(From the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — April 21, 1993
Terry Sturgis, an outspoken opponent of the Martin Township Board’s ordinance to allow gravel mining on industrial property owned by Ray Brenner, is leading a petition drive to force a referendum on the issue. He also wants Brenner’s son, Jim, to abstain from voting on the matter as a member of the Township Board.
The Yankee Springs Township Board is grappling with growth issues, including a proposed expansion of the Yankee Springs Meadows mobile home park, a proposed extension of the gravel mining season and a proposed subdivision in back of The Note nightclub on Chief Noonday Drive.
Flooding from the Rabbit River overflow is plaguing the farm property of Chuck Wamhoff on 130th Avenue in Hopkins Township.
Pat Staley penned a “Soapbox” editorial expressing fears as a result of recent reductions for the number of state police troopers in Wayland, from 20 to 11 over the past five years, and cutbacks in hours.
Midway Die & Engineering is asking the Wayland City Council for designation as an industrial development district for plant expansion and eligibility for tax abatements.
Wayland may be the second location for this summer’s “Nothing But Net” three-on-three basketball tournament July 30 and 31, the first being in Byron Center.
Ralph Fahner, 30, a Western Michigan University graduate with a degree in food distribution, has bought out the Harding’s Market in Hopkins.
Christine Schwartz has filed an official response to language on the June 14 ballot to recall her as a member of the Hopkins Board of Education. She insisted the allegations of her blurring the lines between church and state are “a misrepresentation of myself and my school board performance.”
Wayland Police Chief Dan Miller had high praise for Michigan State Police K-9 officer Kahn and handler Lane Booms for their role in tracking and apprehending two Bradley teen-agers for stealing a vehicle.
Dorr Township Library Director Lola Thomas is taking a leave of absence to give birth.
The Dahlia Springfest is scheduled to be held April 30 and May 1. Activities will include a pancake breakfast, a baseball tournament, the Blessing of the Bulbs, a maypole dance, 32 booths and entertainment by the Laker Family bluegrass group, country line dancing and the Midnight Bandits.
Carrie McBride scored the first goal and Wayland girls’ soccer history and Gina Garza assisted, but the Lady Wildcats lost 2-1 to Caledonia in their first-ever game.
The Wayland girls’ track team opened its season with a tri-meet victory over Fennville and Allegan. Coach Jerry Haggerty’s Lady Wildcats hope to capture their fourth straight O-K Gold Conference track crown.
50 Years Ago — April 17, 1968
Three Wayland teachers, Marilyn Wiersma in high school math, fifth-grade teacher Irene Williams and vocal music instructor John Avery have informed the school board of their intentions not to seek another contract.
Trinity Lutheran Church on 135th Avenue just west of the City of Wayland. will have the dedication of its new building April 21.
David VanEerden has been named director of the school district’s summer recreation program for a salary of $880 and Elaine Sheldon will be paid $350 to run the summer swimming program.
Local historian Mrs. Ruby Smith, in her weekly column, wrote about Dr. David Bradley, Wayland’s first physician, who also was a merchant and tavern keeper; first attorney Hiram Averill in 1866, and the first local wedding, between a Miss Brown and Mr. Gale. Among the guests were 30 Indians, who wanted to witness the ceremony to learn how white folks did such things, according to Chief Saginaw.
About 100 local citizens attended a public hearing at the fire barn on the city’s proposal to implement a special assessment arrangement for $85,000 to handle water drainage problems in the northeast section of town.
Wayland Police Chief Forrest Reichenbach has been chosen commander this year for the Forrest Lewis Post No. 266 of the American Legion.
Three Wayland High School students qualified for the regional level of competition in forensics district tournament. Sophomore Joan Lautenshleger spoke on the key issues in the 1968 presidential campaign, senior Sandra Potter gave a presentation on the moral issues associated with Dr. Christian Barnard’s successful heart transplant the previous fall, and freshman Tom Lanning made a speech about the increasing problems of electronic surveillance.
Mrs. Phil Reno, wife of the Wayland mayor, has been named chairwoman of the Allegan County Cancer Crusade.
“North and South Main streets and East and West Superior are lined with gay red, white and blue welcome banners, giving the business area a festive flair.”
The Tornado Observation and Rescue Communications help organization (TORCH) will have a free showing April 26 at the Hopkins High School auditorium.
A photo showed members of the undefeated Wayland High School volleyball team, including Shirley Koperski, Diane Misak, Maureen French, May Lou Worfel, Debra Watkins, Linda Snyder, Sharon Doxey, Linda Wisniewski, Sue Schumaker, Cheryl Brower, Wanda Messer and Debbie Frank. Linda Lapekes was absent.
