(Taken from the archives at the Then & How Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — June 23, 1993
The Apple Core Lounge and Wayland Township appear to be going to court over the township’s revocation of the establishment’s dance permit. Owner Al Baker, after shutting down operations for two weeks, reopened when he discovered the action doesn’t take effect until July 1.
Negotiations on a new employment between the Wayland Education Association and Wayland Board of Education have taken a brief recess, but Superintendent Robert Brenner and WEA President Jeff Salisbury both indicated they are optimistic about chances of a settlement. The pact expires July 1.
Staff at the Penasee Globe are planning a special “We Live Here” edition over the July 4 holiday. They will get a week off as a result.
Dennis Reno was selected as Wayland Lions Club Citizen of the Year for his active role in the city’s Streetscape downtown improvement project.
Martin Township Supervisor Bert Schipper is recovering from a leg injury he suffered in a tractor accident on his farm.
Chief Dan Miller and Wayland police have reported a recent uptick in thefts, vandalism and break-ins in the community since the warm weather has arrived.
Scott Sullivan wrote a feature piece about World War II fighter pilot Jack Burt, a Martin High School graduate who married a Wayland girl, Dorothy Richards. The two married in 1942 and settled on a farm north of Martin.
Martin High School student Ed Westendorp was second in the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America state competition in Grand Rapids.
Henika District Library Director Lynn Mandaville has announced the creation of an all-volunteer Henika Sidekicks group of local people who intend to help the library with a variety of tasks. Mandy Sikkema is the group’s ringleader.
50 Years Ago — June 19, 1968
Mrs. William Finkbeiner, assistant cook for Wayland schools for the past 23 years, has indicated she is retiring. She had served since 1945 under Mrs. Donald Bastian, Mrs. Cloyce Linsley and current chief cook Harold “Butch” Hinckley.
The Rev. James Smith, a native of Dundee and graduate of Olivet College and Christian Theological Seminary of Indiana, has accepted the call to be the next minister at the Congregational Church. He will be ordained at the church Sunday evening, June 30, succeeding the Rev. Oscar Wilson.
Wayland High School students Patti Adams, Rita Belka and Linda Feldwisch will spend their summers as foreign exchange students at Denmark., Sweden and Germany, respectively.
The Wayland City Council is working on a new proposal for a sewer system, which plans call for being included on the ballot in November in the general election.
Meanwhile. the Wayland Board of Education voted to make its fourth try at a millage increase in a special election July 22. Supt. James Thomas said the board agreed to pare the fund balance down to $30,000 to honor employment contracts with teachers. Wallace Wakeman was elected president of the board.
John Dickinson, son of Dr. and Mrs. C.A. Dickinson of Wayland, has earned a number of accolades from Wayne State University Medical School. He intends to serve his internship in pediatric surgery at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn.
Richard Canen has resigned his post as vice presidemt at Wayland State Bank to take an executive vice president’s position at First State Bank of Springfield, Ill.
Former Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in his “Observations Here and There” column, lamented recent changes for the Allegan County Board of Supervisors becoming the Allegan County Board of Commissioners, the elimination of the local justice of the peace post as of Jan. 1, 1969, and the changing of the village to become a city, which he suspected raised taxes.
Kay Graham and Kathy Smith were recognized for earning perfect 4.0 grade point averages in every marking period of their Wayland High School academic careers.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Peter Ustinov and Dean Jones in “Blackbeard’s Ghost.”
Donald, Stuart and Kenneth Milburn were reunited in Wayland for the first time in three years when Don and Stuart were granted furloughs from the service.
Lance Corporal Jerry L. Thomas of Shelbyville has been promoted to his present rank while serving in the U.S. Navy in Okinawa.
Herb Alpert, perhaps best known as band leader of the Tijuana Brass, hit No. 1 on the charts with “This Guy’s in Love with You.”
75 Years Ago — June 25, 1943
The blackout the previous Tuesday, according to Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, “was what might be called a complete success, as there was not even one icident reported to headquarters.”
