(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — March 1, 1995
Kyle Cooper of Hopkins has been named to the Academic All-State football team. It was the second straight year a Viking has won the honor, as Jason Pavlak was selected the year before.
Jill Tiggleman Gillis penned a letter to the editor about the recent resignation of Wayland High School football coach Ed Lark. She noted it’s nothing new, but an essential cause is lack of maturity. Editor Nila Aamoth indicated many letters have been received by the Globe, but if they are unsigned, they are not published.
Allegan County Sheriff’s deputy Chris Bertram and citizens Tim Shoemaker and Gareth Mitchell Price were honored with plaques for their heroic but unsuccessful efforts to rescue Ed Schmidt, who drowned at Monterey Lake.
Dave Sebright, part owner of Sebright Products in Hopkins spoke to members of the Congress about regulations and how to help small business owners be successful. He was invited to speak by Congressman Pete Hoekstra.
Scott Sullivan wrore a feature about Helen Garrett, approaching 90 years, owner and curator of the Lo-Ro-He-Che house at Gun Lake.
Ken Humbarger, on the sidelines with injury since early January, came off the bench to drill four consecutive threes and Richie Guerrant scored 29 points as Martin scored a victory by 20 points over Decatur. Coach Joe Orr also was named head girls’
varsity basketball coach for Martin the wake of the retirement of Robert VandenBerg.
Tim Kisner scored 14 points and Scott VanBonn 13 as Hopkins defeated Saugatuck and honored graduating seniors.
Called a basketball family affair, coach Mike Hudson and Wayland lost to Wyoming Rogers and star guard John Hudson. Sophomore Walter Smith led the Wildcats with 23 points.
Starters Michelle Mazei and Kim Clark were absent from a Saturday tournament to visit prospective colleges and the Martin volleyball team fell to seventh in the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament, though the Lady Clippers are 9-4 in dual matches.
The Wayland volleyball team was runner-up in the O-K Gold Conference tourney, led by Kari Anguilm, Jill Chrisman and Jessica McEwen. The ‘Cats’ obverall record is 35-11-6.
Martin 134-pound wrestler Josh Conley won the Class C-D regional championship and will go to the state tourney in Battle Creek with a 42-3 record.
Becky Bowman published an “In Memoriam” honoring her 11-year-old daughter Tammy, who died five years before of measles.
50 Years Ago — Feb. 25, 1970
Gene Weber, plant manager at Kessler’s, and Ted Green, manager at Pet Inc., presented an optimistic forecast about local industry’s prospects to the Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce. Weber noted Kessler’s employs about 220 people.
About 75 people showed up for a public hearing to obtain information about a $510,000 sanitary sewer project in the Village of Hopkins. Village Attorney Richard Hudson guided the process.
Wayland Chamber of Commerce President Irv Helmey has announced that Mrs. Walter Alflen has been appointed chamber secretary.
Mrs. Irvin Helmey has finished her two-year term as chair of the Allegan County Board of Canvassers but will remain as vice president.
Former Moline resident and 1960 Wayland High School graduate Bob Hogerwerf now is working for Trans World Radio in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
James Levandoski, a 1967 Wayland High School graduate, has completed requirements at Grand Rapids School of Electronics Television.
Gerald Fowler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rollo Fowler, was honored as a Brackenridge Scholar at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.
The Chamber of Commerce was told there is an effort to establish a crime lab at the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: James Bond, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Wayland High School graduate Barry Brower, in his weekly “Vietnam Diary” column, reported he had been selected Support Command Soldier of the Month and so he’s free of any obligations for KP or guard duty.
Bob Bell Sr., co-owner of the local Dog & Suds restaurant, penned a letter saying, “I do wish that some of the parents would drop in and observe their young, and perhaps they could take on some of the responsibilities of parenthood, especially Friday and Saturday nights.”
Dieter-Eberhard Maier, Wayland’s first foreign exchange student, who came here in 1954 to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Steeby, announced plans to visit Wayland between Aug. 3 and Aug. 31.
