(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 12, 1997
Newaygo and Wayland took part in the annual Mayor’s Exchange Day, in which the Globe suggested the two communities shard stories about growing pains.
The annual Dahlia Springfest was held in Wayland and the damp weather did not deter those celebrating. Holly Keyzer was selected Miss Dahlia Springfest and there were hot air balloons.
The Leighton Township Fire Department adopted a much more strict policy on drinking and fire calls.
Wayland Township residents will face a tough summer with dusty gravel roads because there is no millage revenue to handle the cost of applications.
Windsor Woods mobile home park resident Blair Rice contended the city cares only about local citizens for their checkbooks and funding they create.
Floor plans for the new Leighton Township Library have been presented to the Leighton Township Board. The facility will be located on 12th Street just north of Moline.
A fire destroyed a second floor apartment at 313 W. Superior St., owned by Phyllis and Leon Hartwell. Fire Chief Hugh DeWeerd said the cause may have been smoking.
Gene Tobin is Wayland’s newest addition ot the Wayland Police Department.
Penny Blain wrote a letter to the editor insisting finger-pointing isn’t solving the problem of environmental hazards caused by tires in Watson Township near M-222.
Wayland Township officials are exploring the possibility of having curbside recycling.
Jim Kaczanowski retired from the Dorr Township post office after working for 35 years.
Leighton Township Supervisor Dar VanderArk also has been appointed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) coordinator and assessor.
Hopkins’ Bill Griffey broke his own school record in the shot put with a toss of 50 feet 8 inches. Maria Nixon also broke her own record in the 1600-meter run.
Hopkins sprint star and school record holder Todd Frazee has announced he will run for Aquinas College next year.
Caledonia defeated Wayland 70-67 in a dual meet showdown between two O-K Gold Conference track powers.
Wayland, behind stellar performances from senior pitcher Angie Farmer, freshmen Kara Potter and Nikki Merchant and slugger Candi Bala, is 7-0 in the O-K Gold Conference softball standings.
Hazel Ginebaugh, co-owner of the Gun Lake Dog ‘N Suds for 23 years, died. She was 82.
50 Years Ago — May 10, 1972
Wayland’s top 10 students for the Class of 1972 are Joyce Arndt, Mary Hooker, Mary Lautenschleger, Barbara, Laven, Jerry Laven, Larry Lawrence, Nancy Potter, Linda Shoemaker, Jill Smith and Sherry Smith.
Gerald Baker, son of Helen Kaumeyer of Wayland, has been named vice president of the E. K. Shelden Co. of Muskegon.
Wayland High School senior Debbie Holbrook was the subject of a feature story about her recent trip to Germany and Switzerland.
Among the proposals that will appear on the Michigan ballot this year will be one to permit a lottery and enable legislators to resign their seats in Lansing to accept another elected or appointed office.
Wayland Board of Education seats up for re-election in June are heled by J.H. LaValley and Verne Lettinga. LaVerne Young and Dale Williams will not seek re-election in Martin.
Sgt. Gary Hurst, a 1967 Wayland High School graduate, has been deployed to Germany after serving a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Wade Greenawalt, Lt. Harold Ernst and Mr. and Mrs. Noel Summers attended the Lions Club State Convention in Lansing.
Mrs. Gerrit VanHeck was featured in the weekly recipe column for a feather cake.
Though the O-K Conference athletic directors voted to disallow girls to play on boys’ athletic teams, Wayland followed the directive of federal Judge Damon Keith permitting Wildcat freshman Kathy Worfel to play on the tennis team at No. 2 doubles. However, it was finally decided that she wouldn’t play… because she is a girl. Sports writer David T. Young wrote, “The pressures on her have matched those on Jackie Robinson when he became the first Negro baseball player in the Major Leagues.”
Elwyn Powers broke his own school record in the mile run at 4:35.5 and the 800-yard run at 2:03.8.
Wayland Troopers William Parvianen and Reggie Smith received citations from Michigan State Police in Lansing for disarming a domestic dispute suspect.
75 Years Ago — May 16, 1947
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote in his weekly column: “Did you know that you work two months out of each year for the tax collector?… The average working man pays at last 21 percent of his income for taxes in one way or another.”
The school board terms of Vincent Snell and Elton Calkins expire this year. Snell has served three terms, but will not seek re-election.
The Rev. Ralph Dean, pastor of the local Methodist Church, will be speaker at the annual Memorial Day program.
Mrs. George Murphy penned another installment of of her column, “Our Educational Problem.” She focused on the value of early education.
Frank Langley was elected commander of the local American Legion.
Norma Hudson, Bessie Iliff and Dora Weaver are are spearheading the presentation an unusual handicraft exhibit by the County Federation of Women’s Clubs.
Mrs. J. Konecny will travel by plane to visit relatives to Prague, Czechoslavakia.
Many of the local and rural correspondents wrote extensively about family gatherings for Mother’s Day.
Bruce Culver was elected president of the Martin Boys’ 4-H Club.
The Wayland Garden Club, with the help and advice of the Village Council, is having the Village Park landscaped. The committee consists of Dora Weaver, Fannie Hoyt and Beth Mosher.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Roy Rogers and Trigger, Dale Evans in “Apache Rose.”
• James Cagney, Richard Conte, Sam Jaffe in “13 Rue Madeline.”
• Ray Milland and Barbara Stanwyck in “California.”
100 Years Ago — May 12, 1922
Eighth grade examinations will be given at the high school Thursday and Friday.
Fifth and sixth grade boys are done constructing their bird houses and girls have completed their kitchen towels, finishing the manual training sessions for the year.
Miss Corine Pitcher, former Wayland High School teacher, has signed a contract to remain with Ludington schools with a considerable pay raise.
Wayland Schools Supt. Floyd Boughner will lead the United Methodist Church’s Epworth League Sunday night series on “New Christian.”
Loren Edwards and Wilbur Crocker will lead a Grange discussion on the question, “Would price controls aid the farmer. If so, how?”
The Grange play “Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick,” performed May 4 will be repeated May 18 at the Regent Theatre.
Fred Corning, longtime Leighton and Wayland farmer, died at his home in Middleville after “18 months of great suffering.” He was just shy of 51 years old.
“We all wonder why the mayor of Hopkinsburg doesn’t ride in his sedan any more. Even his wife doesn’t appear.”
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: “Down Home.” Also showing, “Mack Sennett’s “Love, Honor and Behave” and Elmo Lincoln in “The Adventures of Tarzan.”
More than 130 numbers were sold at the Masonic dance party at Yeakey’s Hall. Another party is planned for two weeks hence.
The Wayland cow testing association has performed its services on 241 cows in the area by Leslie Wilcox.
Clinton Shattuck, nephew of Mrs. Charles Sias, is a foreign trade student at the University of Pennsylvania and is on the track team there.
