(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 3, 1995
Amanda Bard and her father, Wil, appeared in a photograph of them performing CPR on a dummy at the Wayland Area Emergency Services building, observing “Take Your Daughter to Wok Day.”
Scott Sullivan, in a Soapbox about the Oklahoma City bombing, said of a rocket, “Pointed straight, it explores the stars. Aimed incorrectly, it can annihilate everything.”
The Wayland Township at first announced that brine would not be applied this summer for dust control on local roads, but it changed its collective mind.
State Senator William VanRegenmorter was special guest speaker at the spring dinner-meeting of the Martin Business Association. He promised he’d introduce a bill insisting prosecutors speak with crime victims before making any arrangements for plea agreements.
Wayland Meadows, a proposed 30-unit housing complex near 133rd Avenue and Sib Rumery Street, won rezoning to pave the way for the project.
The hitting of Shanda Jager and pitching of Jenny Stratton has fueled a 10-game winning streak for the Martin softball team.
Hopkins lifted its overall season record to 5-4, as Dan Koperski fired a three-hit shutout and Ryan Rewa tossed a two-hitter.
Hopkins snapped Wayland’s seven-game softball win streak 5-4, as Karen Schwartz outdueled Angie Farmer on the mound. Wayland now is 8-5 overall.
The Martin community is having many fund-raisers, rallying around cancer victim Dana Warner, who was diagnosed just after the birth of her son.
The Wayland High School boys’ track team is off to a surprising 4-0 start in dual meets, with hurdler Chad Coffman and Jeff McCarty.
Southpaw Doug Cutler was working on a no-hitter going into the seventh inning against Caledonia, but settled for a 6-2 win.
Country singer Ken Mellon will be featured June 30 to kick off the annual Dorr Fourth of July celebration.
50 Years Ago — April 29, 1970
Tom Lanning, David Kamyszek, Becky Cole and Paul Calkins were leading the cast for the junior play, “Flowers for Algernon.” Class members urged young children not attend because of the mature thematic matter.
The six newest members inducted into Wayland High School’s National Honor Society chapter were Linda Shoemaker, Mary Hooker, Nancy Potter, Carol Crawford, Paul Calkins and Joyce Arndt. Advisor is Mrs. E. L. (Agnes) Strong.
Officer Harold Ergang of the Wyoming Police Department, a ventriloquist, was a special guest for a safety program at Steeby Elementary. He was shown in a picture with Police Chief Forrest Reichenbach, officer Elden Milheim and Trooper Howard Lee.
Earning perfect grades for the fifth marking period at Hopkins High School were Jeanne Bellgraph, Cindy McEwen, Linda Morris, Bette Smith, Jean Yoak, Doug Fleser and Sarah Reinart.
William Mauchmar has been named coordinator of student teaching at Kentwood High School after serving five years as principal of the Townline Elementary.
Mrs. Hugh DeWeerd, Wally Wakeman and Richard Hogerwerf are three candidates thus for two open posts on the Wayland Board of Education.
Wayland schools has agreed to have the third summer for educating children of migrant workers.
Congressman Ed Hutchinson is a member of a special subcommittee investigating the possibility of impeaching Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, ordered by House Minority Leader Gerald Ford.
Herb Chevrolet has won its lawsuit in a jury trial against Michigan Propane Corp. in connection with the explosion and fire that destroyed the dealership in the summer of 1965.
Jean Wesse, a 1966 graduate of Wayland High School, served as secretary-general of the United Nations in a student representation of that body’s deliberations at Eastern Michigan University. She will graduate this spring with a major in biology.
Wayland High School senior Joan Lautenschleger has earned a president scholarship from Hope College. She also is a National Merit Scholarship finalist.
Spec.-5 Larry Bartz of Dorr has won a commendation medal in Vietnam for his service as a truck driver for his battalion.
The Wayland High School volleyball teams, both coached by Pat McKee, won the league and district championships.
Maryagnes Ferner, 17, a Wayland High Shool sophomore, died of leukemia at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. She had been a member of the GAA and Future Teachers of America clubs.
The Wayland High School tennis team, led by Mike Chrisman, Mike Comrie and Chuck Randolph are leading the O-K Blue Conference standings with a 5-0 record in dual matches.
Greg Dandrow broke his own school record in the high jump by clearing 6-0.
75 Years Ago — May 4, 1945
The magazine Outdoor Life published a story about local hunter Garold Damoth felling a 548-pound black bear in 1943.
The weather outside was too frightful for decent trout fishing in Baldwin for Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher and comrades Harold Reinart and Harvey Zeerip on opening weekend. They even spotted the die hard George Barnum of Hopkins in a local restaurant rather than dining outside.
Mosher penned a couple of paragraphs about eight deaf mutes he saw on the stream, communicating with each other “using finger talk.”
Mrs. Lina Ryno, 76, died at her Wayland home after suffering a stroke and hip fracture from a fall.
Capt. James Delvin has earned the Distinguished Flying Cross award serving with the Twelfth Air Force in Italy, France and North Africa.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Door are opening Ed and Verna’s Coffee Shop four miles north of Wayland and about a mile south of Moline. The site formerly was home to the Friendly Inn.
Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Clark are selling their local floral business after 25 years to Mr. and Mrs. John Bodine of Maybe, Mich., after running the shop for 25 years. They said the reasons were lack of available workers and declining health.
Dr. Arthur Larson and 15 Boy Scouts went on a hike of more than three miles, spending the evening with a dinner of hunter’s stew and cooking breakfast the next morning.
Allegan County postal employees gathered for a chicken dinner at the Martin United Methodist Church.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Warner Baxter, Nina Foch and George Zucco in “Shadows in the Night.”
- Allan Lane and Linda Stirling in “Sheriff of Sundown.”
• Brian Donlevy, Ann Richards, Walter Albel in “An American Romance.” - Cary Grant, Ethel Barrymore, Jane Wyatt and Barry Fitzgerald in “None But the Lonely Heart.”
100 Years Ago — April 30, 1920
Earl Garton of Cheshire, a minor under 21 years of age, was arraigned in Allegan County Court and found guilty of smoking in a public place. He was fined $5 and ordered to pay $6.50 in court costs.
E.W. Fox has leased the new Wayland House from August Hardy on West Superior Street. Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote, “Wayland needs and should continue to have a hotel, and people should give it their hearty support.”
Because of the coal shortage at the milk condensing plant and drive to conserve electricity, citizens are encouraged to get their shopping done before dark in town.
Overisel Township now has added about 100 new members to the Allegan County Farm Bureau cooperative.
The “Two Johns,” John Yerrick and John Meyers, have purchased a new piano for use at their dances and parties.
Dick Heydenberk had fallen seriously ill last week, but apparently has recovered enough to get back to work.
Harry D. Allgeo has just returned from a trip to Texas to examine that’s state’s oil fields. He insists residents in that state are “oil crazy.”
L.W. Morford will reopen his will open his local ice cream parlor May 1 after returning from Florida. The business is featuring Maple Mousse.
The Birney House in Dorr will have a dance this Thursday evening, featuring the Clement’s Orchestra from Grand Rapids.
Lloyd Cutler and Custer Sherwood have come back from Detroit where they bought a couple of trucks. Cutler will use one for his milk route.
Archie Hayward, 67, of Wayland, died of Bright’s Disease, a serious kidney ailment, at Robinson Hospital in Allegan.
“WANTED: Bright young girl for office work. Must be a good writer and willing to learn.”
COVER PHOTO: The first Wayland High School Orchestra, 1936, resurrected in the early 21st century.