Mrs. Jerry Czarnecki rolled 11 strikes in one game and came up with a 618 series at Airport Lanes.
The Wayland basketball team finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and looks forward to the district tournament at Plainwell, opening against Otsego.
Hopkins received terrific balanced scoring in a victory over Bloomingdale. Jim Anderson had 17 points, Roger Lambert 15, Dan Cadman 14 and Danny Kisner 12.
The Wayland chapter of the Girls’ Athletic Association had a bake sale, went skiing at Timber Ridge and spent a day at Lakewood High School for basketball, volleyball and dinner.
75 Years Ago — March 2, 1945
There was much news about local servicemen serving overseas. Some of it wasn’t good.
Pfc. James A. Miller, 20, son of Lynn and Hattie Miles, was killed in action Feb. 9 in Germany, serving with the Hodges First Army, 78th Division of the 310th Infantry. He would have celebrated his 21st birthday on Feb. 25.
The Wayland Ladies Library Club celebrated its 52nd anniversary with a banquet at the music room at Wayland High School. Martha Japinga presented “Diplomacy,” guest speaker Rev. Eral Collins of Grand Rapids gave the keynote speech, “Is Democracy a Failure?” and Miss Kellogg played a couple of violin pieces and directed the high school choir.
Pfc. Merrill Barrett was killed in action Dec. 22 in Luxembourg, serving in Patton’s Army. He had been reported twice before as missing in action.
Don Sutton has received a principal appointment for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
Sgt. Mack Merrick, brother of Mrs. Clayton Blue and Mrs. Haven Tarnutzer, was reported killed in action Feb. 8 in Germany.
Capt. Edward Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith of Leighton, has been wounded in action for the third time and is hospitalized. He recently was presented with the Bronze Star.
Harry Berends, a Wayland High School graduate formerly of Moline, now is driving a truck in Burma, India.
Harold Frank has been promoted to corporal in Quartermaster Corps in Hawaii.
Irene Nakken scored 18 points, but the Wayland girls’ basketball team lost 34-24 to Hudsonville.
H.C. Buskirk, who worked at the Willow Run plant, Ypsilanti, is recovering from surgery and hopes to be back to work soon.
Dorr boxing trainer Ted Mcomber has been working with several local boys and plans to enter them in the Golden Gloves competition in Grand Rapids.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Barbara Hale and Lum and Abner in “Goin to Town.”
- Charles Starrett in “Riding West.”
- Alan Ladd, Loretta Young and Susan Hayward in “And Now Tomorrow.”
- Bob Hope, Virginia Mayo and Walter Brennan in “The Princess and the Pirate.”
100 Years Ago — Feb. 27, 1920
Edward Russell has announced he is a candidate for Wayland Township Treasurer in the August primary.
Most Wayland High School students took part in a National Essay Writing contest held to stimulate enrollment enlistment in military service.
The Wayland High School Glee Club was in charge of the exercises at the school, which included a presentation from Supt. Floyd Boughner on Washington.
Local businessman F.D. Travis, with his 20 years of experience in the farm implement and field seed trades, has opened a new store in Plainwell to much fanfare.
Bessie Nichols, 22, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Nichols of Hopkins, died of influenza. She had been a member of the North East Hopkins Community Club. Another club member, Mrs. Hiram VanderMolen, 27, died of flu and pneumonia, leaving four children.
The Allegan County Patriots’ League published a large display advertisement showing its receipts and disbursements.
The five-reel fil feature, “The Littlest Scout, was shown at the Christian Church.
James Tanner gave a special presentation on “Reminiscences of 60 Years Ago in Farming.”
Fred Hilbert was elected president of the North East Hopkins Community Club.
The Ladies Library Club observed its 27th anniversary with a banquet in the Church of Christ parlor and 60 in attendance. The group was formed on Feb. 22, 1893.
The Hopkins Farm Bureau Cooperative has completed its organizing process.