blaine Bacon told the Wayland City Council that a recent spate of thefts and shoplifting incidents has put an economic drain on local merchants. However, Police Chief Forrest Reichenbach and troopers from the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police have apprehended several youths in connection with thefts at the FFW, the high school, Ziegler’s Bait Shop and Leader Feed & Seed.
The City Council granted Trooper Harold Keena permission to begin having practices for the Rocket football program at the vacant lot near the corner of Dahlia and North Main streets.
Elvin Wabeke wrote a letter to the editor about the proposed sanitary sewer system in the city and urged all citizens to study their options carefully before they vote in the upcoming special election.
Twenty-seven members of the adult agriculture class at Hopkins High School took part in a trip to Chicago to tour the famous stockyards.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “Africa, Texas Style.”
The Beatles took over the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “All You Need Is Love.”
75 Years Ago — Aug. 28, 1942
The Globe office has some very large potatoes on display, as Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher reported, “The copious rains of the past season have greatly encouraged the growth of the spuds.”
Civil Defense officials have announced that the second of the blackouts will be of the surprise variety rather than the planned half-hour exercise of mid-summer.
Mosher penned editorially, “Unless the attitudes of the tin hats in Washington change toward the farmer, we look for a lot of things to become scarce before this war is over.” He singled out the problems with milk, but agreed beef prices lately have been performing well.
The national chapter of the American Red Cross has set a quota of 300 for blankets from the Village of Wayland for the war effort.
Wayland Garden Club members, led by Mary Dommert, are discussing plans for a fall festival. A Victory Garden Festival has been scheduled for Sept. 10 and 11.
Workmen at Payne Lake have discovered bones of a small human. They are believed to have been from a Native American from quite some time ago.
Pianist Jean Francisco, cellist Hazel VanBrussel and organist Oliver Francisco will present a recital at the Methodist Church, featuring works by Bach, Ravel, Corelli and Mendelssohn.
The annual Cowbell Carnival will get under way in downtown Wayland next week,
Wayland area firefighters were busy during the week with a barn fire at the home of Charles Walker near Indian Lake and a blaze at the rural residence of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ryno.
St. Therese Church in Wayland and Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church, Gun Lake, will have a fund-raising chicken dinner at the latter location this Sunday with Rev. Fr. Adelbert Radawski, the new priest, as one of the special guests.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Shirley Temple and William Gargan in “Miss Annie Rooney.”
- Marjorie Woodworth and George Givot in “Flying with Music.”
- George Montgomery, Maureen O’Hara and John Sutton in “Ten Gentlemen from West Point.”
- Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes in “Sons of the Pioneers.”
- Leo Carillo and Andy Devine in “Escape from Hong Kong.”
100 Years Ag — Aug. 24, 1917
West Michigan Editors from the Michigan Press Association, including the Wayland Globe’s George Mosher, took a boat trip from Holland to Chicago and stayed at the Hotel Browning.
The Helvetia Milk Condensing Co. has purchased the Hopkins Cheese Factory for use as a receiving receiving station.
The residence of George V. Brown was severely damaged by fire while he was away on business as a representative of the Thomas Canning Co. Firefighters were only able to prevent the blaze from spreasing to other residences.
The Railroad Depot at Moline caught fire with roof damage caused by a passing train.
The 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bush died of pneumonia at the family home in Shelbyville. He was to be buried in the Indian Cemetery.
Wayland Board of Education President Charles M. Sias, Secretary Elizabeth Clark and Treasuer David P. Fox have announced that school will start Sept. 1. The fall term will end Dec. 7 and winter term starts Jan. 7. It was noted that classes in spelling and penmanship were mandatory.
The Bradley and Wayland chapters of the Grange held their annual picnic at Selkirk Lake, with Allegan County Ag Agent Alfred Bentall as guest speaker.
The young peoples’ group from the Congregational Church held a weenie roast at Selkirk Lake and announced another will be held Sept. 1.
The Alliance Chataqua will scheduled to pay a visit Aug. 28, 29 and 30, featuring speakers and entertainers.
The Martin Township farm of Mallon D. Hanlen destroyed by fire. Among the lost were 100 tons of hay, 1,500 bushels of wheat and an undetermined number of horses. The nearby farm of A. McKee was struck by lightning, destroying contents.
