(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 17, 1999
The Dorr Township Board is working on a prospective ordinance governing private roads and their use. Supervisor Don Kaczanowski said the main goal is to make these roads passable for emergency vehicles.
The spate of bomb threats continue to plague the Hopkins and Wayland school districts in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy in Colorado.
Editor Nila Aamoth opined in her Soapbox that some students are taking action to try to stop classmates from continuing bomb threats that have been unwelcome visitors in the past month as a result of the Columbine school shooting tragedy.
Despite parental complaints expressed at public meetings, including a petition with 468 signatures, the Wayland Board of Education has ruled that starting time for Pine Street Elementary will be changed from 8:55 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. and the closing time will be changed from 3:40 to 2:35 p.m.
Historical societies are working together to replicate a vintage 1864 map of Allegan County.
The Gun Lake Federation of Women’s Clubs annual scholarships went to Sara Kouchnerkavich of Wayland, Mercedes Verasteh of Martin, Jennifer Herring of Thornapple Kellogg and Katherine Riffey of Delton.
Jennie Hall of East Martin Christian School was the winner of the Right to Life oratory contest sponsored by the North Allegan chapter.
Leslie Anderson, Miss Martin for 1998, was the winner of the Miss Muskego-Ottawa County Scholarship Pageant.
Longtime Martin Schools Band Director Fred Bogdan has announced his retirement, but he will stay on to work on technology and computers part time.
Hopkins senior standout Fran Sage won four events at the Cedar Springs Invitational. She won the 200-meter dash in 26.8 seconds, the 400 in 60.3, the 100 in 13.1 and the long jump in 15-7. Sports Editor Scott Sullivan wrote, “Not bad for never having had a track on which to practice or host a meet.”
Hopkins’ softball team captured its 11th straight victory when sophomore Elisha Norman tossed a four-hit shutout win over Tri-Unity. Allison Miller led the offensive attack.
Wayland was closing in on its third straight O-K Gold Conference championship and had fashioned a 24-1 overall record before taking part in the Gull Lake Invitational. Jessie Merchant was hitting .513 and Lenna Thompson was a welcome addition to a terrific pitching staff.
Sparked by Brandon Bieber’s pitching efforts, the Wayland baseball team has won five games in a row. The Wildcats are 15-6 overall and 7-4 in the O-K Gold.
Watson Township native Bernard McGuire, a longtime dairy farmer, Martin Board of Education member and Watson Township Board member, died at the age of 83.
50 Years Ago — May 14, 1974
Bronwen Haefner was named valedictorian and Phillip Lenhart salutatorian for the Hopkins High School Class of 1974.
The Wayland Board of Education is considering hiring a full-time psychologist or social worker after hearing a large number of public complaints about growing drug abuse in the high school and middle school.
The law office of attorneys James Ainsworth and Stephan Sheridan has opened in Wayland at the Reno Agency in downtown Wayland,
Mrs. David Miller has been named chair of the local Lung Association Breath of Life campaign.
Burrell Stein has filed for another term as president of the Hopkins Board of Education, but Russell Brenner has decided to step down. Newcomers on the ballot will include Maryanne Moulenbelt, Ray Sebright, Leonard Beltman and Walter Krug.
This week’s recipe column was a dish suggested by students at Sandhill Elementary in the Hopkins school district.
Dr. and Mrs. Allen B. Dangremond were hosts for a special Kentucky Derby party.
The Hopkins baseball team captured the A-O Conference championship. Louis Stein led the squad in pitching, batting average and runs batted in.
The Wayland tennis team is behind only Caledonia in the O-K Blue Conference standings. The Globe published a photo of the doubles team of Alan Steines and Mark Predum.
Comstock Park and Kelloggsville took advantage of a plethora of Wildcat mistakes to cause the local boys’ group to fall from first place in the league standings.
The Wildcat track team dropped its last two dual meets, to Comstock Park and Byron Center.
Mrs. Phil Kuhtic was pictured with a large turkey she shot, weighing 19 pounds and two ounces.
The Wildcat softball team now is 2-3 in the O-K Blue. The hardluck pitcher was Deb Ritz, who was
victim of many errors in the field.
Mark Watson is the new president of the Hopkins FFA next year, succeeding Scott Miller.
Wayland High School students Alan Steines, Deb Farling and Jon Dunsmore visited the Wayland Grange to talk about their rercent United Nations Seminar trip to Washington.
Hopkins High School seniors John Roon and Laura Harnish were winners of the Fraternal Order of Police essay contest.
