Bygone Days: A look at the history of NE Allegan County

25 Years Ago — Oct. 28, 1992

Wayland residents will be asked Nov. 3 to approve a $1 million bond issue to enable the city to upgrade its water needs, including a well, storage tank and new water mains.

Mike Chesebro of Moline admitted to at least five instances of sexual abuse and was sentenced in Allegan County Circuit Court to at least 10 years in prison.

Bob McDonough, policy director for Upjohn, was to be guest speaker before the Gun Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Of course, his topic would be health care.

Karon Knobloch of Hopkins penned a letter to the editor very critical of school board member Christine Schwartz, whom she said has demonstrated obstructionist behavior and pro-private school views.

Barb Chachulski, Schwartz’s mother, wrote a letter asking all Hopkins voters to tell the superintendent why they voted against the most recent bond proposal and save money on hiring a consultant.

Underneath the headline “Voting enters the space age” was a story about the arrival at local sites the Optech II P-Eagle machine.

Stephen Lawrence was found guilty in Barry County Circuit Court of arson and the murder of his father, Willard Lawrence of Gun Lake.

The general election was approaching, and perhaps the most interesting of the few races were Democrats Norm Fifelski and John Lenhart getting a challenge from Republicans Larry Dolegowski and Paul Burmania. Democrat Barb Wrobleski was challenging Republican Gary Melvin for Seventh District County Commissioner, Independent Kevin Cronin was running against Republican Don Black for Wayland Township Supervisor and four candidates, write-in Don Milburn, Democrat Mark Krulac, and Republicans Randy Marklevitz and Rex Pomranka were seeking two Wayland Township trustees’ posts.

Wayland Junior High students Angie Farmer and Sabrina Scully were parading around the school with a poster supporting Independent Ross Perot.

The Wayland High School girls’ basketball team fell below .500 for the first time in a long time with losses to Coopersville and Caledonia. Ann Iciek did her beat, scoring 44 points combined in the two defeats.

Ack Wilson of Hopkins and Dan Herp of Martin are two of the roster members for the Kalamazoo Valley Community College basketball team.

The Martin girls’ basketball team won two more games, over Lawton and Gobles, to improve its record to 11-3 overall. Tracey Smith picked up 16 points in one of the victories.

50 Years Ago — Oct. 25, 1967

The Wayland Rotary Club’s first travelogue for the season will be Romain Wilhelmsen narrating for “South America Adventure” at the high school’s “girls’ gym.”

Mary Lou Worfel wrote a letter to the editor asking local adults to help with supervision at the Youth Center on South Main Street, the site of the former Kessler factory.

Eight representatives from the Wayland High School Student Council took part in a convention at Muskegon Heights High School focusing on common social problems for teen-agers. The writeup for the visit was done by Cheryl Brower.

Arthur Kukilies and brothers Werner and Horst have opened a new manufacturing facility, Midwest Cupola, at the site that formerly housed the Buttercup Dairy.

Wayland officials announced the launch of a committee to promote a centennial celebration, noting the village was formed in 1868. Committee members, mostly with service club connections, in the photo op on the front page included Gilbert Ross, Garnet Lain, Dr. Ken DeWeerd, Wallace Lafferty, Mayor Phil Reno, Schools Superintendent James Thomas, City Manager Blaine Bacon, Richard Overmire and Hugh DeWeerd.

Wayland citizens rose ot the occasion by donating a record 138 pints pints to the bloodmobile to put the community back in the good graces of the American Red Cross.

Wayland Globe Plant Superintendent Robert Riedlinger, exalted ruler of the Otsego Elks Lodge, was at helm while the lodge’s drill team won the state championship in Muskegon.

The South Kent Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police will have its annual Halloween party at the city park with prizes, doughnuts and cider.

Jim Hendrixson, 13, of Wayland, won the NFL punt, pass and kick regional competition in Benton Harbor and has qualified for the state contest at Lansing Sexton High School.

The Wayland High School football team pulled off the upset of the season by edging league unbeaten Middleville 13-12. Lee Pankratz scored two touchdowns, one on a short run and the other on a punt return from midfield. But the margin of victory was a kicked extra point by by Curt Sebright and a gallant defensive effort.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “The Dirty Dozen,” with Lee Marvin, Telly Savales and Jim Brown.

