The time has arrived for “paint-
up, fix-up, clean-up” around the
house. Remember Gastonia’s
slogan, “City of Growing Beauty”,
and do your part to uphold it.
NEWS
GASTONIA
The Company’s liberalizations in
employee benefits are important
to you. In order that you might
better understand and appreciate
these benefits, portions of a speech
delivered here by Firestone’s Mr.
Murphy are being published in this
issue.
VOLUME II
GASTONIA, N. C., APRIL 5, 1953
NO. 7
W. R. Murphy Speaks Here; Explains New Benefits
r\
Sports Banquet,
Easter Events
Mark Busy Week
^ full program of Easter week
end activities was scheduled by the
Recreation Department starting
Friday, April 3, with an Easter egg
hunt and ending Easter Sunday
'^^th a sunrise service on the lawn
of the Girls Club.
Between those two activities was
the big annual Sports Banquet on
Saturday. The Sports Banquet was
in two sections as has been the
custom for several years. The first
Section was at 12 noon for the
benefit of second shift employees;
the second, at 7 p, m. for first and
^hird shift employees.
Coach Bill Dole of Davidson Col-
Was featured speaker at the
banquet. Mr. Dole came to
3'Vidson after completing one of
e ttiost successful high school
poaching jobs in recent state-wide
history at Fayetteville, N. C. He
introduced by Bob Hood, editor
^ ^^^estone News and an alumnus
Davidson.
Coach Murray Greason of Wake
^^est College was featured
^eaker at the evening banquet. Mr.
Reason has a long and successful
^^aching record at the Baptist in-
^.^tution, just recently capped by
Demon Deacons in their win-
of the Southern Conference
j^j^l^etball Championship in Ra-
Coach Greason talked to an esti-
^ ^ted 200 employee athletes and
y^ests. He was introduced by Wake
oi’est Alumus Tom Ipock, Indus-
^^al Relations Director for Fire-
^tone Textiles.
^etiieation Director Ralph John-
Was master of ceremonies at
'^th sections of the Sports Ban-
^^®t. General Superintendent
elson Kessell, and Superintendent
^ancis Galligan assisted in the
Presentation of trophies to out-
^ anding participants in the Fire-
one Textiles Recreation Program
the year 1952.
Sports
Tourney Announced
first in a 1952 series of
®tate--wi(jg industrial spoi’ts tour-
will take place in Winston-
Salem
Wotyi
April 24. This will be a
"'jflien’s duck pin bowling tourna
to be held at the Twentieth
I'y Bowling Alley. Each team
'^entu.
consist of five women who
bear their own expense and
hear their
dire + Hawn, recreation
ector of P. H. Hanes Knitting
^®^pany, will act as chairman for
event.
thi
f
I
SPEAKS HERE—W. R. Murphy, third from right, Industrial Relations Director for The Firestone
Tire & Rubber Company, made the principle address to a meeting of Gastonia plant supervisors and
North America plant managers on March 26, at the Girls’ Club. Mr. Murphy spoke on the new libera
lizations in employee benefits. Others on the picture, left to right, T. B. Ipock, Industrial Relations Di
rector; Francis Galligan, superintendent; W. A. Karl, President of Firestone Textiles Division; Harold
Mercer, General Manager; Nelson Kessell, General Superintendent.
On Opening Day
Employees, Officials Visit Branch Bank
'' . V' •' —. N• jH
“— -■■■ —
CONGRATULATIONS—General Manager Harold Mercer shakes
hands with National Bank’s Vice-President J. G. Reading on the
Grand Opening of the West Branch of the bank. W. A. Karl, right,
President of Firestone Textiles Division was present at the opening
to congratulate bank officials including the President of the institu
tion, Kay Dixon (not pictured). Harold Voyles, left, is the manager
of the new branch bank.
JAMES SWAYNGHAM, pick-
er tender and resident of Fire
stone Dormitory at 1025 West
Franklin Avenue, was the first
man to open an account at the
new West Branch of the National
Bank of Commerce. His comment
on the bank’s opening day, “It’s
wonderful to have a bank right
next door.”
College Choir To Appear
In Local Church April 19
The 27-member choir of the
Wesleyan Methodist College of
Central, S. C., will sing" at the
Firestone Wesleyan Methodist
Church, Sunday, April 19th at 7:30
p. m.
The choir, under the direction of
Prof. E. Stanley Banker, is noted
for its fine “a cappella” singing.
The public is invited to attend this
service.
AMONG the first customers at the new bank were Thor Giles,
at teller’s window, and Ben Davis. Mr. Giles, a spinning doffer and
18-year Firestone employee, said, “This is what the folks at Fire
stone have needed a long' time.” His companion, Ben Davis, Men’s
Club clerk, was even more enthusiastic. Said he, “It’s one of the
best things we’ve ever had on this end of town.” The teller on the
right is Mrs. Ann Barkley.
W. R. MURPHY, Industrial
Relations Director for The Fire
stone Tire & Rubber Company,
addressed supervisors from the
Gastonia plant and general
managers from all North Ameri
can plants of F'irestone Textiles
Division at the Girls’ Club,
Thursday, March 26.
Mr. Murphy’s address includ
ed a detailed description and ex-
plantation of the new liberaliza
tions in employee benefits. The
text of his speech, in part, fol
lows:
“It is nice to talk to this group of
supervision. You know I have spent
most of my time at Firestone—
since 1907—in Industrial Rela
tions. . . ,
“It has been quite a long time
since I was in Gastonia—and I
can’t help but note some of the
changes. I don’t want to try to
cover all these changes but the
improved lighting certainly is fine
and should help everyone. Then
there are the new parking lots. Of
course, when I was first here, in
1934 or 1935 before we bought the
plant, I am sure the employees did
not own enough automobiles to need
a parking lot. I also remember the
streets in the village—unpaved and
with deep ruts. So much for the
past, lets get on to the present.
“I would like to talk to you in
some detail about the points in
volved in our new vacation and
holiday pay schedules. In addition,
I would like to touch upon some
other matters which involve all of
us as members of the Firestone
supervisory or management group.
“My first impression on this visit
to Gastonia is one of change, not
only in our plant but in the town of
Gastonia itself. We all know of the
physical changes that have taken
place in and around the plant and
of the changed conditions under
which our employees work today.
(Continued on Page Five)
Sunrise Service
Attracts Crowd
A large crowd of community
people attended the Easter Sunrise
Service on the front lawn of the
Girls’ Club. Ministers from all
Firestone community churches par
ticipated. Music was furnished by a
church choir under the direction of
Clyde Moss.
The program was arranged by
the Recreation Department for the
benefit of everyone regardless of
church affiliation. Ministers ap
pearing on the program were: the
Rev. Frank H. Malone, Loray Bap
tist Church; the Rev. F. B. Den-
nard, Wesleyan Methodist Church;
the Rev. R. M. Hardee, West End
Methodist Church; and the Rev. W.
C. Neel, West Avenue Presbyterian
Church.