(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now historical library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Oct. 7, 1996
The Wayland Board of Education gave tentative approval to an updated sex education plan over some parents’ objections for “overkill.” Board member Robert Wiersema cast the only dissenting vote.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners ousted the five-member County Health Board after an entire summer of in-fighting and will oversee the agency. Departing board members are Chairman Kevin Brenner, Elizabeth Gren-Bailey, County Commissioner David Babbit, Arnold Wilde and Londa Anderson.
Karen Krulac and Angela Hughey both wrote letters to the editor opposing a controversial annexation proposal for Wayland City on paving 133rd Avenue in Wayland Township.
Editor Nila Aamoth, in her Soapbox on Gov. John Engler agreeing to specialized license plate sale, wrote, “Anyone who has traveled Michigan’s highways and byways of late knows that the automobile state is among the most neglectful of the roadbeds on which those gas guzzlers must travel.”
Sylvia’s Place, Allegan County’s new domestic violence shelter, is scheduled to open Oct. 13.
Solid performances by Jason Moore, Anna Seif and Sara Grygiel have fueled successes lately for the Wayland cross-country teams.
The Wayland girls’ tennis team finished second in the Grand Rapids Central tournament, with Simmi Kesler and Stepahanie Cunigan winning first place at fourth doubles.
Coach Mark Austin’s Hopkins girls finally absorbed their first basketball defeat, 45-37 at the hands of GR Covenant Christian. The Lady Vikings now are 11-1 overall and undefeated in O-K Silver Conference competition.
Meanwhile, the Martin girls remained perfect in nine games thus far.
All-stater Angie Farmer scored 15 points in the third quarter alone and 30 for the game to lift Wayland to its fifth straight victory.
Frank Rybiski rolled a perfect 300 game and Tamie Sevigny posted the highest have three-game series at Airport Lanes. Rybiski was joined Richard Akers, Rick Middleton and Mike Davis in the 300 club.
Percy Ross, co-owner of the Ross Resort at Gun Lake 50 years, died at age 92, at Hospice Home of Grand Rapids.
50 Years Ago — Oct. 6, 1971
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Link of Hopkins have announced they will serve in the Peace Corps on the island of Mauritious in the Indian Ocean for the next two years.
Wayland Union Schools Supt. James Thomas will be guest speaker at the next Chamber of Commerce meeting. He will outline plans for the school district’s building project in the wake of last month’s passage of the millage request.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stankey are the first recipients of Golden Agers passes for free admission to Wildcat athletic events.
The City of Wayland will seek federal help to build sanitary sewers from the Farmers Home Administration loan program, featuring 5 percent annual interest over 40 years.
Mrs. Emma Plott, Wayland’s only centenarian at age 108, died at Cunningham Nursing Home in Plainwell. She was born during the Civil War in Ohio 1863 and had been orphaned at age 7.
Lydia Long, 18, died of a lingering illness in Gallatin, Tenn. Services were held at the Archer-Hampel Funeral Home in Wayland.
Army Specialist Gary Tolhurst of Wayland received his second Bronze Star Award for service in Vietnam. A 1968 graduate of Wayland High School, he is a power plant operator for the 101st Airborne Division.
Lions Club member John Hefner presented a film to club members and City Councilmen about the dangers of marijuana use.
The Rev. George VanderWeit, a frequent letter writer to the Globe, has accepted a call to a church in Warrensville, Ohio, after serving three years as pastor of the Wayland Christian Reformed Church.
The Shrinking Violets TOPPS Club of Dorr celebrated its ninth anniversary.
The Wayland varsity football team overcame a lackluster performance to eke out an 8-0 victory over Byron Center to improve its overall season record 3-0. Jim Hendrixson scored the game’s only touchdown on a broken play in the fourth quarter, but the defense shined with a safety and holding the Bulldogs to minus yardage rushing. Gaylord Gaulke and A.J. Predum both recovered fumbles.
Hopkins will be hosts to East Jordan Friday night and the visiting team members will stay in several local homes overnight.
Freshman Steve Adamczyk is averaging 44 per nine-hole round to pace the Hopkins High School golf team.
75 Years Ago — Oct. 11, 1946
The Gamble Company has reported a successful grand opening at its new location at the Graczyk building on West Superior.
