(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago— June 8, 1998
The City of Wayland is initiating condemnation procedures for five properties under eminent domain to make way for land for sewer lagoons. Property owners contend the city is not paying a fair price. The issue will go before Circuit Judge George Corsiglia.
Wayland Township officials are rejecting a proposal from the Gun Lake Community Center owner and the suit is continuing.
First Lt. Frank Saucedo is the new commander at the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police, succeeding Michael Olson, who transferred to Niles.
The Wayland High School softball team survived a scare from Gull Lake, 2-1, to win the district tournament championship. The Lady Wildcats now are 35-1 on the season.
Wayland Board of Education member Robert Wiersema wrote a letter to the editor encouraging citizens to cast their votes in the upcoming annual school election and to continue involvement in school affairs.
Editor Nila Aamoth bemoaned the fact that the United States seems to be a litigious nation, asking, “Are we going to be a nation of wimps, afraid to step into the unknown because there might be a lawyer on the other side of the door?”
Penny Axe, director of special education for Wayland Union Schools, delivered the address to the 17 adult education graduates at the high school auditorium, where Frank Hall was chosen Student of the Year.
Northeast Allegan County was hit hard by a Memorial Day weekend storm, causing many residents to lose power in the face of winds that got as high as 110 mph.
Great Lakes Energy, formerly known as the O & A Electrical Cooperative, will be one of the first tenants in the Wayland Industrial Park along Reno Drive and 133rd Avenue.
Hastings City Bank on West Superior Street is erecting a new, bigger and better sign in front of its facility.
The Wayland High School baseball team hammered Plainwell and Hastings to capture the district crown. Chad Burgess and Brian Ingle blasted home runs for the ‘Cats, now 19-11 for the campaign.
Jason Moore broke his own school record in the 1600-meter run at the state meet, placing eighth, and he was seventh in the 3200-meter run.
Becky Justice of Martin finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles at the state meet.
Charles Mark Lapp of Dorr, died at age 45 of a heart attack. He had raced motorcyles while in the Air Force, earning the distinction of being the first American to win a race in Okinawa.
50 Years Ago — June 5, 1973
The Allegan County Intermediate School will ask voters county-wide to approve a $650,000 bond, three-quarters-of-a mill, to build a facility for handicapped people in the June 11 election.
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey penned an editorial supporting the Allegan County bond issue.
JoAnn Merbs gave the valedictory address and Ted Howard the salutatorian’s speech at the Hopkins High School Class of 1973 commencement.
Gary Wahl was the winner of the citizenship award during the Wayland High School Academic Awards Assembly.
Representatives from the Wayland Jaycees wrote a letter explaining the error of an ad for its school board candidate forum, in which Robert Hendrixson withdrew, leaving a forum for only one candidate, Marsha Lapham.
Mike Pavlak was most valuable and Scott Miller most improved for the Hopkins baseball squad.
Conrad Mauchmar, Dave Koperski and Gib Goodwin were named to the O-K Blue all-conference baseball team. Wayne Mills and Ed Brewer from Martin made the A-O Conference all-star unit.
WHS graduate Jim Hendrixson completed his tennis season at Grand Valley State College with an 8-5 record.
Yankee Springs Golf Course owner Frank Tichvon recorded a hole-in-one on his course at the No. 8, 175-yard par three hole.
Wayland students Kim Suhusky and Steve Mallett placed second and third, respectively, in the Otsego Elks Lodge Boys’ Invitational golf tourney.
David McBride won the Wayland High School Senior Athletc Award.
The Wayland High School tennis team finished second in the O-K Blue Conference tournament. Alan Kupres was runner-up at No. 1 singles.
Cleon Duryea, Larry Lodenstein, Carl Johnson and Robert Pawloski are candidates for one open seat on the Hopkins Board of Education. Candidates in Marin include Tom Shook, Jacob VandenBerg, Dale BuskirkBruce Owen, Donald Sebright and Mrs. Anthony Geib.
Staff Sergeant Russell Middleton, a Wayland High School graduate, is taking communications courses in the Air Force.
Claude Smith, who had taught math and driver’s training at Wayland High School since 1940, was honored for his retirement at a dinner at the Farm House Restaurant.
Hopkins High School graduate Susan Kay Beaver earned her nursing degree at Butterworth Hospital. She will soon wed Hopkins head football coach Jim Newell.
Wayland Junior High School students Wayne DeWeerd, Randy Baker, Brian Marcott, Tom Bechtel, Jim Elliston and Danny Dever were pictured with their trash and recycling receptacles.
Hopkins FFA members served up 590 chicken halves at their annual barbecue, which also included baked beans, rolls, mashed potatoes, relishes, ice cream and coffee.
