Rolling Back the Years

News from the Coloma Courier

100 years ago – 1926

“Interlochen Woods” is the name of the new resort at Paw Paw Lake. Also, a new highway will connect Paw Paw Lake and Little Paw Paw Lake. Finally, John E. Ryan of Chicago is erecting a new $3,000 cottage at Maple Heights.

House and Lot For Sale – Henry Kibler, Phone 74

Thunder Mountain News: The road from Fish school house has been placed in good condition.

Michigan Bell Telephone Co. – Rates for “Any Person” call after 8:30 p.m. is 55 cents.

60 years ago – 1966

Mayor Exchange Day was a big success. Coloma welcomed Royal Oak Mayor Curtis Potter and Mrs. Potter.

Bud and Chuck Reinhardt won the okay to rezone their property to commercial. They will proceed with plans of opening a shopping center.

Andy Kendall Jr. is the winner of last week’s mystery picture contest.

The annual American Legion Memorial Day parade is being planned. A wreath will be placed on the memorial tomb in Baker Park, the soldiers’ graves will be decorated and the Coloma band will provide music.

Theresa Semand & Glenn Milham are winners of the Jaycee Safe Driving Road-E-O.

30 years ago – 1996

Amy Stowers was named recipient of Coloma High School’s Green and Gold Award. Her parents are David and Karen Stowers.

The Wilkinson family was selected by the Knights of Columbus Council #4055 as “Family of the Year.” Robert Vogie and Frank Geiser were given special recognition to the Bingo Octogenarian Club.

Faith Lutheran Church will inaugurate its customary summer worship hours, which begin at 9:30 a.m.

The Coloma Township Planning Commission voted to recommend a special land use permit to the Coloma school district. An athletic complex near the high school is being planned on a 17-acre tract of land. Fund raising events are being planned.

Submitted by volunteer Sandi Musick Munchow at Coloma Public Library from the Coloma Courier newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record.

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News from the Hartford Day Spring

100 years ago - 1926

Third prize in the Blossom Week pageant at Benton Harbor on May 18 was awarded to Hartford’s civic float, “From Blossoms to Fruit.” Hartford’s school float was also third in the school division of the parade.

The Michigan Blossom song, extolling the beauties of blossom land, which was broadcasted from three Chicago radio stations and from Berrien Springs and was sung at the Blossom Pageant at Benton Harbor, was written by a Hartford woman. Mrs. Frank G. Simpson is the author of the song which made a decided hit as sung by E. C. Edmonds at the radio stations. Music for the song was written by Mrs. Nate Simpson of Keeler. Mrs. Simpson also sang the Blossomtime hit at the county meeting of sewing clubs at the Hartford High School auditorium.

80 years ago - 1946

Mrs. Harry P. Burkholder entertained the Art Study class Monday afternoon. The afternoon’s lesson, which was on “First American Portraits,” was presented by Mrs. Harry Hurry, who also read an article concerning Galena, IL, the birthplace of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Plans were made at the meeting for the group’s annual spring luncheon which will be held June 10.

Mrs. Charles Engle will entertain the Hartford Junior Mothers’ club at the latest meeting of the group which was held at the home of Mrs. Wesley Bailey. Miss Lois Kendzell, County Health Department, and an assistant, spoke on children’s communicable diseases and reviewed work of the county health department.

60 years ago - 1966

The registration deadline for a Girl Scout day camp has been extended according to camp director, Mrs. James Empson Jr. A clinic for health examinations for girls going to camp will be held at the Methodist church.

The high school gymnasium will be the scene of Hartford’s baccalaureate Sunday, June 5. The Rev. Lyell Smith, Federated pastor, will speak on “A Word to the Wise.” Invocation and benediction will be given by the Rev. Dale Spoor, Methodist pastor. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Vaught will sing and play the processional and recessional for the 56 graduates.

Submitted by Librarian Stephanie Daniels at Hartford Public Library from microfilm copies of the Hartford Day Spring.

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News from the Watervliet Record

90 years ago - 1936

Mayor F. W. Emerson states that the city administration is interested in the project to erect a grandstand at Hays Park, for the storage room underneath. He states the city needs space for street equipment and tools; it would be an economical way of obtaining this by putting in one third of the cost.

Gordon J. Willmeng has been elected to the executive committee of the Inter-Fraternity Council at Michigan State College, East Lansing. According to a recent announcement, Willmeng, a junior in agriculture, is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.

Miss Marion Sterner, who has been an assistant in the office of Supt. R. R. Shelters of the Watervliet Schools, has accepted a position for the summer in the electric shop operated by Wilfred Clark.

60 years ago - 1966

Former Watervliet resident Thomas L. O’Hara, son of the former mayor of Watervliet, received a citation for his part in the rescue operations at Sunnyside, a suburb of Elkhart, Indiana, after a twister leveled homes there on Palm Sunday of 1965. O’Hara went to the devastated area where several emergency vehicles were blocked by fallen high-tension cables. Using borrowed equipment and at personal risk, O’Hara and another man cut the cables and restored the flow of traffic.

Mr. and Mrs. Jon Ross were honored on their 25th anniversary at a dinner. Married on May 17, 1941, they have spent their married life here. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ross are employed at the Watervliet Paper Co., where Mr. Ross has a supervisory position.

30 years ago - 1996

Christopher J. Peal, Principal at Watervliet North Elementary School, was conferred the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the 126th annual commencement of Loyola University-Chicago. His dissertation focused on the impact of superintendent evaluations on public school principals.

A total of 4,831 Michigan State University students earned a 3.5 or better GPA for spring semester 1996. Students from Watervliet: Serena Rae Sloan, Jason VanLente, Krista Carol Winkel and Lisa Jean Winkel.

The staff and faculty of Watervliet Middle School are proud to announce that Jordan Patzer has been chosen the 7th-grade “Student of the Week.” He plans on going to Lake Michigan College and go to an automotive school.

Submitted by Sally Q. Gonzalez from files at Watervliet District Library of the Watervliet Record newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record.

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