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

(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)

25 Years Ago — Sept. 22, 1993

Wayland High School’s football team of 1905.

Hopkins Board of Education President outlined options the school district will consider in the bond issue fails later this month, for the fourth time. The options include maintaining the status quo or moving portable classrooms into the most needy areas. Hopkins is seeking a bond to build a new high school and do renovations and improvements at Sycamore Elementary.

The Yankee Springs Township Board granted Thompson-McCully Co. and extension of its mining permit from 40 to 65 days to finish its gravel extraction operation on Payne Lake Road.

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a report of a suspicious man with a gun loitering around the Dorr branch of United Bank.

Lisa Adrian, a Kid Care teacher through the Wayland Community Education program, has been awarded a child development associate credential for her outstanding work with children.

Editor Nila Aamoth, in her most recent Soapbox column, came out strongly against censorship of books in honor of Banned Books Week. She wrote… “lead your children toward the reading material you feel is appropriate, but also nurture their ability to decide for themselves what is not.”

A variety of letters to the editor took of the issue of the upcoming Hopkins schools bond issue. Opposed were Barbara Chachulski, who suggest school officials were wearing down voters’ resistance with this being the fourth request and Janice Iciek, who said the district is not in the dire overcrowding condition being advertised. Writing in support were former Wayland School Board member Diane Smith, Tom Richmond and Marti MacArthur.

John Allen Young, 17, of Wayland, was arraigned in Allegan County District Court on charges he stole his grandfather’s mobile home during an alleged crime spree.

Marjorie Adams of Dorr complained that she was the target of a scam by people posing as Publishers’ Clearing House officials who said she’d win $250,000 if she wired them $1,380 first.

The Martin varsity football team improved to 2-1 with a 28-8 win over Lawton. Wayland blasted Cedar Springs 40-15 to set up an early season showdown with Kenowa Hills, last year’s state runner-up. QB Joe Jandernoa tossed a 69-yard TD pass to Mike Lapekes and Shane Towne scored on an 84-yard run.Hopkins quarterback Tim Hibma unleashed four touchdown passes in a 43-0 rout of Saugatuck “at the Indians’ tee pee.”

The Wayland girls’ basketball team had a terrific week with two victories, the latter a 51-41 decision over state-ranked Caledonia. Heidi Moreau had a dozen points for the ‘Cats and Anna Rybicki and freshman Angie Farmer had 11 each.

Mike Merren broke the school record for nine-hole score by carding a 34 in a dual match victory over Delton at Orchard Hills.

50 Years Ago — Sept. 18, 1968

The Wayland Board of Education and Wayland Education Association reached a tentative agreement on a new employment contract. Beginning teachers would receive a salary of $6,250 and the maximum pay at the top was set at $9,548. Teachers agreed to drop their unfair labor practice charge as a result.

John Salski, a 1966 graduate of Wayland High School, earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the summer term at Grand Valley State College.

A special citizens’ committee is being organized to help promote the upcoming vote on bringing in a sanitary sewer system in the City of Wayland.

Wayland Globe Plant Supervisor Robert Reidlinger was pictured preparing the printing of ballots for the general election Nov. 5.

Wayland High School graduate Dan Bates, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bates of Shelbyville, is going to Iran to work under a Ford Foundation grant. A University of Michigan graduate, he attended Robert College in Istanbul, the hometown of his wife, who is working on her doctorate in art history.

Eleven area people earned their one-gallon pins for blood donations. They were Dirk VanDussen Sr., Wilmer DeVries, Birney Belka, James Cody, Neil Horn, Mrs. Thomas Stora, Robert Hendrixson, Wilson Oglesbee, Mrs. Harold Brower, Mrs. Richard Overmire and Herman VandenBerg.

Dr. Gerald VandeVoord of Wayland will represent Allegan County at the Michigan Medical Society’s annual meeting in Detroit.

Local Red Cross chairs Mrs. Ed Nickels, Mrs. Wesley Jackson and Mrs. Elbert Simpson are leading the organization’s Ditty Bags efforts for Christmas for soldiers in Vietnam.

Rich Worfel scored on a 27-yard run, but Wayland was guilty of nine fumbles and lost its season opener 19-6 to Plainwell.

Hopkins lost is season opener 2-0 to Fennville when its punter was tackled in his own end zone. Mike Adamczyk gained 68 yards rushing and the Vikings’ defense held the Blackhawks to 120 total yards.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Walt Disney’s Family Band,” plus the “Three Little Pigs” cartoon.

