(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
The Wayland Schools’ community again was rocked by the news that a group of teen-agers had a party featuring drugs and alcohol at a Gun Lake residence. Two students were arrested for assaulting two troopers from the State Police post in Wayland.
Pat Staley, in the week’s “Soapbox” column, suggested parents do a better job of getting a handle on what their children are doing in the wake of news of the rowdy party and in the wake of the resignation of a football coach the previous year for being present at a similar party.
Gary Marsh penned a letter to the editor expressing appreciation for the service of school board members Lynn Mandaville and Rick Cain, who were defeated in their bids for re-election. Meanwhile, former board member Diane Smith sent her wishes of good luck to newly-elected board members Ken Olney and Robert Wiersma.
Fireworks were evident at the Hopkins Board of Education meeting after the election. Candidate Patricia Kelsey and board member Christina Schwartz took issue with Sycamore Elementary Principal Mary Howard for defending the board against suggestions of impropriety. One of Kelsey’s and Schwartz’s complaints was the institution of Spanish classes at the expense of other academic offerings.
Ken and Kathy Duinstra were selected as Wayland High School athletic boosters of the year.
Pat Staley wrote a lengthy feature about just what the boosters do and interviewed boosters’ president Jackie Straub.
Scott Sullivan wrote a feature about car racer Bob Senneker of Dorr, American Speed Association all-time leading winner on the racetrack.
World War II veteran Frank Kulac of Dorr died at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. He was 75.
50 Years Ago — June 17, 1970
Wayland High School classmates Bill Lohrberg, a door gunner in Cambodia and Rick Hooker, an Infantry Ranger in Vietnam, were in town recuperating from wounds they received in recent combat. Both expressed enthusiastic support for President Nixon’s decision to invade Cambodia.
The Wayland High School Class of 1970 had 132 graduate at commencement ceremonies with speaker the Rev. James Smith, pastor of the Congregational Church. Nora and Neil Ellinger won the American Legion Good Citizenship Award,
The City of Wayland may seek a grant to build a recreation area at the former landfill site on the south edge of town.
Dr. Bruce Larson, son of Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Larson, has earned his medical doctor’s degree from the University of Michigan and will begin his internship at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.
The Congregational Church and Church of Christ congregations have agreed to merge the two groups into what will be known as the United Church of Wayland.
Green Lake residents have presented a petition to the Leighton Township Board seeking the curbing of speed boat activity on the lake as a matter of safety.
Kids’ classifieds will be introduced for free to children ages 12 and younger in the July 1 edition of the Wayland Globe.
Janice Shoemaker, an eighth-grader at St. Therese School, was winner of the Read Magazine Creative Writing Award.
Barry Brower resumed his “Vietnam Diary” column after a brief hiatus. He commented, “Vietnam undoubtedly will be remembered as the war that modernized war.”
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “Marooned,” starring Richard Crenna and Gene Hackman, two months after the harrowing story about the Apollo 13 mission.
The St. Therese baseball team won two games in a tournament behind the pitching of David Wolowicz and Harry Walker.
The Beatles took over the No. 1 slot in the nation’s tune with their last song together, “The Long and Winding Road.”
75 Years Ago — June 22, 1945
The Allegan County Chamber of Commerce has published a map of lakes and streams promoting recreational activities. Several Wayland area businesses have advertised in the publication.
Poultry buyers have been scouring the county for fowl lines and broiler raisers have been very active to meet the demand.
Village Treasurer Elizabeth Clark has announced the local tax rate will remain at nine mills this year. Assessor C.A. Clark indicated the valuation of Wayland has increased by $27,000.
Weaver Hardware has reported that because of its inability to obtain sufficient merchandise in a timely manner, it will be closed Thursday afternoons.
Sgt. Tom Belka has earned a Silver Star for gallantry in while serving in the Army in Germany during the push east to Berlin in November 1944. He also was wounded and received the Purple Heart.
Carl Powers is serving aboard the destroyer the USS Kimberly in the Philippines.
Martha Japinga was toastmistress for the annual Mother-Daughter Banquet, featuring Genevieve Snook’s reading of “Birthday for Elizabeth.”
Jack Gurney will be the chef for the annual American Legion fish fry at Streeter’s Landing, Gun Lake.
Felix Gulch, 19, is back in the hometown telling of his escape from a German prisoner of war camp in April.
Former Wayland man Dale Rankin, 40, was seriously injured in an accident that occurred during a tractor repair at the Pet Milk plant in Greenville, Ill. One of his colleagues was killed.
Pvt. William McElwee, 18, is recovering in a hospital in Hawaii after sustaining injuries in combat at Okinawa.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Frances Langford and Al Carney in “Girl Rush.”
- “The Texas Rangers Ride Again.”
- Lana Turner and Lorraine Day in “Keep Your Powder Dry.’
- Alan Marshall and Lorraine Day in “Bride by Mistake.”
- Abbott and Costello in “Here Come the Coeds.” All who bought war bonds will be admitted free, Thursday only.
100 Years Ago — June 18, 1920
About 20 members of the Wayland Commercial Club met at the Dixie Inn and discussed offering a free Redpath Chautaqua series for five days sometime in August. “The people of Wayland have never before had the opportunity to hear such a high class program.”
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher noted two rumors that have been circulating are complete falsehoods. They assert a local merchant has been arrested for profiteering and another accused of hoarding. “Stories like these hurt,” he opined. “They hurt not only the individual, but the town as a whole.”
John Bickert of Grand Rapids has been chosen to be director of the new Wayland community band.
There will be a reunion of students who attended Hopkins School District No. 5 at the farm home of Fred Hilbert.
Fire destroyed a barn owned by E.S. Allen in Bradley and adjacent barn owned by Frank Rogers. Also destroyed were a Ford car and a truck.
A little more than 76 percent of eighth-grade students in Allegan County this year passed their state exams.
Children’s Day exercises are scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday at the Congregational Church, featuring songs and recitations.
Martin Home Economics Club members discussed the value of having a variety of different foods in their diets. The East Wayland Club is planning a home canning demonstration at the residence of Mrs. Charles LaTourette.
Charles A. Whiteman, a resident of Leighton Township for the past 20 years, died at the age of 88. A native of London, England, he served in the last year of the Civil War under Admiral D.D. Porter of the U.S. Navy.