Republican Arthur Popp, Plainwell Middle School teacher, won election to the Allegan County Commissioner seat vacated by Fred Edgerton by a 108 votes to 54 for Democrat Thomas Webster.
Wayland High School graduate Craig Suhusky has been named to the All-Michigan Honors Band/Orchestra. He is a clarinetist.
Ray Stevens took over the No. 1 spot among the nation’s top 40 tunes with the novelty song, “The Streak.”
75 Years Ago — May 20, 1949
Services for Donald Gurney, 19, who was killed in 1943 in the Solomon Island during World War II, were scheduled for Thursday at the Methodist church. His remains had come to town just last week. He was a Marine.
The Wayland Flying Club members had their first trip of the year last Sunday morning.
Frank Zumbrink, father of longtime Martin business owner Glenn Zumbrink, died at age 69.
Mrs. Mabel Hoyt Schuyler, former member of the Tuesday Afternoon Club of the Congregational Church and a deaconess of the church, died in Glendale, Calif. She was 75.
Mrs. Alice Hunsberger, former Wayland resident and active member of the Methodist Church, died at age 78 in Big Rapids.
Hopkins area farmer Alva Frue died at his home in Wayland after an illness of 15 months. He was 77.
Wilmur Afman has announced the opening of a new roller skating rink on South Main.The facility includes a new hardwood floor.
Mr. and Mrs. Royal Pease and Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Satterlee are the new owners of the Rainbo Inn and they pledge to serve food seven days a week.
Dr. Walter S. Ryder of Central Michigan College will be guest speaker on “Seeing Life Steadily” at the Hopkins High School commencement Thursday, May 26, at 8 p.m.
Globe rural correspondent Mrs. Margaret Dado Jenkins had returned by plane from Phoenix, Ariz., where she received treatment for arthritis.
The Party Line Extension Club heard a presentation on “Easy Ways in Home Cleaning” by Mrs. Henrietta Laker and Mrs. Gladys Truax.
Dorr and Jones School students were recognized at the annual eighth grade graduation ceremony, featuring a saxophone solo byJimmy Hoeksema and piano selections by Marlene Hoeksema and Shirley Van Duine.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane in “Bodyguard.”
• Tim Holt and Noah Berry Jr. in “Indian Agent.”
• Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter in “The Set-Up.”
• Loretta Young, Van Johnson and Rudy Vallee in “Mother Is a Freshman.”
100 Years Ago — May 16, 1924
The Northeast Hopkins Community Club met at the home of Mrs. George Wait in Wayland. Members debated the question of who made a larger income, the man who produced milk or the man who peddled it.
Saturday afternoon demonstrations are planned by Mrs. Elizabeth Clark and and Mrs. William Schuh in an open air affair to conclude the local observances of Better Homes Week.
A large number of Wayland area eighth-graders are taking the exam to graduate from grade school at area high school rooms.
Mrs. Joseph Bouwman, a mother of 10 children, is still in critical condition at Holland Hospital after undergoing an operation.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: D.W. Griffiths’ “Way Down East,” from the producer and director of “Birth of a Nation.” Rollo G. Mosher opined that some local residents will appreciate seeing the better class of photoplays. Bebe Daniels in “Singed Wings.”
Arthur Green and Floyd Manchester have purchased a meat market in Mendon and plan to move to that community to do business.
The local Boy Scouts troop presented a “Safety First” program last weekend at the Regent Theatre.
Arthur Green is completing an addition to the Economy Store on West Superior because the business is experiencing much growth.
The M & M Power and Light Co. is putting up poles in the village for new electric lines and expect to be finished by June 1.
The Globe’s job room this week turned out the May edition of the Yeakey Auto News, an eight-page monthly publication from the Yeakey Auto Co.
Former Moline resident Mrs. A. Buck died at her home in White Salmon, Wash., after she was scalded by boiling water April 4 and suffered serious burns.
The Shriners Band, one of the most prominent groups in Michigan, will perform in downtown Wayland Wednesday evening, with some merchants providing a chicken dinner at the New Wayland House. Two band members, Charles Yeakey and Dr. D.J. Dunwell, are from Wayland.
“On two or three occasions during the past few days, the village has been visited by Gypsies. Unlike days of yore, they have forsaken the covered wagons, but now travel in big touring cars…”
The remains of Minnie Butler, who died of typhoid fever in a Kalamazoo hospital, have been brought to Wayland for proper services Sunday afternoon.
“Some of these days, we are going to print an article an article on the poultry business in and around Wayland that will be of interest to our readers, we are sure.”