Mrs. Scramlin, the state women’s president of the Farm Burea, was scheduled to speak to members of the Leighton Farm Bureau, but didn’t show because she was in an auto accident en route to Wayland.

Lulu took over the top spot among the nation’s tunes with the song from the movie, “To Sir with Love.”

75 Years Ago — Oct. 30, 1942

The Wayland Volunteer Fire Department put on a game supper in the local Grange Hall. The menu included squirrel, rabbit and pheasant.

Area farmers have been giving incumbent State Senator Prentis Brown the cold shoulder in his re-election campaign.

Village Treasurer Elizabeth M. Clark reported that about 90% of local residents have turned in their tax payments, but the deadline is Saturday, Oct. 31,

Claude Smith, fifth grade teacher, wrote a letter from Colorado after training at Robinson, Ark., for the medical division of the U.S. Army

The Stockdale Busy Builders of the Congregational Church, wll have a food sale at Weaver’s Hardware downtown.

Mrs. Vera Clark gave a presentation to the Ladies Library Club about the importance of trees for fuel, homes for birds and another animals and preventing erosion.

Donna Jean Blue played a violin solo and joined Dorothy Larsen for a violin duet for the Wayland Grange meeting Saturday evening. Gene Weber added a flute solo and Margery Sebright a coronet solo for the entertainment.

Ted Willis and Eldon Milheim reported on their activities in the Pacific Theater of the war through letters.

Rotary District Governor Samuel Oliver will be guest speaker at the group’s next meeting, but the Globe declined to disclose where. Rotary’s customary meeting site, the Doll House Restaurant, has closed.

Democrat Dean Morley placed an ad in the Globe, pledging “Win the War, Write the Peace.” He isn’t gven much of a chance in the congressional race against incumbent Republican Clare Hoffman.

Richard O’Donald is stationed in Trinidad with the U.S. Navy Scouting Squadron.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:

  • Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in “A Haunting We Will Go.”
  • Richard Travis and Julie Bishop in “Escape from Crime.”
    • Monte Wholley, Roddy McDowell and Anne Baxter in “The Pied Piper.”
  • Don Terry. Leo Carrillo and Andy Devine in “Top Sergeant.”
  • Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes in “Sunset Serenade.”

100 Years Ago — Oct. 26, 1917

A farm rented by Birney Ehrle of Dorr was destroyed by fire and two horses inside were killed.

Congregation members of the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church observed their silver jubilee with mass celebrated by Rev. M. Bennett and Frank Baweja. It was Rev. Bennett’s last service before taking a post elsewhere.

Otsego defeated Wayland on the gridiron 32-6, and the reporter said the local boys gave them “a run for their money,” but didn’t score until the last play of the game on a double pass by Ike Barker covering 80 yards. Wayland will play Martin in its next game.

Miss Ruth Calkins and Mildred Wing presented a violin duet and Judge Stockdale gave a presentation on the value of education to at the chapel hour at Wayland High School.

The Farmers State Bank in Middleville was the victim of of a burglary. The thieves cracked the safe and stole more than $20,000 using an electrical drill to gain entry into the bank. However, they left an edtinated $5,000 worth of gold on the floor.

Manual training students at Wayland School have been carving their initials into wood and leaving the material in cardboard cigar boxes.

Second-graders will be transferred to the school on Superior Street to ease overcrowding at the primary room.

Wilford Skutt, 75, a Civil War veteran, died at the Kalamazoo State Hospital. He was brought to Shelbyville for funeral and burial.

The Wayland Grange will have a fair in the village Nov. 3 at the hall. Grangers are asked to bring vegetables and baked goods to the event.

Rev. J.M Jansen will speak at the union service on “The American Flag.” Businessmen, Boy Scouts, old soldiers, Women’s Relief Corps, the WCTU and Red Cross have been invited to participate.

Former Wayland Ladies Library Club President Julia Roys Fyke of Byron, Ohio, returned to an LLC meeting and was greeted by a vocal duet by Misses Wing and Tarnutzer of “Home, Sweet Home.”

The Congregational Church Sunday School students will be hosts for a Halloween party in the church basement. They will put on a short play.

 

 

 

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