(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)

25 Years Ago— Feb. 2, 1998

Tom Cutler, a 20-year Marion High School principal and former coach of a championship football team, has been chosen new superintendent at Martin Schools. He is the father of Holton High School assistant principal and football coach Tom Cutler, who later became principal at Wayland High School.

The Globe published a front page photo of Chuckie Roach and Ginger Batson taking the plunge for the Polar Bear Dip at Gun Lake. This year the dip will be part of the annual Winterfest Saturday, afternoon, Feb. 18.

The community of Wayland is rallying around a family who lost a 10-year-old child, Steeby Elementary student Amanda Fewless to leukemia.

The record-setting, but injury riddled Wayland High School wrestling team suffered an upset at the hands of Caledonia.

Wayland students, with the help of volunteers, have restored the old high school sign that was replaced not long ago by an electronic device. Students Harry Lodenstein and Chris Penning led the project.

Hopkins adults now can sign up for classes on web surfing the Internet. Sandy Kiefer is coordinating the effort.The Wayland volleyball team is 3-1 in the O-K

A guest editorial from the Mackinac Center for Public Police maintained that recycling is a solution in search of a problem.

Students in Jeff Salisbury’s journalism class identified the rudest behavior at school as “exposing genital areas,” followed by “pinching private body parts.” School officials are investigating whether the development is a prank or real.

Central Michigan University basketball coach Jay Smith sent a letter to the editor praising the support of Hopkins people who attended the CMU-Western Michigan game to cheer former Viking standout Tim Kisner.

The Wayland volleyball team is 3-1 in O-K Gold Conference play and 15-5-1 overall.

The Wildcat basketball team dropped a couple of close encounters and saw its overall record slip to 2-9.

Nick Schwartz swished a three-point field goal with just 10 second left to lift Hopkins to a thrilling 45-43 upset victory over Wyoming Lee.

50 Years Ago — Jan. 30, 1973

Margereta Haglund from Sweden is Hopkins’ first foreign exchange student from American Field Service. She is staying with the Norman Schweikerts and her high school “sister” is Marlene Schweikert.

The Wayland chapter of the Jaycees honored James Levandoski and John Hilbert for their efforts in co-chairing the Wayland Christmas Project.

The City Council terms of Max Barnes, Donald Shafer and Robert Swartout are up for re-election, but only the incumbents thus far have filed petitions.

The Hopkins Village Caucus will take place at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, at the Village Hall. Incumbent President is Richard Weick.

Congressman Guy VanderJagt wrote a column praising President Richard Nixon’s second inaugural address as charting a new course for the United States.

Supt. James Thomas wrote a column outlining the district’s proposal to have a 4.11-mill renewal in a special election May 5.

Mrs. Grace Seery, in her “Green Lake Tidings” column noted the passing of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, saying, “May we never forget the benefits we enjoy through the efforts of this man.”

The Ladies Library Club observed its 80^th anniversary with a banquet at St. Therese Church.

Michigan State Trooper Ken Howell of the Wayland post was the presenter of a program on drugs well attended at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Hilliards.

The Wayland  boys’ varsity basketball team’s record slipped to 1-11 with a 56-47 loss to Caledonia, as the Scots held O-K Blue Conference scoring leader Bob Lehocky to 13 points.

Hopkins has been surging on the hardcourt, beating Bloomingdale, led by Mike Smith with 23 points and Rick Smith with 13.

Wayland and Hopkins are tied with 2-1 records atop the All-Van League girls’ basketball standings.

Freshmen John Kaur and Andy Warner refused to be pinned and helped the Wayland wrestling team edge Allegan 26-24.

Lewis Steele of Hopkins was killed in a multi-car crash in New Mexico while attempting to return home from California.

Elton John captured the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “Crocodile Rock.”

75 Years Ago — Feb. 6, 1948

The Wayland Village Caucus will be held at the Village Hall at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16. The council meeting will follow at 7:30.

Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote in his “Observations” column, “With an epidemic of safe cracking burglars in the last several months are great many business houses are using their safes for the keeping of their valuable records form fire only and leaving them unlocked to destruction of these valuable pieces of property.

Timid folks seem hesitant to go fishing on the ice out of the fear they might crack through to the water, but the recent frigid weather should allay their fears.

However, the village park skating park is providing a lot of entertainment, thanks to the hard work of Frederic Hilbert. Mosher wrote, “Hilbert reminds me of the colored boy who entered a contest to eat a big watermelon, and just before the contest skipped home for a minute. When asked where we had gone, he replied, ‘I had one at home that big and wanted to see if I could eat that much.’”

Fremont Eldrige, 91, a resident of Wayland for the past six years, died at his home year.

A pre-Lenten Valentine dance will be held Feb. 7 at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Hall, Gun Lake.

The PTA will have a panel discussion on the school’s need for more classroom space.

Julius Andringa has resigned his post at Malmstone’s Dry Goods and plans to open his own appliance store and go into partnership with Arnold Wilde. He is succeeded by Merle Peffley at Malmstone’s.

Kendall Keith Ingham, born in 1899 in Hopkins and a teacher for three years at Wayland High School, died at his home of coronary thrombosis.

Many of the scenes in the movie “This Time for Keeps” are of Mackinac Island. The film will be shown at the Wayland Theatre.

The Hopkins basketball team defeated Saugatuck 43-30. Maher led the Blue Devils with 16 points and Chuck Hall had 13. Later in the week Jim Hazen and Kenny McBride led Hopkins past Byron Center.

Prominent Hopkins Township farmer Martin Pilschel died of a stroke at age 69 at Allegan General Hospital.

Miss Benson gave a summary of “Tips on Meat Cookery” by Miss Reba Staggs of the National Livestock and Meat Board to the Adult Homemaking Class.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:

• The Hoosier Hot Shots in “Rose of Santa Rosa.”

• Lawrence Tierney in “The Devil Thumbs a Ride.”

• Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante and Xavier Cugat in “This Time for Keeps.”

• Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in “Gone with the Wind.”

100 Years Ago — Feb. 2, 1923

Wayne Yeakey, 16, described as “an honest, good hearted-hearted jolly fellow,” died at Blodgett Hospital apparently from delayed effects from a traffic crash near Middleville in October. He died of an abcess on his brain. He was a member of the basketball team and was active in social affairs at the high school.

A shadow social will be held Feb. 9 at the Corning Church. “Supper with each shadow will be sold by order of the committee.”

Members of the Ladies Library Club will have an art exhibit. The girls of the high school home economics club are being invited to join them.

Members of the Dorr Farmers Club were to answer roll call with “Something My Mother Taught Me” at their next meeting.

Clell Bennett underwent delicate throat surgery in Grand Rapids, administered by Drs. Ira Slater and W.E. Patterson.

Teachers at Wayland were “delightfully entertained” at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Culver with a potluck supper and guessing games.

WHS girls enjoyed a coasting party at Edwards Hill and then were treated to a luncheon at the Doll House.

Ralph Oliver received a quilt from the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Bradley.

Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Rudolph Valentino and Mae Murray in “The Delicious Little Devil” and Miss DuPont in “A Wonderful Wife.”