Mosher also reported that recent heavy rainfall has been wreaking havoc with farmers in tending the corn crops. “Those who had surplus old corn this year are just plain lucky,” he commented.
The community of White Cloud in Newaygo County north of Grand Rapids is in dire straits because of a lack of local bus service. The village has passenger train service only twice a day, making it challenging for those who work in Grand Rapids.
The village has replaced its old dump truck with a newer and more efficient model that is expected to be welcome in handling snow removal chores.
Monterey Township farmer Herman Reuhle, 58, was killed instantly when the piece of steel he was carrying came into contact with a wire inside a tree.
Postmaster Morris Ehle has reported Wayland for the first time ever has been upgraded from third class to a second class post office.
U.S. Navy payroll officer Robert Cozzens, son of Amy Cozzens of Wayland, was home on a brief furlough.
The Gun Lake Homecoming Festival is scheduled for July 4 at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church.
The Truax School Reunion is slated for Sunday, June 27, on the school grounds.
Letters from servicemen overseas published this week were from Ed Wisniewski and Rodney Cole. Meanwhile, it was reported that Charles Lapekes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lapekes, was wounded in action on Attu Island and now is recuperating in a hospital in Texas.
Pauline Ellis and Helen Haywood of this village are sharing living quarters and working in Battle Creek. Pauline works for Michigan Bell and Helen has an office job at the Wilcox-Rich defense plant.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- “Desert Victory,” a documentary highly recommended by radio war correspondent Walter Winchell.
- Mary Lee, John Archer and Marjory Lord in “Shantytown.”
- Gary Cooper in “Pride of the Yankees,” a biopic on the life of Lou Gehrig.
- The Andrews Sisters, Robert Paige and Grace McDonald in “Hows About It.”
- Lon Chaney Jr. in “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman.”
100 Years Ago — June 21, 1918
C.W. Appleton, who served as Wayland schools superintendent for eight years and three years at Lake Odessa, has been chosen to take over as school chief at Lowell.
The Hunsberger Family Reunion was attended by 72 people on Church Street within the village June 15.
Sheldon Coleman, president of the Village of Lawton and chairman of the Dry Campaign for Van Buren County, is seeking the Republican Party nomination for State Senate.
The Grand Rapids Press published a feature story about Grand Rapids’ first war bride, Nina Cooper, who wed Clyde Gillispie of Wayland in April 1917, only days after the U.S. declared war on Germany. Gillispie enlisted and his wife served as a stenographer in Washington D.C.
Susan Elizabeth Olney, born in 1833 and later a resident of Big Prairie Township in Newaygo County, died at age 84 after living in Wayland for 50 years.
Ivan Baker and S. Blaine were listed as the winning battery in Hilliards’ 8-2 baseball victory over Byron.
The War Savings Society’s next meeting will be at the library with a literary program.
The 19th annual Corning-Lewis reunion was held just south of the village on the Guert Fales farm. James F. Corning answered for his family at roll call.
William T. Robisnon, who came to East Wayland in 1866, died at his home at age 80, leaving behind 11 living children.
Passenger rates on the Interurban are scheduled to be increased by three cents per mile.
Charles Billingham, 73, a Civil War veteran and native of Lincolnshire, England, died at his Wayland home, where he had lived since 1902.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Chamberlain traveled to Kalamazoo to observe the graduation of their daughter, Myrtle, from Western Normal.
Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Fos drove to Hudson, Mich., and returned home with son, Deyo, who is a manual arts instructor at the school there.
COVER PHOTO: The Terrible Trubadors were a fixture, featuring light jazz band at fund-raisers and dances for charities in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Trubadors performing here are (from left) Bill Mauchmar on clarinet, a Mrs. Mauchmar with an unknown first name on piano, Ed Longstreet on drums and super saxophonist Irvin P. Helmey, also known for being Wayland Globe Editor-Publisher.