Bygone Days: A look back at news in NE Allegan County

25 Years Ago — Nov. 27, 1991

courtesy-robt-smithThe Awareness Committee in Yankee Springs Township insists that Thompson-McCully’s special use permit to mine gravel will be expiring on Nov. 29. Supervisor David VanElst has acknowledged the sunset date,

The Dorr Christmas parade is scheduled to take place Nov. 30 and Wayland plans to have a Christmas tree lighting ceremony Friday evening Dec. 6, with high school teacher Jeff Salisbury serving as master of ceremonies. The junior high choir directed by Jan Evans, the high scool choir directed by Dick Wiley and the community choir directed by Helen Gambee will perform as well. The parade will take place the following morning.

The Rev. Brewster Willcox, pastor of the United Church of Wayland, has reported the annual CROP Walk Against Hunger raised more than $4,600 this fall, with some of that amount going to the local Christian Neighbors food pantry.

Wayland Junior High School Principal Jon Jensen has announced a program in which adult volunteers are being actively sought to work with students to “enrich and expand the school curriculum.”

Ice road conditions were blamed for 23 traffic accidents reports called into the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police between Sunday and Tuesday, according to dispatcher Jackie Straub.

Carla Ploeg, standout center of the Middleville Thornapple Kellogg basketball squad, proved to be too much for Wayland to handle in the district finals, as she scored 25 points in a 45-36 Trojans’ victory. The verdict ended the Wildcats’ streak of nine consecutive district championships. They won their district opener with ease, 77-53 over Delton, as Ann Iciek drilled five three-pointers and Joanne Lodenstein added 18 points. Coach Zack Moushegian’s ballclub ended the season with a 15-7 overall record.

The Hopkins girls’ season ended in the district finals for the third year in a row, this time in a 51-38 loss to Byron Center. The Vikings, coached by Tom McArthur, finished with an 8-14 overall record.

Coach Robert VandenBerg’s Martin girls ended their season with an 11-10 overall after a 50-44 defeat in the district opener against Battle Creek St. Phillip.

The Henika Public Library has added a vision enhancer that magnifies reading material. The device was purchased through a grant, thanks to help from the local Lions Club and Bob Cook and the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary.

50 Years Ago — Nov. 23, 1966

Ted Green is the new plnt manager at Pet. Inc., which is undergoing a $100,000 expansion and introducing two new products, “Big Shot,” a chocolate milk syrup, and “Please,” a non-dairy coffee creamer.

Green, who formerly was manager at a plant in Belleville, Wisc., succeeds James Drake, ho was promoted to take over a facility in St. Louis, Mo.

Michigan Sate Police Troopers Jack Sandusky and Dalton D. Bennett both have been promoted at Wayland and transferred Sandusky to East Tawas and Bennett West Branch.

Pvt. First Class Larry Marquard of Wayland was presented with an Infantryman’s Badge while serving in Vietnam.

Wayland Globe Editor-Publisher Irv Helmey attened the big game between football unbeatens Michigan State and Notre Dame the previous Saturday, which ended in a 10-10 tie. He was very critical of Irish coach Ara Parsegian’s decision to let the clock run down and settle for a tie. “You go with what you have, and if you lose, you still have played the game,” Helmey opined. “Anything less is quitting.”

Mr. and Mrs. Delos Schad recently received a 16mm film of their son, Ron, in an interview he did while serving in South Korea. Schad is teaching English to South Korean soldiers while stationed there.

Hopkins varsity football coach David Dagley has announced that Viking standout Don Walker has been selected to the Woodland All-Star football squad by WOOD-TV.

The Wayland High School journalism class has begun a cooperative project with the Globe in which six students reporters will write news articles for the local weekly newspaper and edit faculty and club newsletters. The first installment was penned by Candi Hayes.

The Wayland Theatre was showing “My Fair Lady,” starring Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison and Sterling Holloway.

75 Years Ago — Nov. 28, 1941

“Wayland has a darned good safety patrol and it’s getting better every day,” Rollo Mosher said his weekly column. “We motorists don’t know how many fewer accidents have occurred and perhaps lives have been saved.”

“Not a single business remains among those that existed in the great fire on South Main Street in 1902.” He named the dearly departed as Schuh’s Harness Shop, Grange Hall, Frank’s Tailor Shop, Yeakey’s Palace Market, Wilson’s Furniture & Undertaking, Farmers Handy Wagon Co., Hooker’s Hardware, Wilson’s Confectionary and the Shattuck Store.

The Mothers Club has been volunteering to furnish the nurse’s clinic in Mrs. Forrest Calkins’ elementary classroom.

The Rev. J.D. Shorney will preach in the annual union service at the United Methodist Church Sunday evening at eight o’clock.

Valentine Rewa, 87, a resident of Dorr Township for most of his life, died at his home Nov. 22.

Herb Auto Sales has changed its gasoline brand to Mobil at its service station and garage.

Thomas Walsh, manager of the Grand Rapids Airport, will be guest speaker next Wednesday for the Rotary meeting at the Doll House Restaurant. A charter meeting for the new group will be held at the school cafeteria Dec. 9.

Kroger’s Thiron enriched Clock Bread was on sale for nine cents a large loaf.

Hopkins will visit Wayland for the high school basketball season opener.

A defense training course will be offered at the high school. Included was metal work, temporary drilling, welding and machinery repair.

Miss Simpson’s third- and fourth-grade are starting a Good English Club.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:

  • “Down Mexico Way” and “Burma Convoy” with Charles Bickford and Evelyn Ankers.
  • “Texas,” with Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor and William Holden.
  • “Three Cockeyed Sailors,” with Tommy Trinder, Claude Herbert and Michael Wilding and Carla Lehmann.
  • “Mob Town,” with the Little Tough Guys, the Daed End Kids and Dick Foran.

100 Years Ago — Nov. 24, 1916

The Overton Creamery Co. is planning to open a facility in Allegan and Editor George Mosher said it could be good news for that community. Wayland’s Helvetia Co., with 31 employees, has been such a wild success that competitors in Hilliards and Bradley have shut down and the one in Moline is struggling.

The Big Boys and Girls Club have a day with canning instruction in Allegan Nov. 27 under the auspices of the Allegan County Farm Bureau and County Normal School.

School District No. 10 will reopen Monday after being closed for three weeks because of a scarlet fever epidemic. Allegan County Health Officer Dr. Baker came into the school Saturday to fumigate.

Mr. Bouwkamp, while working on the cement floor at his barn, had a sledge hammer fall on his feet and crushed his toe, breaking one.

The A.D. Hughes Co. of Rochester, Ind., has negotiated to buy the Walters Cabinet building and marchinery, including the electric light plant, and will manufacture flour mill machinery there.

W.R. Harper, secretary of the State Sanitary Livestock Commission, visited Dorr and Hopkins townships in the wake of quarantines issued for the area on dogs. Wendell Smith of the Moline area remains in Ann Arbor receiving Pasteur’s Treatment for rabies after being bitten by a rabid dog.

Mars. Martin Dreyer, 44, a mother of five, was burned to death after attempting to start a fire with gasoline that she thought was kerosene. Her husband was badly burned in his attempt to rescue her, but he will survive.

“Do your Christmas shopping early and do it in Wayland.”

A ghost social will be held on Thanksgiving Eve at the Hamilton Schoolhouse two miles east of Wayland. Mildred Wing and friends will supply the music.

PHOTO: Robert Smith offered up this photo of an old Gulf gasoline station because it looks an awful lot like the old Nicolai Gulf station at the corner of West Maple and North Main about a half century ago.

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