(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — July 19, 1995
The West Michigan area was attempting to cope with a severe heat wave throughout the past week, with temperatures too often hovering around or eclipsing 100 degrees.
The Wayland area “Wave Runners” summer swimming program has been using the Thornapple Kellogg High School pool because Wayland High School is closed for the rest of the summer because of construction.
Gary Marsh penned a letter to the editor critical of a front page photo the Globe published the week before about filming a cop and criminal with a gun. He insisted the photo was in bad taste, showing “crude thuggery and brutality occurs all too often in reality.”
Ryan and Jan Murray wrote a letter praising the Hopkins community and environs for hospitality in welcoming 85 German musical students who stayed overnight from Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. The students put together an outdoor concert at the village park and reviews were immensely positive.
Community activist Roz Nicholson opened the Hopkins Area Teen Scene at Porter Hall in Hopkins, featuring basketball courts and hoops, pool table, ping pong tables and concessions.
Fire caused more than a million dollars worth of damage to the two 4-L Farm Equipment Storage and Machine Repair buildings in Martin. Four different Leep families were owners of the facility.
About 500 gallons of muriatic acid were spilled at Goodale Enterprises on 10th Street south of Wayland, near one residence and Lucy’s General Store. Cleanup was handled by local firefighters.
The Martin Township Board has purchased a used fire truck tanker to replace “Old Faithful,” a 1957 vehicle. Trustee Jack Sipple cast the lone dissenting vote, maintaining the township could have gotten a better deal.
Grandville developer Doug Vugteveen has been outlining plans to establish Wayland’s first-ever strip mall off West Superior Street next to the U.S.-131 expressway.
50 Years Ago — July 15, 1970
Stehen Creamer, 20, of Evansville, Ind., was killed in a traffic crash on U.S-131 about a mile north of the Wayland exit. Authorities said his vehicle ran into the back of a Michigan Department of Transportation dump truck loaded with asphalt.
Elizabeth Church, a 1968 graduate of Hopkins High School, has been awarded a special Daughters of the American Revolution scholarship from American Indians Committee. She is studying to become a nurse at Mid-Michigan Community College.
Lt. Col. Edward Guider, a 1942 Hopkins High School graduate, assistant professor of mathematics at the U.S. Air Force Academy, has been cited for meritorious service.
The Globe published a front page story and photo of the Kampgrounds of America (KOA) facility near Bradley, which has new owners, the Ralph Abuhl family. The KOA has 80 camp sites and an artificial lake.
Mrs. Ruby Smith, who owned and operated Ruby’s Restaurant in Wayland from 1947 to 1958, died at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Willard Evers was elected president of the Hopkins Board of Education at its annual reorganizational meeting.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in an Arizona case that caused Wayland Union Schools to drop pursuit of changing the results of a millage election from June 8 and the board has been advised to seek another millage in the next sixth months.
H.C. Smith, 77, a partner in the Central Garage in Wayland from 1922 to 1926, has died. He was a lifelong Green Lake area farmer.
Former Wayland Board of Education President Wallace Wakeman, responding to two full page advertisements in the July 1 edition of the Globe, disputed the contentions of Publisher Irvin P. Helmey and accused the ads of spouting the views of the John Birch Society. He wrote, “I love my country, Irv. I love it so much that I weep to see what she’s becoming and what we are doing to ourselves. God help us when we use force to stifle dissent, to kill our own children.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.
Trooper Donal Mellon will give a presentation on safety to the Wayland and Pomona Grangers.
Three Dog Night captured the No. 1 musical slot nationwide with “Mama Told Me Not to Come.”
75 Years Ago — July 20, 1945
The State Highway Department has painted a fresh yellow stripe down the middle of Main Street and Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher insists it is “luminous.”
N.C. Thomas cried the Rotary auction sale at Gun Lake, but afterward was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital with a serious illness.
Adam Kles has returned to Wayland from New York City. He has been a staff sergeant in anti-aircraft and received citations for his work in the North African Theatre.
Michael Chlebana was promoted gunner’s mate in France. Brother Joe is serving in Alaska and another brother, Charles, continues serving Germany.
Steve Gulch is back in town after a 54-month military hitch in North Africa and the Adriatic Sea. The owner of a slew of military honors, he has four brothers, Frank, Felix, John and Walter, who have served.
Bill Hooker, who owns a Bronze Star and five battle stars, has come home from the war. He took part in and survived the perilous Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944.
Harold Doxey is coming back home after serving with the Seventh Army in Germany, earning a Bronze Star.
The local Texaco gas station, closed since Jan. 20, is reopening under the proprietorship of Julia Andrus and is selling milk, ice cream, bread and light groceries.
Library Director Fannie Hoyt is reporting that Henika is getting $53.06 and Dorr Township Library $160.01 from the State Aid to Libraries Fund.
Donovan Martin wrote a letter to his local parents from the Coral Sea, where he is stationed. He said it “isn’t any different than any other body of water.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Jane Randolph, John O’Malley and Wild Bill Kickock as Red Ryder in “A Sporting Chance.”
- Gabby Hayes, Bobby Blake, Alice Fleming in “Tucson Raiders.”
- Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Majorie Main in “Murder, He Says.”
- Sonja Henie and Michael O’Shea in “It’s a Pleasure.”
100 Years Ago — July 16, 1920
Marcus W. Ward, who came to the Yankee Springs area when he was just 7 years old in 1840, died at age 87. He has been a Mason and an Odd Fellows member.
An important school election will be held July 20 on the question of consolidating rural districts. Advocates say transportation would be provided, there would be longer class periods, more teachers and better educational opportunities. Opponents fear higher taxes and local of local control.
Lillian Buskirk, Fay C. Wing, D.F. Fox and Mrs. George Schuh were elected to trustees’ posts for the District No. 2 School Board at its annual meeting July 12.
The Christian Church services for this Sunday evening have been canceled because about 100 members will motor to the church at Coast Grove instead.
John C. Ketcham, state Grange master, made a campaign stop in downtown Wayland and used the bandstand to promise voters he would takie to Washington D.C. a strong understanding of agriculture if elected to Congress.
Henry Lyon, a blacksmith from Battle Creek, landed some big fish during his one-week vacation at Gun Lake and said he was sorry to have to go back home.
This year’s Allegan County Fair Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 promises lots of daring entertainment, including airplanes, Roman chariot races, educated horses and Spanish aerial artists.
The Redpath Chautauqua, sponsored by the Waylan d Commercial Club, will feature Premier Singers and Players, Hipple Concert Company, The American Girls, Rich-Wenor Entertainers, Beilherz in a “Joy Night” program Aug. 13-18.
The annual School District No. 5 meeting will be held Monday evening, July 19.
“Some of the worst holes in the streets in the business section of town have been helped with gravel, but the entire Main Street needs work very b adly.”
Mrs. Ned Dansby was seriously injured in a car accident on Dixie Highway north of Wayland.
The Wayland Electric Light and Power Co. has raised residential rates from 12.5 to 15 cents per kilowatt hour because of rising costs of coal.
COVER PHOTO: The cast of the Wayland High School junior play in 1959, with Director Claude Smith. (Photo courtesy of Brandon Halloran)
