A CROSS with white lilies and other flowers; emblematic of
Ihe Resurrection season.
‘HE IS RISEN, AS HE SAID’
The majestic declaration of “He is risen,” rang out across the
world as millions hailed the ultimate triumph of Christendom—the
resurrection.
The fourth annual Easter Sunrise Service was held at 7 a.m.,
Sunday, April 1, in front of the Girls’ Club, with four Firestone
community ministers and the Firestone Community Singers par
ticipating in the one-hour program. The ministers were Dr. Frank
H. Malone, Loray Baptist; C. E. Hedgepeth, Firestone Wesleyan
Methodist; G. W. Bumgarner, West End Methodist; and David F.
Blue, West Avenue Presbyterian.
IN THE SERVICE, sponsored by the four churches represented
3nd the Firestone Recreation Council, worshippers joined others
sround the world to extol the praises of the Saviour, who by His
sacrifice, saved men from the tyranny of death.
Worshippers, once again, rejoiced in the message of hope which
first came to earth over 1900 years ago. They were aware that parts
of the world cherish another year of peace, however uncertain,
^hile leadership in high places is changing and men struggle for
power, Christ still commands the greatest armies of all, with His
call to “Love one another.”
AND HIS HOSTS are swelled by men everywhere who struggle
to find the way of goodness and the way of peace. While man
stumbles in darkness, fretting over the forces that have left him
fearful and frustrated, the risen Christ holds forth the hope of the
World,
In His resurrection, comes the promise of hope and rebirth. A
Message of hope that holds the light to guide our footsteps when
the way is winding and the way is dark ... It lifts even the saddest
hearts with its message of salvation through Christ, and the
Assurance that life is not a dead-end street, but a glorious ad
venture, begun here and continued into eternity.
Tir«$ton«
GASTONIA
Volume V
GASTONIA, N. C. APRIL, 195S
No. 4
All-Sports Banquet Program
Announced For April 14
☆
☆
☆
More Than 200 Trophies To Be Awarded
James Moore Tatum, head football coach at the University of North Carolina, will
not be the only star on parade when he attends the 20th annual All-Sports Banquet here
April 14. For on that occasion, upwards of 300 Firestone Textiles sports and recreation
notables will pass in review to receive honors which they earned in 1955.
Of the long list of honors, top award will be
the Supremacy Trophy which will go to the plant
department that has won the most impressive
list of distinctions during the past year. The Su
premacy Trophy has been captured by the Spin
ning Department for 8 consecutive years. