(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — June 7, 1995
Martin High School’s 800-meter relay team, with 9Mark Garcia, Greg VanHouten, Richie Guerrant and Matt Talsma again broke the school record with a time of 3:34.02 and placed second the Class D state meet in Bay City.
Anita Kerber wrote in a letter to the editor, “We must stop acting out of fear and rumors, and come together for the kids” just before the June 12 annual school election in Hopkins.
The Globe published a feature story about Howard Cowles, the singing square dance caller from Shelbyville, who also was former owner of the Gambles and Standard gasoline station in Wayland.
Nick and Bertha Krulac penned a letter encouraging Wayland district voters to consider new faces in the school board race.
Bruce Firlik voiced opposition to the Wayland City Council’s proposal to adopt a civil infractions ordinance, insisting the city instead should encourage positive behavior of landowners.
A special election is planned for Sept. 12 on a proposal for 0.875 mill to fund operations of the Dorr Township Library. The Dorr and Moline libraries shared a millage until the latter was torn down.
Repaving of South Main Street in Wayland will get under way later this summer.
Wayland High School senior Tom Veld is a member of the Kentwood Junior Paces, which recently captured first place in the national junior wheelchair basketball tournament in Whitewater, Wisc.
Plainwell scored three runs in the seventh inning, aided by three errors, and ended Wayland’s baseball season in the pre-districts. Jim Veltman was named to the O-K Gold All-Conference team as an outfielder. He hit .393 with a school season record 44 hits.
The Martin softball season ended in the post-season tourney with a 9-3 loss to Climax-Scotts. Ace pitcher Jenny Stratton did not play, leaving the team for personal reasons. The Clippers finished at 17-6 overall.
Hopkins High School sophomore sprinter Todd Frazee took first in the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the Allegan County meet.
The Hopkins baseball season came to an end in a loss to defending state champ Calvin Christian. Jerry Funk was named to the O-K Silver Conference first unit at catcher and he was joined on the all-league team by outfielder Brad Francis and pitcher-first baseman Ryan Rewa.
Heather Postma, who set a slew of school records in track, was the winner of the annual Multer Award for outstanding student-athlete.
Mary Sheltron has been named head varsity volleyball coach at Hopkins and she’ll guide the junior varsity boys’ basketball team. Mark Austin will coach the girls’ junior varsity hoops team.
The Rec. Jack Klunder, pastor at the Hopkins Community Reformed Church, has been named head varsity basketball coach at Hopkins, succeeding Mike Oshinski, who resigned.
50 Years Ago — June 3, 1970
Eight candidates, Marilyn Bastian, Wallace Wakeman, Dorothy DeWeerd, Paul Davis, Robert Wagner, Richard Kessenich, Richard Hogerwerf and Reinder Hoeksema will vie for two open seats on the Wayland Board of Education.
Wayland school voters also will be asked to approve a $2.43 million bond project to build a new high school in the June 8 election.
Martin graduated 62 students at the school’s 81st annual commencement. Connie Blake gave the valedictory address and Robert Larson the salutatory address.
Congressman Ed Hutchinson (R-Fennville) has announced he will seek his fifth two-year term in Congress.
Linda Morris gave the valedictory address and Susan Beaver the salutatory address for the Hopkins High School graduation. All members of the class were scheduled to sing together, “I’ve Gotta Be Me.”
Burrell Stein and Robert Beck were the challengers in the Hopkins school board election and the incumbents were Ray Timmer and Russell Brenner.
City Manager John Heffner penned his first column “as an avenue to improve communications between city officials and the taxpayers.”
Michigan State Police Troopers Ken Howell and Norm Lohroff earned citations for their roles in arresting three men who robbed a Hastings gas station.
The City Council has adopted an ordinance for operating and maintaining the sewer system. Funding from the federal and state governments is about $400,000 and a bond approved by the County Board of Commissioners totaled $1.18 million.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Jules Verne’s “Captain Nemo and the Underwater City.”
Three members of the same family, Vickie Mauchmar (1970), Bill Mauchmar (1950) and Mrs. L. Richardson (1920) were honored at the annual Wayland High School alumni banquet.
Wayland was the winner of the last all-sports trophy for the soon to be defunct Expressway Conference.
Director David VanEerden said about 275 boys between the ages of 9 and 15 have signed up for Babe Ruth and Little League baseball programs over the summer.
Wayland High School alum Chuck Stankey has been chosen to coach an O-K Conference all-star baseball game. He is coach at Kentwood.
75 Years Ago — June 8, 1945
Bernard Smith and Jerrold Chrisman, both local boys serving in the Pacific Theatre, crossed paths recently while battling in the Philippines.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote, in his “Observations” column, “This state is one of the great potato states on the nation, yet at this time we find we have a real shortage.”
Mosher also commented that he has long opposed having police do traffic stops, he is slowly changing his mind because of the speeding and reckless driving incidents he has witnessed downtown.
Commander H.M. Briggs, son of Mrs. Lewis Fleser of Shelbyville, is seeing duty on board a light cruiser just off the coast of Japan providing anti-aircraft protection.
Mrs. Martha (Winans) Quick, former school teacher, artist, painter and piano teacher, died and her service was arranged by the Marshall Funeral Home in Martin.
Pvt. First Class Ward Welch won the Bronze Medal for bravery in locating a machine gun nest in Luzon.
S/Sgt. Richard Chapple, who had been a prisoner of war in Germany since early February, was released and finally made his way home in Wayland. He said he ate a steady diet of weed soup and black bread and lost about 50 pounds while in captivity.
Mr. and Mrs. Virgil P. Brock of Winona Lake, Ind., singers and songwriters, will perform their own material in a musical concert at Green Lake Baptist.
Miss Pauline Hazen has been reassigned with the WVES to Corona, Calif., and has been promoted to ensign.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in “Nothin’ But Trouble.”
- Charles Starret in “Rough Riding Justice.”
• Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea in “The Woman in the Window,” directed by Fritz Lang. - Gary Cooper and Ingrid Berman in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
100 Years Ago — June 4, 1920
A huge addition has been completed for the Yeakey Auto Garage downtown on South Main. “This means one more step toward a bigger and better Wayland.”
Wayland copped third place in the annual Allegan County Field Day. Roy Jones earned three firsts, in the 220, 440 and the broad jump. He was named outstanding individual athlete for the second straight year.
All old soldiers, wives and widows were given places on the platform for the Memorial Day observance. Hundreds attended, most by automobile.
A Children’s Day program has been scheduled for Sunday evening at the Episcopal Methodist Church to include songs, recitations, speeches and poems.
The Allegan County Farm Bureau Cooperative continues its organizing efforts in Wayland, Burnips, Corning, Hamilton and Moline. There recently were two drainage demonstrations held in Hopkins.
Mr. and Mrs. William Hinkle and family have moved into the A.F. Hope residence to set up shop for selling ice cream locally.
The Wayland Band will perform its first concert this year on Wednesday evening at the bandstand downtown.
State Master John C. Ketchum of Hastings will be special guest speaker at the next Hopkins Grange meeting in Hopkinsburg. The Wayland Grange meeting was totally taken up by conferring of degrees.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher wrote, “…many are still in ignorance that when the national anthem is sung, it is customary for men to stand (removing hats or caps) and ladies to refrain from continuing their conversations about their neighbors.”
William E. and Schuyler Bowen have sold their flowering mills in Plymouth and Augusta to return to their home farm in Yankee Springs, known as Bowens Mills. They make up the third generation in the business.
COVER PHOTO: Flash Back circa 1900 on the ortheast corner of 142nd Avenue and 30th Street in “Burnips”Corner. This is where Doctor George C. Palmer had his practice and where the Bunker Hill Restaurant stands today. James Burnip first built a general store here in 1856. The post office was established in 1868 and in 1915 the community’s name was changed to “Burnips” which is how we know it today.