(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 17, 1995
Cindy tenHaaf of VanDyken Disposal wrote a letter in praise of the “boys down at the city garage” for their help in the city’s annual Clean-Up Days.
The First of America Bank in Moline was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash when a young man demanded money and had a hand in his pocket he claimed was a gun.
The two-vehicle crash on U.S.-131 between Wayland and Dorr caused re-routing of traffic. Single drivers in both cars suffered only minor injuries.
Terry Baumgard has retired from the Wayland Fire Department after 28 years of service.
Wayland was planning Mayor Exchange Day exercises on June 1 with Whitehall.
The Penasee Globe has announced a community newspaper exchange with the White Lake Beacon and Ocean Herald-Journal.
The Hopkins Village Council will buy land from Dave and Rose Sebright to expand the park along Jefferson Street.
The Rev. Kenneth Kuiper is preparing to leave Martin Reformed Church to join a radio broadcast ministry, “Words of Hope.”
LaVerne Elliston of Wayland has completed an 11-week special course at Michigan State University to earn certification as a master gardener.
The Wayland High School softball team has been suffering through a hitting drought and its season record has slumped to 12-14.
Leslie Anderson set the school record in the 300-meter hurdles for Martin High, but the Clipper boys now are down to a roster of just nine because of injuries. Martin boys own an 8-2 dual meet record.
Pitcher Jenny Stratton and catcher Kristin Fraaza have been suffering from illnesses and the Clippers’ softball team is trying to regroup before a league showdown against Gobles.
The Wayland boys’ track team finished the regular season with a 4-4 dual meet record after a fast start.
The Hopkins boys’ track team came within a whisker of gaining its first dual meet victory in 22 years in losing 64.5 to 63.5 to Allendale. The girls suffered the same fate in a 62-56 defeat.
Catcher Jerry Funk continued his hitting tear with a couple of home runs, but the Hopkins baseball team only split in the week’s games and now is 10-6 overall.
Pitcher Darren Green helped the Wayland baseball team halt a seven-game skid, as did home runs from Doug Cutler and Dan Francis. The Wildcats now are 12-14.
50 Years Ago — May 13, 1970
The Wayland Board of Education has placed a $2.43 million bond issue to build a new high school on the June 8 annual school election ballot.
Eight candidates will vie for two open seats on the Wayland School Board, including incumbents Wallace Wakeman and Dorothy DeWeerd and newcomers Marilyn Bastian, Bob Wagner, Richard Hogerwerf, Reinder Hoeksema, Paul Davis and Richard Kessenich.
Lebanon native Zaid Assfy, who now lives in the City of Wayland, was a special guest speaker at the Wayland Rotary luncheon. He was necked out in his native garb.
Mrs. (Agnes) E.L. Strong, teacher of language arts and Latin, National Honor Society advisor and sophomore class sponsor, has decided to retire. Her career began in the 1930s and she was girls’ basketball coach in another district in her first year.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Steve McQueen in “The Reivers.”
A fire destroyed two buildings at the site of Plank Road Farm in Bradley. Owner Fred Hilbert promised the buildings will be replaced.
Wayland’s Mayor Exchange Day will be done with Charlevoix later this month.
Joan Lautenschleger was named valedictorian and Linda Whitcomb salutatorian for the Wayland High School Class of 1970.
Nick Krup of Wayland recently retired, but now is serving as a teacher of layout and sheet metal for Manpower in Grand Rapids for a class of 32.
The Martin Junior High and High School bands and high school choir will perform a piece by Sibelius and Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” in a concert May 17 at the high school.
Lenore Romney, wife of the former Michigan governor and current candidate for U.S. Senate, will be guest speaker at a special GOP fund-raising dinner at Otsego High School.
Chuck Wright broke the Wayland school record in the two-mile run with a time of 11:13.5. The Wildcats are closing in a share of the last Expressway League title.
The Guess Who took over the top spot on the nation’s hot 100 tunes with “American Woman.”
75 Years Ago — May 18, 1945
Lt. Chester Brevitz was pressed into emergency duty as a road engineer as American troops advance into Germany. He was said to be repairing ruts and laying corduroy sections.
Lt. Roman Niemczyk has been reported to have been liberated from a prisoner of war camp near Poland. He and his crew members were shot down during bombing raids in 1943.
John F. Sager has been awarded a combat infantryman badge for his service in the push eastward into Germany.
The voice of James Carpenter was reported to have been heard on Tokyo Radio’s “The Postman Calls,” fueling hopes that he is alive and well in Japan.
The annual Wayland High School junior-senior banquet will be held Thursday evening, May 24, at the high school cafeteria. The seniors’ farewell assembly is scheduled for Sunday evening, May 27.
Gene Pawloski write a letter to the Globe discussing the fighting and political situation in the Pacific Theatre in Okinawa. He wrote, “The joke (around here) was that there are so many Nips in the ocean that the fish have slanty eyes from their feasts.”
Noel Dyer, also serving in Okinawa, further explained, “It helps when you’re down in the dumps to remember the wisecracking that gets everyone laughing. There will be a lot of stories when this is all over.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Kay Francis, Walter Huston in “Always in My Heart.”
- Wild Bill Elliott and Gabby Hayes in Mojave Firebrand.”
- Virginia Bruce and Tito Guizar in “Brazil.”
- Moss Hart’s “Winged Victory” documentary.
100 Years Ago — May 14, 1920
Harry Allgeo wrote a letter to the Globe from Texas again, describing the wonderful oil towns in the state, but noted there is a lot of poverty there as well. “How people manage to live is beyond me. We simply didn’t are to eat until we got back to the edge of civilization.”
Louis Hanlon has been elected president of the Ladies Library Club, succeeding Fanny Hoyt. Elected first and second vice president, respectively, were Ella Chapman and Elizabeth Clark.
Eighth-grade exams will be held later this week, with between 75 and 100 students to be tested. The exams also will be administered at Hopkins.
The seventh- and eighth-grade girls’ basketball team defeated Shelbyville 21-12 and the high school girls crushed Allegan 20-4. The high school girls will play Martin for the county championship.
The junior-senior banquet will be held Thursday evening at Yeakey’s Hall.
Teacher Miss Flossie Welch and her students Leighton School enjoyed a year-end picnic at Green Lake.
Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Morford have sold their ice cream parlor to H. Conrad and wife of Kalamazoo.
Twenty-nine small daily and weekly newspapers are being forced to publish tri-weeklies because of a shortage of print paper.
Wayland is facing a shortage of gasoline with “No Gas” signs appearing all over the community. The problem is not helped by the recent railroad strike.
The new Wayland Commercial Club has been established with $5 for annual dues. The group’s first tasks will be to support a community band and a possible free Chautaqua.
“The Dixie Inn” will be the name of the former Wayland House between Bradley and Wayland. New owner E.W. Fox acknowledged he is catering to traffic along Dixie Highway and is offering chicken dinner specials.
Dick Heydenberk suffered a painful cut injury to his forearm while working at the Masey Co. in Grand Rapids.
COVER PHOTO: Library staff members during the 1948-49 academic year at Wayland High School.
