(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Jan. 12, 1994
A public hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 24 on plans for renovations at the Dorr Township Park along 142nd Avenue. A recreation plan may be developed in hopes of securing grant funding.
Editor Nila Aamoth wrote a prophetic Soapbox piece about President Clinton’s speech about prospects for the “Information Superhighway,” referring to the Internet. She suggested that “most will operate below the speed limit.”
A group of Watson Township residents are publicly opposing the New Hope Center for male teen sex offenders, proposed to be located at 18th Street and 122nd Avenue and operated by Watson-Glen Ministries. In letters to the editor, they insisted the expanded services be confined to the juvenile home.
The Wayland Board of Education has agreed to hire another social worker because of the increasing need for students. The only social worker now is Karen Hunter.
Scott Sullivan wrote a feature story about the Dixie Pavilion just north of Bradley adjacent to Doan’s Lake. He regaled stories of romance, dancing and drinking to the music of the Melody Boys.
Sophomore Richie Guerrant scored 25 points, which matched the Lawton team’s total in Martin’s 77-25 victory.
Wrestling tournaments were in full force. Martin’s Buzz Hunderman (125 pounds) and Josh Conley (135) both were weight division champions for Martin at the Climax-Scotts tournament. Ken Bird (140) and Ken Fifelski (171) won titles for Hopkins at the Allendale tourney. And Wayland’s Mike Westfahl (152) and Chad Idema (189) went undefeated at at the Hudsonville Tournament.
After Wayland got off to a 2-0 start in O-K Gold Conference action, coach Mike Hudson’s Wildcats fell twice in a row, to Kenowa Hills and Forest Hills Northern. This, despite solid performances from Jon Ainsworth, Ken Stewart and Matt Barghan.
The Wayland volleyball team will take its 6-4-3 overall dual match record into its own 10-team invitational this coming Saturday.
50 Years Ago — Jan. 8, 1969
The Wayland Globe was printed for the first time outside its office, using the West Michigan Publishers presses in Paw Paw. West Michigan Publishers is a cooperative with a Board of Directors that includes Irv Helmey of the Globe, the Paw Paw Courier-Leader, the Vicksburg Commercial, the Cassopolis Vigilant, Galien River Gazette and Bangor Advance.
Another vote on the proposed sanitary sewer system for the City of Wayland is expected in the spring election. Council seats are up for current members Bill Conwell, Don Shafer and Marshall Towne.
Spec.-4 Rex Greenawalt was said to have set some kind of record for receiving the longest letter from home while serving in Vietnam. The letter, 25 feet long, was started by sister Roxie and included a paw print from brother Wade’s dog.
Dr. Bert VanderKolk, a general practitioner serving the Hopkins area since 1934, died at Ferguson Hospital in Grand Rapids Dec. 29. He had been active with the American Cancer Society.
The fourth in a series of Rotary travelogues was scheduled to shown at the Wayland Theatre. This month’s offering was to be “Exploring Poland.”
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey is chairman of the Allegan County Salvation Army Drive getting under way this month.
Mrs. Lorraine (Hilaski) Donovan died at her home after a lingering illness. She was only 35. She earned a master’s degree in education at Western Michigan University.
Lance Cpl. Lawrence Dietz of Dorr was featured in a story about a successful Marines operation in Vietnam.
Don Klein, Tom Latondress and John Barr each scored 12 pounts, but Wayland lost 57-49 to Plainwell and its overall season record slipped to 3-3.
The Wayland wrestling team now is 4-1 in dual meets after a 44-8 victory over Allegan. Winning by pins were Jerry Merren, Tim Permoda, Mike Chrisman and Mike Nardin.
Hopkins edged Bloomingdale 71-70 and downed Lawton 54-47. Don Krause, a 6-6 senior center, is averaging 17.6 points per game and John Wilson 14 to lead the Vikings’ offensive attack.
Ron Kraai is averaging 19.7 points per game for Martin, which will be Hopkins’ next opponent.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter,” starring Herman’s Hermits.
