(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
In 1940 the telephone exchange office that was located at 1818 Church St., Dorr, where in this photo, two sisters lived and operated the switchboards that connected a small town community. The Dorr exchange was established in 1905 with I. W. Carol the first manager, with Minnie Rewa and Lizzie Leonard being the first operators. The original toll rate was 10 cents to places near Dorr. The dial-up telephone service was started in 1941 and at this time the lines were cut over to the new central office that was leased to the sisters Mary and Rosa Schneider. The service also reached Byron Center, Moline, Jamestown, Wayland, and Grand Rapids.
25 Years Ago— Nov. 17, 1997
Bonnie Carpenter, a clerk at the Clark gasoline station in Martin, is recovering from injuries she suffered during a robbery there. Authorities said she was beaten so badly she had to crawl to the phone to call for help. United Bank branches are spearheading an effort to help her with expenses.
Allegan County Probate Judge George Grieg has ruled in favor of Mary Martin and the estate of Michael Martin, who will not have to pay the opposition’s attorney fees. Mary Martin was in court for a long time to try to get permission to let her husband die after a car-train accident in Moline in 1987.
Wayland and Hopkins girls’ basketball teams have claimed the O-K Gold and O-K Silver Conference championships and eagerly await the post-season tournaments.
The Hopkins Township Board has taken umbrage with Fire Chief Robert Larr’s purchase of an air tank filling station and is considering taking possession of the machine.
Kalamazoo Avenue west of town is now totally open to through traffic, but must wait for warm weather for paving.
Construction has begun at the new Leighton Township Library on 12th Street in Moline with a groundbreaking celebration.
Globe reporter Jean Gallup wrote an opinion piece blasting the press coverage of the death Princess Diana. In her concluding paragraph she wrote, “…the sale of supermarket tabloids has been sinking and network news programs are steadily losing viewers. The only newspapers that have gained or stayed even in distribution figures and profits are local weekly newspapers.”
Joe’s LP Gas owner Jim Panyrek was critical of Ameritech for not providing Wayland business listings in its telephone book.
Dorr Township Clerk Dick Dutkiewicz is protesting the system by which roads are paid for. He noted the County owns the roads, not the townships, and the Road Commission is responsible for maintenance. Local residents, he complained, pay taxes at the pump and property taxes to the county and through special assessments.
Two Moline men, Tom Miller and son-in-law Michael Lundeen, escaped serious injury in a one-truck traffic crash on Chief Noonday Road.
Leighton Township Planning Commission rejected Chairman Dick Baxter’s request for a special use permit to build a storage unit at his residence.
The Watson Township Board voted to rezone 40 acres at the southwest corner of 117th Avenue and 12th Street from commercial to industrial, clearing the way for an industrial park.
Hopkins Supt. George Stamas and Wayland Supt. Bob Brenner were shown in a ceremonial photo with Gov. John Engler and State Rep. Patty Birkholz after signing a bill to allow school boards greater flexibility in purchasing buses.
50 Years Ago — Nov. 14, 1972
Russell VanDenBos and William R. Todd, troopers with the Wayland post were cited for their efforts in rescuing a man from a car that landed in a lake in Allegan County.
The Wayland Board of Education adopted a resolution to pull out of the Allegan County Intermediate School District, opting instead for Kent County ISD.
Jerry Omness was hired as junior high wrestling coach at Wayland, Rick Morsew will coach eighth grade basketball and Sharon Nelson will coach several girls’ sports.
Mrs. Henry Chachulski wrote a letter to the editor thanking the Globe for its coverage and explanations of the statewide proposals in the general election.
Jackson’s Western Store, billed as one of the most unique businesses in West Michigan, was having an open house at its business on West Superior Street near the railroad.
Evangelist Dan Roxbury of Hopkins will be the special guest speaker at a series of meetings at the Brad;et Free Methodist Church.
Headlining the cast for the Wayland High School senior play, “The Whole Town’s Talking,” will be Conrad Mauchmar, Eric Weber, Linda Smith and Mary Predum. The play is under the direction of Viola Carroll and assistants Pam Eyelander and Bonnie Lynema.
The Hopkins varsity football team completed its season with a 7-2 record by romping 48-0 over Gobles.
