(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — April 5, 1999
The Wayland City Police Department is seeking public input in an effort to promote a local community policing effort.
Hopkins High School football star Nick Schaendorf is fighting for his life, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids after suffering injuries in a dirt bike accident in Dorr.
The Windsor Woods Association is going to court for residents’ rights, contending the landlord, Kentland Corp., is violating the Consumers Protection Act.
First-graders in Lynn Makela’s Baker Elementary class picked up trash in the city along Sycamore Street and indicated about 10 pounds worth of waste was collected.
State Rep. Patty Birkholz sent the Globe a guest editorial defending Detroit Public Schools from a threatened state takeover by Gov. John Engler and Mayor Dennis Archer.
Michael Jager has been appointed city treasurer, succeeding Karen Doyle.
The Hopkins Board of Education gave Supt. George Stamas praise and good grades while approving an extension of his employment contract with a raise in salary from $85,000 to $88,200.
Wayland Middle School students earned second place in the regional Science Olympiad in Battle Creek.
Carol Haner, 50, has been charged with embezzlement of less than $200 at Harding’s Market in Wayland.
The Wayland High School baseball team faces a major rebuilding year after losing all nine starters from the district title squad last season due to graduation.
Martin sixth-graders Amy Berridge, Amy Holley, Mallory Bourdo, Ashley Wagers and Leah Knight will attend summer camps as a result of winning music scholarships.
Led by pitchers Kara Potter and Amber Willison, the Wayland softball has high hopes of another great season after going 35-1 the previous regular season.
Senior Jessy Simmons completed his wrestling career at Wayland with a school record 139 victories.
Leonard Aspinwall, longtime member of the United Church of Wayland and a World War II veteran died at the Laurels of Sandy Creek. He was 84.
Allen F. Sprague, a member of a prominent Native American family, died of diabetes. He was 76.
Floyd Taylor, husband of Wayland Township Clerk Bev Taylor, died at his home at the age of 70.
50 Years Ago — April 2, 1974
Incumbent Mayor Marshall Towne and City Council members Marie Hall, Ted Green and William Hooker were returned to office in the city election. Newcomer Margaret (Peg) Dangremond and mayoral challenger Robert Swartout were turned away.
There was no candidate on the ballot for assessor, as incumbent Ernest Martin had retired, but still polled six votes, one more than Dave Miller. Voters, however, rejected a proposal to have the city treasurer and assessor’s position appointive instead of elective.
Jerome LaValley has been appointed to the Allegan County Fair Board.
Wayland High School students Craig Suhusky, Garry Grasinski and Ruth Arndt have been chosen to pay in the HUSA All-Star Band.
Visiting Judge James Tehen will preside over a case in which the Allegan County Taxpayers Committee is suing the Allegan County Board of Commissioners to attempt to halt construction of a county services complex at Dumont Lake.
The Allegan County Intermediate School District reported it has received seven bids for construction of a new school for mentally and physically handicapped children.
State Senator Gary Byker of Hudsonville wrote a column in which he insisted proposed elimination of a tax on food would result in higher personal income taxes.
About 45 square dancing couples attended the benefit dance at Moline Elementary for Muscular Dystrophy. Jack Cook was emcee and one of the callers.
Mrs. Robert Lindgren, chair of Wayland’s March of Dines campaign, said $341.40 was collected in this year’s drive.
St. Stanislaus School eighth-grader Margi Dutkiewicz was the winner of a poetry contest sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of America.
Martin High School juniors Joy Johnston and Becky Simpson are participating in an American government seminar in Washington D.C.
The New Note is now open from 8 p.m. to midnight every Friday and Saturday night with dancing, a game room and snack bar.
Senior co-captain Bill Mauchmar and distance specialist Kelvin Lapham will lead another inexperienced Wayland High School track team this year.
Dave Koperski leads the Wayland High School baseball, squad, which will be coached by Richard Akers, athletic director.
Former Wildcat baseball star Leon Hilaski is a member of the Grand Rapids Junior College baseball team making its spring trip in Georgia.
The Wayland High School volleyball team has earned a share of the O-K Blue Conference championship. Pat Rowley is coach and Jan Shoemaker captain.
Among the visitors at the favorite Ogres’ watering hole were Mike Zalewski and fiancé Susan, who will be we later this summer.
