(Taken from the archives of the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Aug. 18, 1993
U.S. Senator Carl Levin was in town to talk about a three-mile strip of the Hall Lake Nature Trail that may become part of the North Country Natural Scenic Trail, which winds from North Dakota, to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. It was created by Congress in 1980.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners has given TSI, an electronics firm, until Aug. 25 to finalize its purchase of the former Kessler’s building on South Main Street, which had been shuttered several years ago. County Promotional Alliance Director Barb Kaarlie said she’d confident the deal will be made.
A proposed residential development behind The Note along Chief Noonday Road may be back in the works before the Yankee Springs Township Board. The Planning Commission in May turned down the proposal after receiving petitions with 119 signatures opposing the plans.
Ida DeKraker of Dorr penned a letter to the editor noting Dorr is the only township in Michigan with two libraries within its borders and suggested the old Moline Library be absorbed into a new and expanded Dorr facility.
Scott Schumaker, associate director of bands at Rockford, has been hired as director of the Wayland High School band program. He succeeds George Rousseau, who has left to return to his almater at Belding.
Wayland, Hopkins and Martin school district are opening for the new academic year with a lot of financial uncertainty because of the defeat earlier this year of a plan to lower property taxes and fund schools more with an increase in the sales tax.
Martin is implementing a new Student Panning Center to deal with disciplinary problems as a result of research from the outcomes-based education movement. John Edgerton has been hired as supervisor.
After Michigan State University Professor Kenneth Verburg was hired at $5,000 to conduct a study to help streamline county government, commissioners agreed it’s important to change their emphasis on roles to legislative and policy making functions rather than managing county affairs. There was, however, some debate about Administrator Joanne Jones not having a college degree.
The Hopkins, Martin and Wayland football teams are preparing for their season openers against Kelloggsville, Saugatuck and Plainwell, respectively. Hopkins is welcoming 14 starters back, Wayland sports good size and Martin hopes to climb in the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference under second-year coach Pete Schemerhorn.
Sue-Lynn Farms women’s softball team, loaded with Wayland, Hopkins and Martin graduates, went undefeated in the Byron Center league this past summer. The Sue-Lynn Farms men’s team also won the league title.
50 Years Ago — Aug. 14, 1968
Mrs. Clara Durfee resigned her seat on the Wayland Board of Education before finishing her first term. She cited personal reasons.
Kenneth Moored of Burnips has been appointed to a seat on the Allegan County Intermediate School District Board, succeeding Kenneth Rynbrandt, who left the district to live in Zeeland. He joins Wally Wakeman, Cleon Duryea, Phyllis Drozd and Alice Wightman on the board.
State Rep. James Farnsworth has announced quarterly school state aid payments of about $110,000 to Wayland, $50,000 to Martin and $58,000 to Hopkins, in addition to $400 to Monterey No. 3.
Ivan Kuhtic, a native of Yugoslavia, died at his home in Wayland Township. He was 77.
Doyle Disbrow has been appointed principal-teacher at Dorr Elementary School, succeeding the retiring Mrs. Irene Miller.
Though the academic year is fast approaching, the Wayland and Hopkins school boards haven’t yet reached employment contract agreement with their respective teachers’ unions. The Globe published the first in a series of position papers from both sides of the Wayland school negotiations.
It was a huge week in Wayland, celebrating its 100th year of existence. The entire week of Aug. 18-24 was set up like a county fair, to include fireworks every night, the dedication of the Henika Public Library, a Wayland High School band concert, four “Wonderful Wayland” historical pageants, a mukle pull, parades, carnival rides, a midway downtown, the annual Globe tennis tournament, the community fair, a square dance exhibition, a Centennial Belles luncheon, baton twirling contest and Brothers of the Brush beard judging contest.
While on 30-day furlough from serving in Vietnam, 1965 Wayland High School graduate Steve Clak was pictured with a huge large-mouth bass he and Andy Wisniewski caught out of Hardwood Lake.
Uncle Walt Kronemayer and his family were guests at the Hopkins Baptist Church for a presentation on their 14 years as missionaries in the jungles of Africa.
St. Therese Church was sponsoring a special procession through downtown to the athletic fields for a special non-celebratory mass led Msgr. Hugh Michael Behan of Grand Rapids, best known as the host of TV’s “Fifteen with Father.”
Among the film offerings at the U.S.-131 Drive-In Theatre near Plainwell was “Mary Jane,” focusing on the rising use of marijuana.
75 Years Ago — Aug. 20, 1943
Brownie Clark wrote a letter to Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher taking him to task for forgetting Cadet Band members who performed, including himself, Fred Yeakey, Hank Rogers and Claude Smith on leave from the service.
Richard A. O’Donnell is enrolled at Western Normal School in Kalamazoo, traing in the Navy’s V-12 college program.
Andrew Wisniewski and Loren Mauchmar have been doing well enough in the radiomens’ program at Northwestern University to move up to third class. They are learning how to repair and adjust military communications equipment.
Two Chlebana brothers, Michael and Charles, were on leave from military service before being assigned overseas. Brother Joe already is serving in North Africa and an MP.
Petty Officer Merle Hurley has completed a 30-day furlough after receiving a citation for bravery while serving in the South Pacific.
The Southwest Michigan Parish Jersey Show has been canceled because of the war effort.
James E. Carpenter, so of Mrs. Clayton Smith of Wayland, has been moved from a prison in the Philippines to another in Tokyo. He was reported missing in action May 11.
Wayland High School graduate Josephine Pawloski earned outstanding honors at the commencement ceremony for Mercey Central School of Nursing in Grand Rapids.
Second Lt. Donald Barlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Barlow of Hopkins, has arrived safely in England to begin duties as a bomber pilot.
Mrs. Lilla Calkins has resigned as chair of ten Sewing Committee of the Ant-Can’t Society because she is leaving the community.
Now Showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette in “Gaucho Serenade.”
- Sam Hunter, Gloria Jean and Donald O’Connor in “It Comes up Love.”
- Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, James Gleason and Dana Andrews in “Crash Dive.”
- Allan Jones and Jane Frazee in “Rhythm of the Islands.”
- William Boyd and Hoppalong Cassidy in “Twilight on the Trail.”
100 Years Ago — Aug. 16, 1918
Cpl. Forest G. Clack, serving in France, wrote a letter published on the Globe’s front page, saying, “The French people are all very polite and glad to do anything they can for us… We do not want peace until the Kaiser and all his kin are conquered.”
Village Water Commissioner J.B. Stockdale told the Village Council he received a letter from the Plainwell Clerk about using calcium chloride to sprinkle on streets instead of water. Meanwhile, petitions with 50 signatures were received from Ivan Hunsberger, asking for water sprinkling services on Maple, Cherry and Church streets. The petition was referred to the Water Committee.
The Good Cheer Circle enjoyed a picnic at Selkirk Lake Saturday night.
The Congregational Church’s Sunday School picnic was enjoyed at Ross Landing, Gun Lake, with a picnic dinner, bathing and rowing.
James and William Hinkle of Shelbyville attended the Blacksmiths’ Picnic at Miner Lake.
The Shelbyville baseball team was defeated 4-2 by Bill Miller’s team Sunday in Grand Rapids.
Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Ewing attended the Old Settlers Picnic in Jamestown.
The third annual Farmers Picnic is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Inglewood Landing, Green Lake.
Stanley Eggert has been appointed sergeant for his company training in Lansing. Meanwhile, Clyde Pierson and Rollo Mosher are reported to be doing well in their studies and training.
The Liberty Chorus was reported to have been Saturday evening downtown by hundreds of voices. Editor George Mosher wrote, “There was some pathos and pep expressed in those old-time war songs. There was some excitement when Al Mylnarchek’s team of horses broke loose briefly downtown, but no one was hurt.