(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 22, 1996
The top 10 academic students for the Wayland High School Class of 1996 are Mike Iwaniw, Julie Martin, Nate Kruizenga, Heather Postma, Jason Harrington, Carrie McBride, Kim Hendrix, Gina Garza, Jennifer Koch and Michelle Langerak.
The Allegan County 911 Advisory Board plans to take over responsibilities of central dispatch from the administrator’s office.
Green Lake is anxiously awaiting the arrival of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
The O & A Electrical Cooperative will merge with Oceana Services to offer customers lower prices and to save money. The new company will be Great Lakes Energy.
Wayland city officials are concerned about a growing problem with residential yard waste being placed on streets and blocking water flow.
The Hopkins Board of Education has decided to increase the siz of the upcoming millage request to 7.5 mills at the recommendation of bond project architects.
David Chesny has decided to step away from his athletic director’s post at Wayland High School and take a similar job at Grand Rapids Northview.
Hopkins Village Council members are grappling with issues of local police service, noting it can only afford to hire officers fresh out of school who won’t stick around very long.
Former Wayland State Police Commander Steve DeBoer is a candidate for Barry County Sheriff, a job he was appointed to in 1994 with the retirement of David Wood.
Patricia Birkholz and Leighton Township Supervisor Dar VanderArk are the candidates for 88th District State Representative, succeeding the retiring Paul Hillegonds.
Martin’s Robert Mitchell emerged as Class D region al champion in the high jump by clearing 6-1 and he qualified for the state meet in the long jump.
The Wayland varsity softball team now is 14-11 after running into control issues from the mound. Coach Cheri Ritz said, “We don’t win when we don’t throw strikes.”
Heather Postma, Sabrina Scully and the 1600-meter relay team that also included Brenda Jackson and Sarah Baker were O-K Gold Conference champions. The Lady Wildcats finished fourth.
The Wildcat boys took second place in the league meet. Keith Calkins won the shot put as did the 1600 relay with Robbie Brower, Mark Stauffer, Steve Smith and Jeff McCarty.
Hopkins sprinter Todd Frazee qualified for the state meet in the 100-meter dash and joined Bill Werkema, Bob Kerber and Scott Langlois to qualify in the 400-meter relay.
Wayland High School’s Andrea Brenner was second in keyboarding and Jennifer Koch was third in business knowledge skills at the Business and Professionals of America competition.
50 Years Ago — May 19, 1971
Patricia Pawloski was announced as valedictorian and Sarah Reinart salutatorian for the Hopkins High School Class of 1971.
The Wayland City Council held the line on the proposed local tax rate of 12 mills for general fund and three mills for sewer. City Manager John Hefner said work has started at the sewer lagoons on the north side of town.
Dr. Emil Morlock of Wayland has been selected for membership in the American Chiropractic Association.
Cleon Duryea and Ronald Bockheim will join incumbent Mrs. Willis Miller on the election ballot for two seats on the Hopkins Board of Education.
Incumbent Willard Evers is being challenged by James Lapham for a seat on the Martin School Board.
Incumbent Don Lapham, Richard Chapple, Edward Endres, Richard Kessenich, Paul Bulow, Michael Batterson, William Kessler, Marilyn Fifelski and Art Hooker are the school board candidates for two seats in Wayland.
Larry Amborski wrote a letter to the editor opposing the planned fish kills project for the Rabbit River, “in order to get Almighty Dollars from trout stamps.”
The United Church of Wayland held its annual Mother-Daughter Banquet with Mrs. Byron Blue as toastmistress and the United Methodist Church was host to six other churches for its “Breakfast Breakthrough.”
Pvt. First Class David Dunklee of Shebyville, a Martin High School graduate, has been awarded a Purple Heart while serving at Chu Lai in Vietnam.
Freshman Paul Heckert has won his last five matches and the Wildcats have fashioned a 9-1 dual match record, losing only to nonleague opponent Allegan.
Brent Irwin broke Jim Kotrba’s school record in the 180-yard low hurdles and qualified for the state meet. He also qualified in the 100-yard highs at 14.9 seconds.