Al Brenner and Don Walker cracked back-to-back triples to highlight a big win by the Hopkins baseball team over Middleville. The Vikings also got the best of Byron Center.
The Eylander family of Moline had a big day at the West Michigan Bassett Hound Show, brining home four trophies. They included John Sr., John Jr. and Ed, and Arlie Syers Jr.
Bobby Goldsboro’s “Honey” spent its second straight on top of the nation’s list of popular songs.
75 Years Ago — April 23, 1943
With gasoline rationing in effect for all of the nation, Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher predicted the trips for the annual trout opener at the end of the month would be a lot shorter than usual and perhaps would feature car pooling.
A clipping from a copy of a Wayland Globe edition in the late 19th century asserted that winters in the 1840s in the Wayland area were so awful for the pioneers that they worried about surviving with enough food and warmth. This was published because of complaints about the cold and snow accumulations here in the winter of 1942-43. M.D. Heydenberk, a lad during that time, asserted that snow was piled as high as four feet deep.
Mr. and Mrs. M.F. Stokoe received a phone call that their daughter, Mrs. Myrtle Beauchamp, died at her home in Fitzgerald, Ga., after suffering an attack of apoplexy. She was only 50 years old.
Wayland Village President Rollo Mosher has appointed George Douglas marshal, Dr. C.A. Dickinson health officer, Ray Clack street commissioner, Cliff Averill fire chief and Edward Russell water commissioner.
Area fire departments were kept busy with two incidents last week. A house on the corner of Forest and Walnut streets, owner by Harold Reinhart and occupied by Nelson Brinkert, was gutted by fire, but he and neighbors were able to salvage some contents. Another fire occurred at the Curie Farm near Shelbyville, occupied by Ralph Button. “They kept a large herd of dairy cows, whose product is in high demand for the war effort.”
The Spring Shuffle dance, sponsored by the St. Therese Parish, will be held April 26 at Homrich Hall in Dorr, featuring the Burdette Mauchmar Family Bank providing dance music.
Local selective service boards are being ordered to return men over 45 years old or who have been rejected as 4-F for the military to area dairy farms for work because it is regarded as an essential activity.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Johnny Weissmuller in “Tarzan Triumphs.”
- James Ellison and Jane Wyatt in “Army Surgeon.”
- Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Peter Lorre in “Casablanca.”
- Ralph Richardson and Deborah Kerr in “The Avenger.”
100 years Ago — April 19, 1918
Corporal E. G. Wilson wrote a letter to friends back home from France, where he is serving in the war. He insisted, “We lead clean lives over here morally, but not as to bathing and changing sox, or combing the hair.”
A five-rell documentary film, “German Curse in Russia,” will be shown April 25 at Frank’s Opera House. Admission is 25 cents for adults.
Allegan County’s most recent quota from selective service has been set at 52.
Dorr native Clinton McConnell, 28, died of tuberculosis April 8 at his parents’ home. He had been called to duty a year ago and was at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, but was discharged Sept. 30 because of his illness.
Moline School District No. 6 teacher Miss Bender oversaw a box social and raised $55.60 for the American Red Cross and the war effort.
John Sommers was injured while driving his car to the Grand Rapids depot and struck a truck along the way.
The Michigan Telephone Co. has announced it will spend about $10,000 on repairs and rebuilding lines for the system in the area.
The Rev. Faye C. Wing, a local merchant, is hitting the road again to preach a few Sundays in Battle Creek.
Supt. Floyd Drake and the Wayland Board of Education rebutted a letter from a week ago from businessman W. H. Shuh’s contention that German shouldn’t be taught at Wayland High School as a matter of patriotism during the war. Their assertions were, “It has not been made plain that language is a menace.” “German is an ancestral language to English and is a great source of scientific knowledge.” “We cannot see where language is a patriotic issue.”
Wayland defeated Hopkins in a baseball game. “The girls are always a main factor in the games, for nothing helps the boys more than to hear the girls with all their might yell, “Fight, fight, fight!”
James B. Smith, a pioneer merchant in Wayland, died in VanWert, Ohio. He was in partnership with J.B. Manley in operating a hotel at the corner of Main and Superior, where the Wayland State Bank now stands.
Henika Library Director Miss Fanny Hoyt made a presentation at an assembly of Wayland school students on her trips down South and talked at great length about the tobacco and cotton industries.
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