(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 19, 1997
The Leighton Township Board intends to regulate local scrap yards by adopting need for special use permit and licensing.
The Hopkins Township Board and denied a request from Kal Schanz for rezoning a farm parcel along 12th Street near Wayland to industrial, but the property owners may come back with a different proposal. Schanz maintained, “It’s a great place to do business. That’s where businesses want to be. Commercial is such a small piece of township land.”
The Hopkins boys’ football, basketball and track teams are the reigning O-K Silver Conference champions for the academic year 1996-97. The latter is no mean feat because Hopkins reinstated track and field just a few years ago.
Residents in Martin Village and Martin Township now will submit all inquiries about building inspection services to Professional Code Inspections.
Tressa Duffin, 32, is the newest trooper at the Michigan State Police post in Wayland, coming from Monroe.
Trooper Mike Jaffri has been assigned to be the Wayland post’s new community service officer, according to Commander First Lt. Mike Olson.
Editor Nila Aamoth asked the thorny question about what local residents want in their community, in terms of tourism. She noted that recent trends suggest Wayland is becoming a bedroom community for people who work in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
A federal court has ruled in favor of members of a group of 22 landowners against Penn Central Railroad over right of way. Chair of the group was Pam Brown of Watson Township.
The Allegan County chapter of Habitat for Humanity soon will break ground on its first house, at a vacant lot in Allegan.
Jonathan Langford of Martin and Anthony MacFayden of Wayland teamed up to place seventh in the national Quality Car Care competition in Dearborn.
Conference track meets produced champions from Hopkins in the Silver, with Todd Frazee dominating the sprints and Bill Griffey the throws. Sabrina Scully was open 400 champ for Wayland, as was Walter Smith in the high jump at 6-2.
Angie Farmer tossed a one-hitter at Belding as the Wildcat softball team won eight ballgames in three days to lift their gaudy record to 26-5. Casey Scully did a lot of the heavy hitting, along with Candi Bala.
50 Years Ago — May 17, 1972
Daniel Ransbottom was named valedictorian and Kathryn Geib salutatorian for the Martin High School Class of 1972.
Moline Christian was set to graduate 22 eighth-graders, with Randal Nauta valedictorian and Elinor Hendriksma salutatorian.
Charles R. Wright Sr. was elected Wayland VFW commander and Patricia Lamphear Auxiliary president.
The first adult education graduation for Wayland Union Schools was held at the girls’ gym with 33 graduates earning diplomas.
New City Manager Raymond France called it “belt squeezing” when the City Council agreed to hold the line on the local tax levy at 12 mills.
Richard Nixon and George Wallace won the first-ever presidential primary elections in Michigan. In the wake of the attempted assassination of Wallace, Editor Irv Helmey wrote that the courts are too focused on petty crimes and not enough on serious offenses such as that perpetrated against Wallace.
Lorna Clyma penned a letter to the editor praising the efforts of school cooks Bea Standish, Louise Schafer, Maxine Henry and Evelyn Henningson.
Wayland High School students John Shaw and Robert Moyer were injured in a traffic accident on 135th Avenue.
75 Years Ago — May 23, 1947
The Wayland chapter of the Future Farmers of America have an interesting display in front of the Consumers Power Co. building, explaining what they do.
The Pennsylvania Railroad has petitioned to discontinue two passenger trains, which would adversely affect Wayland rural mail customers.
The annual Wayland High School class reunion will be held at the cafeteria Thursday evening with a potluck.
The American Legion will make plans for the upcoming Decoration Day observance, with committee members Halden Hudson, Ivan Smith and Rollo Mosher.
Bernard Bazzett will give the valedictory address and Russell Hanlon the salutatory at the Wayland High School graduation exercises May 28. Berdine Chapple was set to sing a solo.
The village dump will be open Thursday, May 29, instead of Friday.
Hopkins High School Principal A.L. Deal has announced that seniors will visit Chicago during a two-day tour.
Dr. Willis Dunbar, program director of the Fetzer Broadcasting Co. in Kalamazoo, will be guest speaker May 28 at the Hopkins High School commencement. Three students who earned perfect 4.0 grade point averages, Elaine Arehart, Dorothy Jean Baske and Lorraine Iciek, will be recognized.
The Hopkins United Methodist Church dedicated its new organ as a memorial to Clara Upson.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy and Andy Clyde in “Fools Gold.”
• Lynne Roberts and Warren Douglas in “The Pilgrim Lady.”
• Dana Andrews, Jane Wyatt and Lee J. Cobb in “Boomerang.”
• Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John Payne and Anne Baxter in “The Razor’s Edge.”
100 Years Ago — May 19, 1922
Mrs. Richard Thompson was killed on the Interurban crossing Saturday afternoon on Maple Street after buying eggs and butter with her husband. She and her daughter were in the back seat of a touring car her husband was driving. They were thrown from the vehicle. “Hope was expressed by many that the Michigan Railway Co. would now see their way clear to place electric alarm bells on the crossings in the village.”
Barry County Ag Agent F. W. Bennett was guest speaker at the last meeting this season of the Northeast Hopkins Community Club. He said when a farmer demands his just dues, he speaks as a united body of determined men.
Undersheriff William Oliver determined that a two-car night accident was the fault of neither because no one was driving with lights on.
William Sidney Baird, 76, longtime caretaker of the Methodist Church and Civil War veteran, died at his home in Martin.
The mechanical work done on this week’s Globe was done entirely by electrical power with a new motor for the large cylinder press, replacing the gas engine of the past 16 years.
Deyo Fox has been appointed vocational counselor and vice principal at East Jackson Junior High School.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre: Lionel Barrymore and Gypsy O’Brien in “The Master Mind,” “A Certain Rich Man” and “the Adventures of Tarzan,” with Elmo Lincoln.