The Wayland varsity baseball team is now 6-3 in the O-K Blue Conference after a tough 2-0 loss to Wyoming Lee. In a recent victory, senior Mike Longstreet belted a two-run homer. Joe Koperski and Larry Tolan continue to handle the bulk of the pitching chores.
75 Years Ago — May 24, 1946
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher in his “Observations” column, wrote about “the appalling toll in human lives taken every day due to traffic accidents.” He was particularly critical of the driving habits of young males who seem to want to push the boundaries as thrill seekers, with indifference to law-abiding motorists.
Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Dewey’s son-in-law, Capt. Thomas Mitchell, is one of the pilots of the “Green Hornet” planes assigned to blast atomic bombs in tests at Marshall Islands.
Glenn Pettis, superintendent of Wayland Schools in the 1924-25 academic year, will be guest speaker at the Wayland High School Class Reunion Friday evening, May 31, at the high school cafeteria.
Anthony Zoppa’s Orchestra once again will perform at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius dance Saturday evening, May 26.
Spanish-American War veteran George Magel, who lived most of his life in Wayland, died in a veterans’ facility in Grand Rapids.
Mosher noted that Memorial Day was to be “the first since the Japs surrendered” on Thursday, Mau 30. The Wayland High School band will lead the parade down South Main Street from Wayland State Bank to Elmwood Cemetery. Floyd Starr and four boys attending Starr Commonwealth will lead a discussion afterward.
The movie “Five Little Peppers” will be shown at Hopkins High School Saturday evening.
The Hopkins annual Spring Fling will include the high school gym being decorated with crepe paper streamers May 24.
The annual Hopkins Senior Skip Day was a trip to Chicago to visit the Aqua Museum, dropping in on a Jimmy Bartlett radio Show and a visit to the ghetto market.
A summer softball league is being proposed, now that the war is over, and games would be held at the Wayland fields. Organizers hope to have as many as eight sponsored teams.
Now showing the Wayland Theatre:
- James Cagney and Sylvia Sydney in “Blood on the Sun.”
- Ray Milland, Sonny Tufts and Olivia deHavilland in “The Well-Groomed Bride.”
- Randolph Scott and Ann Dvorak in Abilene Town.”
100 Years Ago — May 20, 1921
Hilda Ring played a piano solo and Elvin Steeby did a cornet solo at the Junior-Senior Banquet at the high school, overseen by Miss Dacie Haines. The seniors gave the juniors nine “rahs.”
The Wayland Electric Light & Power Co. soon may be sold Miller & Wolfe of Otsego and they will connect to Consumers Power.
Wayland Oil Co. is about ready to commence operations downtown with a rest room for the ladies and flush toilets.
The Wayland boys lost 4-0 to Martin, but the girls routed the Onion Kings in basketball 29-6. If the Wayland girls beat Plainwell later this month, they will win the cup.
Sixteen Wayland High School girls arose at sunrise and hiked to the Rabbit River for a rustic breakfast.
The Allegan County Federation of Women’s Clubs met at the Wayland Methodist Episcopal Church. The local Ladies Library Club was well represented in presentations and musical selections.
Grange roll call was answer to the question “What birds are of the most value to the farmer?” A discussion focused on the question of whether Decoration Day should be observed as a family and recreational holiday or honoring the fallen.
Raymond Fox, Bert Bouwman and Edward Hudson will compete in the Field Day at Bangor.
Shelbyville native Arthur Gurley, 42, died. “He had not been well for a few days, but no one realized the end was so near.”
George S, Carner has opened a storage battery repair shop and service station at the old Dean hotel building on North Main Street.
Howard E. Ward is opening a used car sales business.
Fay C. Wing and son Paul have moved north of the village in an effort to regain their passion for farming. However, they still plan to run their furniture and undertaking businesses.
The Hunt Stock Co. theater troupe plan to return to Wayland next winter. This year they presented three plays, “Won by Waiting,” “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “While the City Sleeps.”