Residents and motorists are reminded to move over to the curb when firefighters and public safety officials are responding to emergency calls.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote in his “Observations” column, “Indian summer is now at its height and there is no need for local folks to drive hundreds of miles to see nature at flaming autumn time… Take our advice and get out over the weekend and see the beauties right in your own back yards.”
The first-ever Wayland Community Fair, sponsored by the FFA, Future Homemakers of America, Industrial Arts classes and Garden Club, was reported to be a success over the weekend.
Vera Duryee was selected worthy matron for the Hopkins chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, as was Pauline Packer for the Wayland OES chapter.
Ernest Calkins, 82, died at at his Wayland-area farm home after living here for 65 years.
Martin Ritter, 82, stepfather of L.P. Reno, died of a stroke shortly after a two-week visit in Hopkins.
The Globe is in receipt of a letter from the State Police that a post still is being planned to be located in Wayland, but a shortage of building materials is delaying construction.
Prominent Monterey Township farmer, Lee W. Calkins, 84, died at his home. He had been a life-long resident of Monterey and longtime member of the Methodist Church and Grange.
Mrs. Edna Fear, an Eaton Rapids teacher, visited Hopkins. Her late husband, LeRoy, was first superintendent when the district went from 10 grades to 12.
Mrs. A.H. Snook will present a book review to members of the Hopkins Ladies Library Club Oct. 14 at the Hopkins High School Auditorium.
The four candidates for Wayland High School Football Queen this year are Berdine Chapple, Patricia Adams, Betty Nowak and Phyllis Larson. She will be crowned the evening of Nov. 5.
The meat shortage situation is worsening. Rollo G. Mosher says people line up eagerly at the local market when it opens, but within a couple of hours the supply runs out.
Wayland Rotarians Phil Reno, Clyde Dickinson and Chet Brevitz are planning to revive an old-time Halloween party downtown on Oct. 31.
John L. Gurney has been chosen president and Walter Gillett secretary of a new Athletic Board of Control to coordinate athletic events in the community.
Donna Jean Blue, a Wayland High School graduate, has won another scholarship while a music student at Western Normal College in Kalamazoo.
Mrs. Raymond Selkirk was elected president and Mrs. Reuben Fox vice president of the Wayland Schools Parent-Teacher Association.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Paul Kelly and Douglas Fowley in “The Glass Alibi.”
- “God’s Country,” a James Oliver Curwood documentary film.
- Mona Freeman and Richard Denning in “Black Beauty.”
- Cary Grant, Alexis Smith and Monty Woolley in “Night and Day.”
100 Years Ago — Oct. 7, 1921
Ladies Library Club President Irene Yeakey and six past presidents worked together to celebrate the group’s birthday. Mrs. Elizabeth Clark sang a delightful Southern melody and cake and Neopolitan ice cream were served.
The Wayland High School football team won 6-0 at Sparta.
Percentage of school attendance has been high of late, above 95 percent.
The national photoplay “Twin Beds” will be shown Sunday at the Regent Theatre.
The Anti-Can’t Club is planning a hike through Nelson’s Woods for a weenie roast.
Mrs. Frank Buskirk, 33, of Shelbyville, died after an operation for goitre at Shelby and later Ludington.
Henry Germond, 82, an old resident of the community, died of an accident at a neighbor’s home with no relatives or survivors to report.
It is expected that the bridge north of town on the new cement road will be completed on Saturday night. Then the entire stretch of new road between Moline and Wayland will be open to traffic without any detours.
The local Women’s Christian Temperance Union met with Mrs. Sib Rumery and members plan to meet again Oct. 18 at the home of Mrs. William Heydenberk.
Dr. Ira Slater has submitted a sample of local water to authorities for public health concerns about the possibility of a typhoid outbreak.
Max Damoth, 5, was struck by a car and suffered injuries near his home while riding his new tricycle.
The Northeast Hopkins Community Club had an eventual meeting interrupted by a cloudburst. The club members are planning a vegetable fair Oct. 27 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hilbert.
Also showing at the Regent Theatre: Winsome Shirley Mason in “Girl of My Heart” and Bessie Barriscale in “The Breaking Point.”
The 4-year-old grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hartwell died at their Wayland home of an illness of several months.
