THE PRICE OF GREATNESS
IS RESPONSIBILITY.
—Winston Churchill
Tire$lon«
GASTONIA
THE BUSINESS OF LIFE IS
TO GO FORWARD.
—Samuel Johnson
VOLUME IV
GASTONIA, N. C., APRIL 11, 1955
NUMBER 7
^ '
w
Sellers Named Scholarship Winner
★ ★ ★
Is Third From N. C. To Receive Firestone Grant
Review Tire Cord Fabric Production
ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, W. A. Karl, President of Fire
stone Textiles, accompanied by 8 other officials and engineers flew
*^ere from Akron in a company plane to attend an all-day conference
St the local plant. The meeting was devoted to a review of production
of rayon and nylon tire cord fabrics, and to a discussion of plans for
future operations. At the conclusion of the conference, the entire
P^rty left for Akron. Members of the Akron party are shown here
'''ith officials and engineers of the local plant. They are, front row,
from left: T. M. Kersker, W. A. Karl, Harold Mercer, J. N. Street.
Second row: C. W. Pentecost, G. L. Bruggemeier, Nelson Kessell,
B- Hull, R. V. Guelich. Third row: W. P. Ellis, W. G. Henson, D. J.
Haefka, J. V. Darwin, H. F. Umstott. Back row: D. E. Howe, J. M.
Tengea, I. S. Bull, C. E. Moss, and T. B. Ipock, .Jr.
Pan American Week April 10-16
The week of April 10 is being ob
served nationally as Pan American
^eek. In a proclamation issued by
^lesident Eisenhower, April 14 was
^xed as Pan American Day. The
Resident urged the people of this
Country “to give particular ex-
Pi'ession to their fraternal feeling
oward the peoples of the other
ttierican Republics and to their
to the maintenance of
O-
the principles which we share with
them.”
Pan American Day is traditional
ly observed on April 14. In 1890
the first International Conference
of American States, meeting in
Washington, was held on that date.
A resolution adopted then resulted
in the creation of the organization
known today as the Pan American
Union.
« A college education extending over the usual period of four years will be the reward to
Bobby Eugene Sellers of Bessemer City, as a winner in the Firestone College Scholarship
Program for 1955.
The student, whose father, Clyde W. Sellers, is employed in the SYC Weaving Depart
ment here, is one of 21 sons and daughters of Company employees in 10 states to be award
ed scholarships. The announcement came March 29 from Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., Chair
man of the Company.
Sellers, a senior at Bessemer City Central High School, will be allowed to attend any
college or university of his choice in the United States, providing it is an accredited in
stitution.
The Bessemer City youth has O
been an outstanding student
throughout his high school days.
Last year he was vice-president of
the Junior Class, and through his
scholastic record and leadership
abilities became a member of the
National Honorary Beta Club.
In addition to his high scholastic
attainments he has been an active
participant in sports including
football, basketball and baseball.
This year he was captain of the
basketball team, and co-captain of
the football team.
In his senior year he was voted
“The Best Personality” and “Most
Athletic” in his class. He is vice-
president of the Senior Class, pres
ident of the Radio Club at the
school, and has served as business
manager of the staff of the school
annual.
Young Sellers plans to study
engineering when he enters college
under the Scholarship Program
next fall,
^ ^ ^
THE AWARDING OF 21 schol
arships this year brings to 63 the
number of students who have won
Firestone College Scholarships in
the three years the program has
been in effect.
Although only 15 annual Fire
stone Scholarship awards were an-
(Continued on Page 3)
Anniversary Program, May 3-7
Win Mark 20 Years’ Progress Here
ti] ^we than 14,000 persons are expected to tour the 5-floor building of Firestone Tex-
plant here will hold Open House May 3-7, to celebrate its 20 years of pro-
Puhl^ Gastonia. Planned tours open to schools, civic groups, employees and the general
b-qv, be conducted. This will be the first time the plant has opened its doors to the
general public.
I^etailed plans for the Open House were announced by General Manager Harold Mer-
» on the 20th anniversary of Firestone’s coming to Gastonia, April 1, 1935.
overnor Luther Hodges is be- O “ ~ ——
lUg
5. e
lOQ
5 ^ luncheon on May
• that day
a banquet will honor
will be awarded
and service pins.
* *
Sent are also being
labor ° state commissioner of
®ffici' state, county and city
ers ofmany textile lead-
cial • • ^ other sections. Offi-
include several
Pany officials from Akron.
The celebration will be climaxed
Saturday, May 7, with a barbecue
and entertainment lasting five
hours in the company parking lot
on Firestone boulevard, between
Second and Franklin. This event is
intended for the 2,300 employees
and their families. They will be
served between 11 a. m., and 4 p. m.
Prizes will be awarded that night
at a square dance.
;|s iit
A TENTATIVE schedule of the
5-day jubilee program includes:
Tuesday, May 3: Plant tours for
employees and their families. Tours
from 9:30 to 9 p. m.
Wednesday, May 4: Tours for
school children from the junior and
senior high schools, both white and
Negro. Teachers will accompany
their classes. Tours to be held
from 9 a. m. till 12 noon, and from
1:30 to 5 p. m.
Thursday, May 5: Tours by civic
(Continued on Page 4)
BOBBY SELLERS receives his Scholarship award certificate and
congratulations from General Manager Harold Mercer, as Mr. and
Mrs. Sellers look on.
Freedoms Foundation Honor
Goes To Company Newspapers
The Firestone Company’s nine U. S. plant publications
have received the George Washington Honor Medal for dis
tinguished service from the Freedoms Foundation of Valley
Forge, Pa., for ‘‘outstanding achievement in helping to bring
about a better understanding of the American Way of Life
during 1954.”
In addition to the award to the Company, Mary Kerrigan,
Supervisor of Employee Publications, received a George
Washington Honor Medal. Miss Kerrigan also received this
honor in 1952 and 1953.
This is the third consecutive year O
that the publications as a group
have received an award from the
Foundation. In 1953 and 1954 they
received the top award in the com
pany employee publications cate
gory of the Freedoms Founda
tion’s annual awards program for
their work in 1952 and 1953.
The publications are under the
direction of the Firestone Depart
ment of Public Relations, of which
William D. Hines is Director.
* * *
THE PUBLICATIONS in the
various plant cities and their
editors are:
Firestone Non-Skid, home plants,
Akron, Ohio, Jean Sonnhalter;
Firestone Californian, Los Angeles,
Paul W. Neff; Firestone Southern
er, Memphis, Tenn., Nick Pinter;
Firestone News, Pottstown, Pa.,
D. E. Story; Firestone News, Gas
tonia, N. C., Claude Callaway;
Ravenna Arsenal News, Ravenna,
Ohio, Diane Neass; Firestone Hoo-
sier, Noblesville, Ind., Kenneth M.
Wright; Firestone Hawkeye, Des
Moines, la., Ralph C. Darrow;
Firestone News, Fall River, Mass.,
Thurlow Cannon.
The object of the Foundation’s
annual awards program is to honor
outstanding efforts to improve
public understanding and apprecia
tion of our basic Constitutional
Rights and Freedoms inherent in
the American Way of Life.
Announcement of the awards is
made each year at Freedoms Foun
dation Headquarters at Valley
Forge on George Washington’s
birthday.
While working, protect your eyes.
They’re the only two you’ll ever
have!