Firestone has one of the fin
est safety records in the indus
trial world—an achievement that
each employee can look upon
with pride. It is well to remem
ber, howev.er, that records like
this aren’t made in a day, neith
er will they survive a moment of
tragic carelessness.
T1re$tone
NEWS
GASTONIA
You can enjoy the Voice of
Firestone on either radio or tele
vision .every Monday night at
7:30 over the NBC network. It
is rated with the nation’s top
entertainment programs.
VOLUME I
GASTONIA, N. C., JULY 5, 1952
NO. 5
first shift fire brigade: Front row, left to right, G. V. Tindall,
Jones, Rufus Hughes, and Joe Burris. Second Row, E. G. Bul-
Joe Champion, Leon Kistler, and Howard Moore. Standing, left
I’ight, Assistant Chief Cramer Little, Ed Foy, J. E. Fletcher, and
^ W. G. Henson.
Fire Brigademen Drill Twice Monthly
To Keep Up Fire Fighting Effeciency
^iStanding ready to fight fires on
Wh ^ ^ groups of employees
otdinarily are considered fix-
doffers, weavers, and shop
fir^' fsound of a
e a arm are quickly transformed
? trained fire brigade,
inp- f has a special mean-
<^ach 20 employes on
pQ Firestone Textiles,
jobs ^ signal to leave their
hands and quickly
thev ^ brigade. During a fire
^iplind^^ real fire fighters—dis-
the ’ ^^^ained, and equipped in
professional fire
usinJ^ ®®sential that a large plant
materials in pro-
Perso^^ among its employees,
milia^^ ai’e thoroughly fa-
the plant’s fire fight
ing equipment and who are immed
iately available to combat fires
anywhere in the plant. The three
fire brigades were established at
Firestone Textiles, therefore, as a
practical necessity.
* Sf =i!
Fire Brigades at Firestone are
made up of an assistant chief, a
captain, and 15 or more fire fight
ers, each having a specific respon
sibility or post of duty during a
fire. While actively engaged in fire
fighting or fire drilling they come
under the direction of Fire Brigade
Chief W. G. Henson or First Shift
Assistant Chief Cramer Little.
Drills are held twice monthly to
maintain the proficiency of brigade
members. These drills take place
Continued on Page Two—
Cl:
•ysiv
first annual R. L. Sanborn Award Trophy was presented
Troop 20 in a ceremony held recently at the West Avenue
Church, sponsor of the troop. Left to right, are Super-
^ Francis Galligan, who made the presentation; Rev. W. C.
’ Pastor of the church; and Bruce Sanborn, Scoutmaster of the
tile troop, and son of the late R. L, Sanborn in whose memory
^^rd'was established,
at 20 received the award as a result of its scoring highest
® May 17 Firestone Jamboree for community Boy Scout Troops.
New Gaston Technical Institute To Offer
Training In Four Textile - Related Fields
FIRST student—Gordon Clary of Lowell is the first applicant
for admission to the new Gaston Technical Institute. Extending a
welcoming hand is James I. Mason, director of the Institute. C. C.
Dawson, right, is chairman of the local advisory board which spon
sored the founding of the new school in Gastonia.
Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., Receives
Liberia's Highest Honor For Service
Highest honor of the Republic
of Liberia, West Africa, was con
ferred upon Harvey S. Firestone,
Jr., Chairman of The Firestone
Tire & Rubber Company, in recog
nition of the “salutary and bene
ficial effect” which the Firestone
development in Liberia had upon
the life of the country.
In presenting the Grand Band of
the Order of the Star of Africa
in the African Republic Embassy
in Washington, D. C., Liberian Am
bassador C. L. Simpson said that
the Firestone Company’s activities
in Liberia “actually marked the
beginning of genuine American
interest in the natural resources
of Liberia, and it also revolution
ized its internal economy for which
the government and people of Li
beria are most grateful.”
Upon receiving the honor, Mr.
Firestone, Jr., said, “to me it sym-
Bartlett Honored
At Luncheon
ROBERT A. BARTLETT, gen
eral accountant, was entertained
at the Girls’ Club at a luncheon
on Monday, June 30 — the date
of his retirement under the Fire
stone Retirement Program. Mr.
Bartlett is the first salaried em
ployee at Firestone Textiles to re
tire under the provisions of this
program.
Attending the luncheon were his
friends and associates from main
office and plant. As a token of
esteem he was presented a leather
two-suiter travel bag.
bolizes the mutual respect and the
high esteem which have character
ized our joint endeavor for more
than a quarter of a century.”
The Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company was the first American
organization to go into Liberia, be
ginning its development of rubber
plantations in 1926.
The Liberian Ambassador also
praised the establishment of The
Liberian Institute of the Amer-
—Continued on Page Two-
THE Gaston Technical Institute
at 510 West Airline Avenue in
Gastonia will open its doors to stu
dents for the first time on Sep
tember 22.
The Institute, operated by the
Extension Department of North
Carolina State College, offers high
school graduates one-year technical
courses in Internal Combustion En
gines, Building Construction Tech
nology, Electrical Technology, and
Textile Technology. The Institute
will be able to confer certificates
from State College to the pupil
when he successfully completes his
one year of work.
=i: H:
ACCORDING to latest statistics,
a concern needs five technicians for
every engineer it employs. This
section of the state is growing in
dustrially and technicians are in
demand. The textile industry is
urgently in need of technicians
with the “know how” of engineer
ing practices. The Institute offers
intensive one-year courses in the
four specific technological fields
listed above instead of a general
knowledge of the entire engineer
ing field as is done in a four year
college.
The curricula are essentially
technological in nature, based upon
principles of science beyond high
school. During the first term from
September 22, to December 16,
all students will take the same
course: Engineering Drawing, Al
gebra, Physics, Internal Combus
tion Engines, Electricity (Direct
Current), Oxyacetylene Welding
and English (Grammar and Com
position). During the second and
-Continued on Page Two-
MUSICAL TALENT was displayed by these boys and girls at a
recital recently at the Main Street Methodist Church. In the front
row are Minerva Chandler (left), daughter of M. A. Chandler,
speeder tender; and Barbara Kilpatrick, daughter of Weaver H. c!
Kilpatrick. In the back row (from left) are Tommy Ipock, son of t!
B. Ipock, Jr., Director of Industrial Relations; Aaron Hicks, son of
Speeder Tender T. L. Hicks; Brenda Hogan, daughter of Shop Em
ployee Floyd Hogan; and Betty Ann McAbee, daughter of Safety
Director L. B. McAbee.