(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — March 20, 2000
Wildlife specialist Lori Neely was photographed on the front page of the Globe with an injured gray horned owl. She was a special guest presenter at an environmental program at Steeby Elementary.
Dorr resident Dan Young has suggested that a barricade would be useful in stopping roadside dumping on 16th Street.
Martin officials are asking local residents how they feel about water issues in a survey.
New Allegan County parks director Beth Clawson has taken over the job. A Monterey Township resident, she is a graduate of Grand Valley State University.
Gun Lake Park my be gearing some improvements soon, but the Bysterveld Park development in Dorr is on a deadline.
Two Martin High School wrestlers, Rick Mean and Levi Conley, have earned Division 4 state championships in their respective weight divisions.
A landmark Yankee Springs marina site is at the heart of a proposed condos residential project on 7.63 acres, proposing 33 units.
The Wayland High School swim team used depth to capture the O-K Rainbow Conference meet title.
Editor Nila Aamoth confessed she had trouble with using courtesy titles such as “Miss, Ms. and Mr.” in her Soapbox column.
Dover Farms is expected to complete 20 of its 150 manufactured homes finished by June 15 at its site near the Martin exit off the U.S.-131 expressway.
Community activist Jon DeYoung, retired CEO of the Moline State Bank, died of cancer. He was 62.
Nicki Merchant and Kara Potter were return selections on the O-K Gold Conference all-star volleyball team. Merchant owns the school records for serves, digs and serve receptions.
Hopkins finished the volleyball season with a record 26 dual match victories.
The Wayland basketball team held all-state guard Tony Browne of Hastings below his scoring average, but lost to the Saxons in the district tournament opener. The Wildcats finished with a 14-7 overall record.
50 Years Ago — March 18, 1975
Vance Hoskins, a trooper with the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police, has been chosen community services officer.
City Manager Carl Fockler has announced the City of Wayland has been approved for a federal grant for rehabbing homes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pet Incorporated is preparing a proposal to hook up to the City of Wayland sewage disposal system.
David Blok of Moline has been named Allegan County co-chair of the 25th annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Detroit.
Dorr Township Fire Chief Bernie Damveld announced that the department was able to employ its new resuscitator during a call last week to a house fire.
United Church of Wayland pastor Rich Koster sent a letter to the editor urging area residents to support the Road Cross in its upcoming drive.
Hopkins FFA members Max Guy, Glen VamnKlompenburg, Mark Miller, Don Watson, Bruce Brenner, Burton Brenner and Doug Steffens won trophies at the recent Ottoman Livestock Show.
Marcia Chrisman was chosen Midnight Girl of 1975 by a fraternity at Western Michigan University.
Deborah Jen Kiser of Hopkins was chosen secretary of the Sigma Kappa Rho Literary Society at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C.
The Martin High School Band, under the direction of Fred Borden, earned a Division 1 rating at the Michigan High School Band & Orchestra Association festival at Byron Center. Wayland received a Division 2 rating.
The Wayland High School junior class will present the romantic comedy “Seventeenth Summer.”
The Wayland Community Choir will perform the “The Atonement” cantata on Palm Sunday at the Wayland High School cafeteria. Mrs. Helen Gambee is the director.
Sports writer David Young chose Bernie Smith of Hopkins, Robert VandenBerg of Martin, Russ McCarrfen of Wayland Tom Pawloski of Hopkins and Cody Niemchick of Wayland to the Globe all-star squad.
Former Wayland High School varsity football coach and athletic director Lyle Berry has been selected as the new Godwin High School football coach.
Hopkins High School graduate Dan Miller was selected as State Class D Wrestling Coach of the Year. He is head coach at Dansville.
The first annual table tennis tournament, sponsored by the Wayland Community Education and Recreation program, was completed over the previous weekend. Singles champions were Pat Rowley, Eden Marshall, Tom Rearing and Vicki Laker. The Ritz Brothers, Wayne and Ken, took all the marbles in the men’s doubles catergory.
The Wayland Merchants captured the adult recreation tournament championship.
David Young wrote a column excoriating some female athletes for petty jealousies and lack of team-oriented efforts.
Longtime Hopkins barber Joseph Roxbury, who played professional baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, died at Allegan General Hospital. He was 61.
Willard Fullerton, 39, of Martin, and Patricia Miller, 38, of Allegan, were killed in a traffic crash on M-118 west of Martin.
Frankie Valli captured the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “My Eyes Adored You.”
75 Years Ago — March 24, 1950
Clark Hall, 53, a lifetime Bradley resident, took his own life at his home. He had been reported to be in poor health lately and had been contemplating suicide for some time. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Bill Mauchmar entertained members of the Wayland and Hopkins Ladies Library Clubs with clarinet selections for Reciprocity Night.
Mike Burian performed several accordion selections for the adult class family night and supper.
Wayland Calvary Church was host for a global missionary conference that featured 12 missionary guests.
Bob LaTourrette has been promoted to sales manager at the Lock & Hill Furniture Co. of Richmond, Ind., with offices in Grand Rapids.
Esther Nyland is valedictorian for the Class of 1950 and Claude Smith is salutatorian at Martin High School.
A Progressive Pedro Party is planned for March 31 by the Bradley chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake in “Blondie Hits the Jackpot.”
- Roy Rogers and “Trigger” in “Bells of Coronado.”
- Lucille Ball and William Holden in “Miss Grant Takes Richmond.”
- Van Johnson, Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy in “Battleground.”
100 Years Ago — March 20, 1925
The Globe published a front page cartoon suggesting that “Old Man Winter” was a vagrant who shouldn’t be caught hanging around town any more.
Mrs. Mattie Beall’s niece Maxine Schuh sang an Irish melody, “Rosy O’Riely” to members of the Ladies Library Club.
Mrs. Barbara Pierson died suddenly of heart trouble at the home of her mother in Kansas City, Mo. She had been past president of the County Association of the OES. She was 54.
Local boys intend to offer one last boxing show at Woodman Hall March 26. The previously planned event was called off because of the poor condition of the roads.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Jacqueline Logan and Rod LaRocque in “Code of the Sea.” Pole Negri in “The Spanish Dancer.”
Edwin J. Allen, a high school teacher in Lansing, died at his home March 13. His widow, Jane, was well known to many in Wayland.
The nearby community of Freeport has agreed to spend $80,000 to build a grade school and high school.
The intended removal of George A. Youngs from the county will cause a vacancy in the office of the justice of the peace because the remaining offices will be in Bradley, Shelbyville and the southeast corner of town. Samuel Tibbets has announced he will be a candidate to fill the vacancy.
William Stockdale was elected Wayland village president, G.A. Mosher clerk and W. L. Heazlet treasurer.
Members of the Grange planned to have a discussion about “The American Sunday.”
The Republican caucus in Dorr Township resulted in Robert Williamson being chosen supervisor, Oscar Douglas clerk and William Gryezyk treasurer.
The Farmers Club of southeast Dorr will meet at the home or Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Douglas.
David Francis Rogers, who was born in Barry County in 1848 and later moved with his wife, Mary, to Wayland Township, died March 9. He was 77 years old.
Carl Warner was chosen supervisor in the Wayland Township Republican caucus, Samuel Smith clerk and Harold D. Fox treasurer.
A petition is in circulation protesting a bus line between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, insisting the current interurban transportation service is more than adequate.
Henry Klectsner, lecturer for the Dennis Lyceum, will present the third and final program for the girls’ cooking class at the school March 20.
A heavy snowfall and winds tore down many telephone wires, but the electric service was spared.
A supper at the Methodist Episcopal Church attracted 61 people, despite the bad weather and roads.