The Maple City Seed Pods are favored to repeat as table hockey champs, though there is a darkhorse squad labeled as the dubious team from Blarney.
Members of the Wayland High School Latin Club and advisor Brenda Dietiker are selling Globe subscriptions in hopes of making a special trip to Mexico this summer.
Hopkins FFA members winning awards at the state convention were Arlyn Coffey, Jim Caywood, Scott Miller, Phil Lenhart, Beth Andrews, Mark Watson and advisor Roy Miller.
Globe Editor and Publisher Irvin P. Helmey is chairman of the local Salvation Army appeal from Martin, Hopkins and Wayland.
Blue Swede captured the No. 1 spot among the nation’s tunes with “Hooked on a Feeling.”
75 Years Ago — April 8, 1949
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher suggested the Village Council pass some kind of ordinance penalizing those who let their residential rubbish fires get out of control.
Loren G. Edwards, 76, a member of the Wayland Church of Christ, Wayland Grange and the Oddfellows, died at the Wayland home of his son.
Gerrit Brink, 37, of Moline, was killed in a rail accident just north of Wayland. He was jacking up a rail when a lever slipped and struck him in the throat. Dr. C.A. Dickinson said he died of suffocation.
Services were held at the Archer Funeral Home for longtime Henika Library director (33 years) Fannie Hoyt, the oldest current Wayland resident, having been born here 1868 and she lived on the same street all of her life. She also was founder of Hoyt Perennial Gardens and was the last living charter member of the Ladies Library Club.
The Wayland Airport runway was getting a spring cleaning to keep it in tip-top condition.
Francis Brower, a Democrat, edged Republican Roy Wilcox in the election for Hopkins Township Supervisor in a local election rarity. Joseph Bartz won his 26th consecutive term as supervisor of Dorr Township.
The Wayland Grange had as a debate topic, “Pancakes should be served every morning for breakfast.”
Mrs. Margaret Jenkins, who has written the “Hi Neighbor” column for the Globe, now is writing a column, “Wheelchair Philosophy,” for a newspaper in Mesa, Ariz.
The local Congregational Church plans to offer a five-week series on “Understanding the Christian Faith.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Audrey Long and Warren Douglas in “Homicide for Three.”
• Cameron Mitchell, Audrey Long and Fuzzy Knight in “Adventures of Gallant Bess.”
• Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson and Ann Miller in “The Kissing Bandit.”
• Clark Gable, Walter Pigeon and Van Johnson in “Command Decision.”
100 Years Ago — April 4, 1924
Louis Latzner, millionaire president of the Pet Milk Company, died of a heart attack at his home in Highland, Ill.
A partition at the north end of Henika Library is making way for a small room with shelves for magazines and reference materials.
Telephone lineman Wayne Sapp fell more than 20 feet from a pole south of Wayland. A witness said, “Only for the almost immediate snapping of the wire under his weight, death would have been certain.”
The International Order of Odd Fellows published a resolution of respect for August Gustafson, who died the previous month. He had been a member of the IOFF since 1905 after coming to Shelbyville in 1893.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Thomas Meighan in “The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” and “The Mailman.”
Mary J. Sturdevant, 83, died at the home of her daughter in Littleton, Colo. She came to Hopkins in 1858 and raised her family on a farm here for many years.
Mrs. Susan Crisp, a highly respected citizen of Bradley, died after being in failing health for more than a year.
The boys of the Reformed Church Orchestra entertained at the home at the Rev. and Mrs. Poppen in Bradley. The Poppens were presented with a piano bench.
The new Chinese game, Mah Jong, is becoming very popular in Wayland. It was played at the home of Mrs. Charles Yeakey, with 16 present. A Chinese luncheon was served.
Mrs. C.F. Casper, a professional pianist who taught here for a year and a half, was a special guest at the home of T.A. Pryer.
The remains of Mrs. Ella Heazlit of Birmingham, Ala., were brought to Wayland, but there will be no service. She had lived here for many years prior to 1915.
Division Avenue south of the concrete in Kent County is regarded as impassable for traffic and detours are suggested.
Mrs. Emil Dietiker suffered a serious eye injury and may lose it as a result. A nail was imbedded in her eye while her son was making repairs when it flew and struck her.