GASTONIA • NORTH CAROLINA
VOLUME XIII - NUMBER 1
JANUARY * 1964
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Your Symbol
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and Service
JANUARY
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high
resolves
for 1964
From a New England coun
try store comes this wall
hanging in linen, with its
words to live by . . . “a sort
of new golden rule that fits
modern-day living, speaks
the feeling of softness, love
and faith that we so strongly
need in this hectic world to
day.” Shirley Greene of main
office suggests it as a set of
resolutions good for every
day in the New Year, and in
vites: “Read and ponder its
message and make it yours.”
Scholarship Deadline Near
Hurry up, if you hope to be
P^^ted in on the 1964 Fire-
Scholarship Program.
soK directed to high-
seniors who are sons
daughters of Firestone
>loyees.
^ 'completed application forms,
^^Quired character references,
J^^*^ication of grades, aptitude
results and all other infor-
required (as outlined in
j ® Scholarship booklet) must be
®^eived by the Scholarship
^^^'^ittee by the end of Febru-
needed material, including
and application forms.
-^^^il^ble at the industrial
re-
lations office. Employees having
sons or daughters ready for col
lege next fall, and planning to
apply for the Scholarship, need
to get this material right away.
To be eligible for a Firestone
scholarship, an applicant must
presently be a high - school
senior; the son or daughter of an
employee who has finished five
years of continuous service with
the company by Jan. 1, 1964, and
in the upper third of his or her
class. Only children of em
ployees whose average income
does not go above $850 per
month without overtime will be
eligible.
Each scholarship award to be
R. M. Sawyer
Mrs
Richard M. Sawyer, wife
Firestone Textiles Divi-
1 ^ President, died unexpected-
Akron, Ohio, Dec. 20. The
moved to Gastonia in
remained here until
to ^hen he was transferred
operation in Tex-
Pa , ^ manager of the com-
p^ textile factory in Sao
Brazil, 1945-1957.
1957 ^ returned to Akron in
• In Gastonia, Mrs. Sawyer
was active in club, community
and church projects. She gave
much leadership to developing
the local Pioneer Council of Girl
Scouts. The family requested
than any memorial gifts be
made to Pioneer Girl Scout
Council, Inc., Gastonia, which
she served as a volunteer work
er. Mrs. Sawyer was a life mem
ber of the Middlesex Chapter,
Order of Eastern Star in Mass
achusetts. An Episcopalian, she
was a member of the Akron
Woman’s City Club.
Progress Landmarks
Reached Last Year
AT
GASTONIA
The multiplied millions
Gastonia plant in 1963 went
from the looms sufficient to
journeys to the moon and
around the earth.
General manager Harold Mer
cer made this observation at an
informal meeting of supervision
and office personnel during the
recent holidays.
“There is scarcely a highway,
secondary road, runway, race
track or landing strip in the 50
States that are not touched daily
by Firestone tires into which
Gastonia-plant fabric has been
built. This, and the Firestone
tires on farms and other off-road
Recent Ideas
Brought $110
Roy Bolynn of twisting (syn
thetics) and C. W. Donaldson of
the same department each re
ceived a $25 award for sugges
tions approved before Christmas.
Bolynn’s idea concerned im
provement in respooler gears for
more flexibility in traverse op
eration.
Donaldson’s suggestion was on
modified cam studs of twisting
frames. A while earlier he had
been paid $10 for suggesting in
stallation of mirrors in blind
alleys.
Also in recent months Jack
Wellmon, warehouse, was paid
$15 for an idea on improving a
fabric conveyor; and Jesse Liles,
weaving (synthetics) received
$15 for his plan of an adjustable
brake on cord looms.
of pounds production at the
into tire fabric, with yardage
make an amazing number of
return—or thousands of trips
uses, as well as on all types of
vehicles in countries around the
world, give you some idea of the
extent to which our product is
marketed.”
The general manager reviewed
areas of outstanding progress at
Gastonia last year:
• We have substantially in
creased factory output, decreas
ed costs of production, improved
quality of product, and made a
noteworthy safety record. Be
sides this, our people made the
largest-ever contribution ($17,-
813.38) to the Gastonia United
Fund, upheld Firestone’s fine
record of giving to the Red Cross
bloodbank, and employees
reached 100 per cent purchase of
U.S. Savings Bonds.
• A pay increase which went
into effect in early November
was figured to boost employee
purchasing power by around
$250,000 a year.
Others who each collected $10
for ideas near the end of 1963,
their department and suggestion
subject: Eugene B. Jolly, prepa
ration, air hose for quiller;
Lloyd Lewis, industrial rela
tions, labelling electrical switch
boxes.
Safety, convenience, savings
in production costs and improv
ed quality were involved in
these ideas shared for company
progress — and for cash to the
suggesters.
pa'd by Firestone will contribute
toward tuition, academic fees,
required textbooks, and a part
of room and board expense
while attending school, as more
fully described in the booklet.
Top award per student per year
is $1,500.
Winners may attend any ac
credited college or university in
the United States, pursuing any
desired course leading to a de
gree; and each winner must per
sonally arrange admission to the
school of his choice, this done as
soon as possible, if not already
arranged.
Send all required material to
the Firestone Scholarship Com
mittee, The Firestone Tire &
Rubber Company, Akron 17,
Ohio, to arrive by Feb. 28.
Tax Forms Coming
This Month
The early bird won’t get the
worm in this case, but he’ll have
a load off his mind and receive
a refund sooner—if he’s got one
coming. This applies to filing
your State and Federal income
tax return.
Mrs. Eula Wilson, payroll su
pervisor, says that employees
here will soon receive both N. C.
and Federal withholding state-
More on page 4
The season's first snow rode in on the wings
0 ^ of night only a few hours after Winter's official
arrival on Dec. 21. At the industrial relations
W inter office annex the yucca plant whose panicle of
bell-shaped flowers and sword-like leaves in
Album summer usually accommodate a writing spider
and web, took on a new look with the snow.