The Wayland varsity suffered a crushing 46-12 defeat at the hands of Spring Lake to close its season with a record of 3-5-1.
75 Years Ago — Nov. 21, 1947
The Union Thanksgiving service this year was to include the Congregational, United Methodist and Church of Christ.
Winona Calkins was elected president of the WSCC group at the United Methodist Church.
Wayland Calvary Church will have a Thanksgiving evening service, featuring the Men’s Octette, the Girls’ Sextette, the orchestra and other musical numbers.
Joseph Clark, who worked for the Pere Marquette Railroad for 37 years died in Grandville. He was 57.
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church will have a “Feather Frolic” at the Gun Lake Church Hall Nov. 22 with a 50-cent admission charge.
Burglars pilfered about $4,000 worth of items from the Alvin Boysen Market in Martin. They were believed to have entered the building through an unlocked basement window.
The Wayland varsity basketball team boasts of four returning regulars, Bob Jager, John Bruinsma, Jim Koster and Henry Ritsema, and a junior varsity team that was undefeated last season. The Wildcats will open season against Delton, a team they edged by just one point a year ago.
The annual Bar-Ken-All basketball tournament will be held at the Burton Heights gym in Grand Rapids Jan. 13, 15 and 17.
World War II veteran Leslie Griffin, 27, of Wayland, reported to police he was robbed of $550 and papers from his room at the Burdck Hotel in Grand Rapids.
George E. Ryno resigned his post as president of the village, citing ill health as the reason. He had served the village for 11 terms. He will be succeeded by Harold Hawkins.
About 15 members of the FFA competed in a corn husking contest. Individual winner was Paul Jensen and the team of Henry Modreske and Wellington Miller copped the two-man honors.
A fire of unknown origin destroyed a barn at the farm owned by John Sayre in Hopkins. He had been away hunting and his wife was working at a Plainwell restaurant when the blaze erupted.
Mrs. Ruth Cooper presented a program about mulching to the ladies of the Wayland Garden Club.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• William Boyd as Hoppalong Cassidy in “Hoppy’s Holiday.”
• Dale Evans and Warren Douglas in “The Trespasser.”
• Lionel Barrymore, James Craig and Lucille Bremer in “Dark Delusion.”
• Robert Paige, Noreen Nash and Ted Donaldson in “Red Stallion.”
100 Years Ago — Nov. 17, 1922
Dr. Elmer Williams, a member of the staff of the chief of police in Chicago, will speak next Monday evening at the Methodist Episcopal Church. “Dr. Williams has been a student of the Negro and other social problems. He visited Mexico and made a survey of that country under the direction of the ME Church and now is a member of the Commission for Prison Reform. He has been a frequent speaker on the Chautauqua circuit.
Reporters for this week’s “School Notes” column are Wilma Wheeler and Frances Benedict.
The schools have begun a “Health Crusade,” determining average weight for height. To earn the title of Squire, student were required to complete 54 chores each week.
Mrs. Zelma Wilson read a paper on the origins and growing of coffee to members of the Ladies Library Club.
The Father and Son Banquet at the Corning Methodist Episcopal Church was hailed as a success.
A Thanksgiving social will be held at the Hooker school house Nov. 24 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Averill. Proceeds will go for hot lunches at Hooker school.
Eugene Hartwell’s home in Moline caught fire, but quick action by neighboring men were able to extinguish before much damage was done.
Mrs. J.I. Cutler of the county line cast her first ballot in the 1922 election. She is 85 years old.
It is anticipated that travel to winter in Florida will be the heaviest ever this year.
It was reported in the “38 Years Ago” column that W. B. Hooker was injured in a fall in front of his horses that spooked them, so they ran away with the wagon.
M. Loyengoed fell from his truck in Grand Rapids while loading a bathtub. He was confined to his home, but now is getting around with the help of a cane.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Priscilla Dean in “Wild Honey” and Eddie Polo in “The Secret Four.” Wenesday will be “Egg Night,” in which all school children will be admitted for one good egg.
A classified ad: “To every boy or girl who will bring $1.50 for one year’s subscription to the Dearborn Independent, the Ford International Weekly, will be given one toy Fordson Tractor.”