Albert F. Spees, owner of Spees Sales & Service for dry cleaning equipment, died at a motel in Benton Harbor. He was only 46.
Paul McCartney & Wings captured the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “My Love.”
75 Years Ago — June 11, 1948
The Globe published a huge front page photo of Wayland businessmen who took part in the kickoff for the weekly Wednesday summer entertainment series. An estimated 3,000 people attended.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in his weekly column, wrote, “The Wayland band is showing marked improvement each week… We need a band, and these young folks should be given every encouragement possible.”
Miss Margery Sebright of Wayland graduated magna cum laude at Kalamazoo College and plans to attend higher education classes next fall at the University of Michigan.
The American Legion is sponsoring an appearance next Thursday of the Fleet Brothers Tent Show, featuring the “Stars of Today.”
Don S. Bush, 19, told police officers he must have fallen asleep at the wheel when his car left the road on U.S.-131 and hit an obstruction. Passenger Tom Burns was hospitalized for cuts and bruises.
The Cowbell Carnival is getting a sponsor with “Doc” Murdock of Van’s Gas & Electric, in cooperation with the Gibson appliance store. WFRS-FM of Grand Rapids will broadcast activities.
Hopkins Community Church will have Children’s Day exercises June 13, featuring a pageant, “The Gift.” Mrs. Lena Martin wrote, “You won’t be sorry if you come.”
The Globe ran a picture of Gov. Kim Sigler receiving a new hat just in time of the his re-election campaign, given to him at the Wayland Airport dedication.
A rabies vaccination clinic will be held at the Wayland Village Hall from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 11, with the Allegan County Health Dept. providing the service.
Hopkins Township Public Schools annual meeting will be held July 12, when election of candidates will take place.
The terms of Secretary Harry Elenbaas, President Clifford Pike and Trustee Harold Dietiker will be up for election at the Wayland Schools’ July 12 election. Pike has indicated will not seek another term.
Wayland Troop No. 97 fnished first in the wall scaling competition at the Camporee in Plainwell. Duane Doublestein was first in a wood chopping contest and the troop was first in camp efficiency.
Mrs. Henry Peterson has taken over as new director of the Henika Library, succeeding Fanny Hoyt, who is retiring because of ill health after serving for 33 years.
A cyclone passed over the Glenn Fales farm Momnday afternoon, blowing corn out of the ground and leaving standing corn black. The barn and henhouse at the Miller-Burns farm was blown flat.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Wallace Beery, Tom Drake and Dorothy Patrick in “Alias a Gentleman.”
• Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra and Lee J. Cobb in “The Miracle of the Bells.”
• Tom Conway as Bulldog Drummond in “13 Lead Soldiers.”
• Tim Holt and Nan Leslie in “Western Heritage.”
100 Years Ago — June 8, 1923
The Globe published the school prize winner on the history of Wayland written by WHS freshman Ralph Brown.
For the June 9 meeting of the Wayland Grange, attendees were to answer roll call, “Ladies, what things do you think your husband wishes you had been taught?” Roy Smith was to lead a discussion about crooked carnivals and smutty midways.
The Rev. F.C. Wing of Jackson, formerly of Wayland, was scheduled to present the baccalaureate address June 10 at the Methodist Church. Helen Burchardt and Margaret Hanlon were to give the valedictory and salutatory addresses June 13 at the Church of Christ. Music was to be by Junior College Quartette of Grand Rapids.
The Alle-Bar picnic will be held at Streeter’s Landing June 15, which Congressman J.C. Ketcham guest speaker.
Miss Lillian Knapp closed the academic year at Martin District No. 6 school and a picnic afterward attracted 50 pupils and parents.
Bradley School closed its academic year with a pageant on the history of the township and Bradley put together by students in the old school house before adjourning to the new school house.
Frank Silter, who was born on a farm in Martin Township in 1856, died at age 67. His parents first settled at the farm east of Shelbyville in 1841.
Terry’s Big “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” tent show will visit Wayland Wednesday, June 20. The performance will feature strictly waterproofed tents focusing on the great south before the war and 15 colored people.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre: Dorothy Dalton and Rudolph Valentino in “Moran of the Lady Letty.” Harry Carey in “Good Men and True.”
The Village of Wayland is giving Mill Street a good coat of gravel to help deal with the heavy traffic from the condensary.
Village fathers have decided to ask for three-quarters of a mill for creation of a park fund to fix it up for the children of the community.
“Wayland people will regret to learn of the death of Theodore Kortlander Jr. of Grand Rapids. He died in a hospital in that city while undergoing an operation for gall stones. He leaves a wife and daughter.”
