(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago— April 6, 1998
Doug Adamczyk, unelected mayor of the unincorporated community of Hilliards, observed his 50th birthday with a sort of “unparade.”
Resurfacing work on U.S.-131 south of Martin has begun on both northbound and southbound lanes.
The Rev. Stacey Minger of the Wayland United Methodist Church was shown in a Globe front page photo standing in front of a display of the cross in the sanctuary ahead of Easter services.
Watson Township voters will be asked in the August primary election to renew a road millage, plus a little more, at 2.67 mills.
Hopkins School Band Director David Lowe wrote a letter praising grass-roots efforts on behalf of a fund-raiser for the school band program.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department has applied for state grants to add an officer for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.
Students from Karen Van Den Berg’s Spanish class at East Martin Christian School have been teaching hygiene to children in Mexico, using toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.
A household hazardous waste collection effort will be conducted Saturday, May 2, at the Wayland Department of Public Works building on the south edge of town on South Main Street.
Chuck Birr, executive director of the Allegan County Economic Development Alliance, will speak to the Wayland Township Board about possibilities for growth in the area.
Sophomore Bobby Rowe is touted as the top pitching prospect for the Wayland baseball team, which looks to improve on last year’s 12-20 overall record.
The Wayland softball team will not surprise anyone, as it returns a powerful group of veterans, including, Kara Potter, Nicki Merchant, Casey Sculley, Amanda Dzierzyc, Andrea Schloop, Angel Merren and Candi Bala.
Mick Francis is beginning his 22nd season as Hopkins softball coach and he hopes to hang with Comstock Park and Allendale in the O-K Silver Conference standings.
Hopkins baseball coach Mark Austin welcomes the return of pitcher Mike Kisner, who missed the previous season with an injury and the Vikings hope to improve on an 8-15 season.
Bonnie Miller, senior vice president of United Bank, was named the winner of this year’s Athena Award for excellence in business.
Two longtime local residents, Rose Stora, 80, of Wayland, and Rose Weber, 95, of Dorr, died this past week.
50 Years Ago — April 3, 1973
The Wayland Lions Club named Bill Kessler Man of the Year. The group named the late Dr. C.A. Dickinson and former Mayor Phil Reno as the first two annual recipients.
The Moline State Bank has affiliated with First National Financial Corporation.
Workers are installing a new water main on East Superior Street from downtown all the way to Eighth Street.
The annual Wayland city election was a real yawner, with only 99 people showing up at the polls. Incumbent council members Max Barnes, Donald Shafer and Robert Swartout were elected without opposition.
A get-acquainted meeting was held by the Newcomers’ Club at the Free Methodist Church. An election of officers is planned for April 25.
The Hopkins Parent-Teacher Organization is seriously considering dropping its affiliation with the national organization, according to School Board President Burrell Stein. One of the requirements for a new group would be changing its name.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Were have just arrived from a fascinating trip to Morocco, but Mrs. Were suffered a heart attack when they returned and is recuperating at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Pastor Hubert Sprik of the Christian Reformed Church has announced the local religious survey is only a little more than half complete.
Wayland senior guard Bob Lehocky has been named to the O-K Blue Conference all-star team.
WHS graduate Jim Hendrixson has joined the Grand Valley State College tennis team.
Conrad Mauchmar was selected as winner of the Louis Japinga award winner for athletic excellence.
Marlene DeGood rolled an impressive 638 series at Airport Lanes in Wayland.
The Wayland baseball team is optimistic about the coming season and is welcoming junior Pat Wilde, formerly a trackman, to take over the catching duties on an otherwise veteran squad for coach Jon Carroll.
Jim Caywood and Maynard Guy were delegates from the Hopkins FFA at the state convention.
75 Years Ago — April 9, 1948
Barney Adams has purchased the one-story structure on the Hawkins lot, formerly occupied by Wayland Cleaners before Fred Greenawalt moved to Pine Street.
Village President Harold Hawkins has appointed Naman Frank president pro tem. Harley McBride is chief of police and street commissioner.
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Murdock of Big Rapids have purchased Van’s Electric, which now will take the name Van’s Gas & Electric Co.
Lightning destroyed a tool shed at the Joe Lamphear farm southwest of Wayland. Assistant Fire Chief Russell Hunsberger said the damage estimate was $500.
Prominent Salem Township farmer Albert Brenner died at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids. A veteran of World War I, he was 57.
The Music Department of Wayland High School will present the operetta “Up in the Air” May 6 and 7 at the high school auditorium.
Blue Barron, one of the youngest band leaders ever to earn top accolades, will bring “Yesterday and Today” to the Dixie Ballroom Saturday, April 10.
Leighton and Hopkins townships are trying to hammer out an agreement to share a new fire truck, though Hopkins voters already have agreed to the arrangement.
Village officials have renewed discussions about how to handle parking problems downtown, either with two-hour time limits on Main and Superior streets or installation of parking meters.
The Wayland High School orchestra, under the direction of Lenora Sykes, finished second in the festival at Grand Rapids and has qualified for the state festival in East Lansing.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher opined in his weekly “Observations” column, “Now is the time of year when the highways are going to pieces and the county highway department is working night and day and catching fits from every Tom, Dick and Harry besides… To boil it down to a few words, there is still as much work to do at a greater cost, and with less money available.”
Mosher added later in the column that he has noticed a large number of young people going to college after the war, but “this causes us to wonder where the tradesmen of the future are to come from.”
Dr. Arthur G. Baker, director of the Allegan County Health Dept., showed a film about reproduction to the adult child care and development classes at the high school.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Robert Young and Marguerite Chapman in “Relentless.”
• Dana Andrews, Ethel Barrymore and Merle Oberon in “Night Song.”
• Edgar Bergen and Dinah Shore in “Fun and Fancy Free.”
100 Years Ago — April 6, 1923
It was reported at a meeting of Wayland Township that $6,500 was raised for highway purposes, “which means that Wayland Township will not lose the percentage it enjoys of having more good roads than any other township.”
Statistics show that U.S. males are more at risk for death of tuberculosis than women, and there has been an explosion of young men working in the automobile industry.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Gloria Swanson in “The Great Moment,” billed as “The tingling story of gypsy blood that would not mingle with blue.”
Dr. George Brower was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids to undergo two serious operations, but he is showing signs of improvement.
Hugh McGowan died of typhoid, leaving a widow and infant child.
The Dorr Farmers Club met in Wayland last week and the Victrola furnished the music. There was lively discussion about the question of who should have more power, Congress or the president.
“WANTED: Twenty-five girls for light factory work. Good wages for beginners, with advancement, steady employment.” Western Knitting Mills, Middleville.