The Wayland Grange held a joint meeting with members of the local Rebekahs.
Kathy Overmire, a 1966 graduate of Wayland High School, was home on leave over the holidays from serving in the Women’s Army Corps in Ft. McClellan, Ala.
Mark Tony Jackson, 23, of Bradley, was killed by a gunshot wound in Kalamazoo.
The Wayland Calvary Church’s Boys’ Brigade are invited to watch a Ted Williams documentary film Sunday night on “Tarpon Fishing.”
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” continued atop the nation’s top[ tunes.
75 Years Ago — Jan. 14, 1944
Mrs. Ruby Smith of Wayland has received word that her son, Raymond “Bish” Smith has been promoted to first lieutenant. He entered the military in January 1942 and is serving in the South Pacific.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher told readers this week he was cutting back on the size of his weekly column “Observations Here and There” because of “an overabundance of advertising, which forces us to cut space to a minimum.”
Eldon Milheim of Wayland has been home on leave after serving in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific for the past two years. He was aboard the USS Normandy when it was damaged by fire in New York.
Bradley’s Masonic Lodge had a legal notice published, a resolution of respect for member Herbert W. Curie, who died Dec. 30.
The Wayland High School basketball team registed a 31-20 victory over Caledonia, with York scoring 12 points. The Wildcats will play Kelloggsville Friday.
James E. Simkins, who came to Gun Lake as a young boy from Berkshire, Massachussetts, died in the Hopkins home of his daughter, Mrs. Archie Henrickson. He was 85.
Sgt. Francis Poll of Moline was featured in a story published by the Associated Press about his surviving a harrowing battle with Germans in Italy.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Dale Evans and George Byron in “Hoosier Holiday.”
- Walt Disney’s “Victory Through Air Power.”
- James Cagney, Marjorie Main and Marjorie Lord in “Johnny Come lately.”
- Mabel Paige and John Craven in “Someone to Remember.”
- John Paul Revere and Smiley Burnette in “Beyond the Last Frontier.”
100 Years Ago — Jan. 10, 1919
Arthur Loyengood wrore a letter home from France and declared himself to be part of an “Army of Occupation.” Part of the letter was censored by Capt. G.B. Fleming.
Forest G. Clack wrote a letter from Belgium, Luxembourg and France, noting American troops are still having drills for 10 hours per day.
Raymond Selkirk wrote a letter to the Globe giving an account of his trip to Savannah, Ga.
The first annual Athletic Association banquet featured members of the Allegan County champion Wayland High School football team. Members of the squad ended the evening’s festivities with “yells.”
Eva Furgus has left her teaching post at Wayland High School to take a government job in Washington D.C.
The adult Bible class at the Congregational Church had a New Year’s Eve party with teacher Ed Evers. However, it was reported, “One who has been far away in a far away city for more than a year and not being accustomed to country roads became confused, going in the opposite direction of his home.”
Will Hooker, son of Mr. and Mrs., W.B. Hooker of Wayland, was reported to be recuperating nicely after being gassed in Europe will serving as a courier. He is convalescing at Camp Custer in Battle Creek.
A class in social dancing is being offered every Friday evening at Yeakey’s Hall downtown.
Wayland High School juniors have been cataloging library books according to the Dewey Decimal System’s guidelines.
Principal Morton of the Tuskegee Institute of Alabama, responding to an inquiry by the Wayland High School Home Economics Club, reported that “a little Christmas cheer (is needed) for the poor colored children of the south.”
Two local men were reported to have died in battle overseas. One was Charles Cooch, son of Frank Cooch of Wayland, who was killed in action in October. The other was Ben Davis of Dorr, who died at the Great Lakes Training Center in Illinois.
Lawrence Boughner presented a talk about educational matters to the Ladies Library Club and his wife gave a reading about Joan of Arc.
Optician Ward T. Miller of Kalamazoo now is promising to make regular visits to Wayland to handle peoples’ needs for eyeglasses.