Kim Wyatt, 10, and his friend Paul Wolowicz were planning a backyard carnival, with proceeds to go the effort of defeat Muscular Dystrophy.

The East Martin Christian Reformed Church was host for the Allegan County Sunday School Convention.

Jimmy Levandoski was to be the guest speaker for the next meeting of the Wayland Grange, showing his collection of autographs.

Wayland High School graduate Randall Funk was reported to be hospitalized in the Philippines while serving in the U.S. Navy.

75 Years Ago — Sept. 25, 1943

Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher announced that this week’s edition begins the 59th year for the Wayland Globe. He said his father, George, learned the printing trade in Petosky and Mackinaw City before setting up shop in Wayland in 1884. “During this period the newspaper has been owned and edited by the same family except for 15 months,” he wrote. George Mosher died in 1919. The Globe first was printed in a room over the old Pickett Store, then moved to the old Turner building and later where Brooks Market existed in the 1940s on West Superior.

Two more farms fell victim to fires. The one owned by Steve Kover was destroyed and the other was owned by Byron Carpenter and occupied by Verne Carpenter near Shelbyville.

The Moline Rebekah Lodge Friendship Night was attended by representatives from Holland, Pullman, Otsego, Glenn, Wayland, Douglas and East Casco.

Ivan D. Smith, Rollo Mosher, Sib Rumery and Jake Haveman all were selected delegates to the Michigan State Convention of the Republican Party in Detroit.

Mildred Smith was elected president and Beth Mosher first vice president of the local Legion Auxiliary. Mrs. Smith also was selected grand representative to the Order of Eastern Star Grand Chapter meeting in New York.

Senior Kenneth Pratt and junior William McElwee were chosen as the finalist candidates for student council president at Wayland High School.

The Wayland High School football team has an open date Friday, but will be at Caledonia Oct. 2.

Rain has cut down on attendance at the Allegan County Fair, but Wayland High School students were given all day Tuesday, Sept. 22, off to attend, submitting 30 entries in 4-H contests.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:

  • Jean Parker and John Arthur in “Hi, Neighbor.”
  • Regis Toomey and Adele Longmire in “Bullet Scars.”
  • Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in “Pardon My Sarong.”
  • Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in “Riders of the West.”
  • The Andrews Sisters and Harry James in “Private Buckaroo.”

100 Years Ago — Sept. 20, 1918

A recent ruling by the War Board makes it necessary for all newspapers to adopt a cash in advance system. No newspaper can be sent to a subscriber who is in arrears for three months.

The Rebekahs and their brethren in the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) were invited to Mrs. S.F. Yeakey’s birthday turney dinner, with about 25 in attendance. Guests also enjoyed a ride in S. Damoth’s new truck.

Arthur H. Looyengoed of Wayland has arrived in France with the 54th Pioneer Chief Medical detachment.

A special Liberty Day celebration Saturday, Sept. 28, will include a parade, songs, speeches and football game at 2:30 p.m. between Wayland and Sparta high schools.

A special presentation, “Lest We Forget,” with Rita Jolviet, survivor of the sinking of the Lusitania, will be offered in two shows at Frank’s Opera House Thursday.

A large number of area people have taken up employment at the new picric acid plant in the southern part of Grand Rapids.

A Mothers’ Club dance Friday night raised $50 for the American Red Cross.

John Haley has accepted a position with the Halloran Detective Agency in Grand Rapids.

The fourth in a series of dances in Dorr is planned for the Red Cross, with 50 cents for admittance and 10 cents to be a wallflower.

Howard Jerome, who earlier had been reported to be missing in action in France, now is rumored to be hospitalized and preparing to come back home.

Russell Hanlon has traveled to Big Rapids to attend pharmacy classes at Ferris Institute.

The Epworth League members enjoyed a marshmallow roast at the home of Irene Nelson north of the village.

Newest Interurban operators are Elton Bergman, agent, and Louis Finkbeiner, assistant.

Laban Banchart has erected “a fine new slaughterhouse” in the southwest portion of the village.

Charles Nelson is spending this week at the West Michigan Fair demonstrating milking machines.

The weekly Liberty Chorus program at 8:30 Saturday night downtown will include “America,” “Red, White and Blue,” “My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Old Folks at Home,” “Love’s Old Sweet Song” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”

 

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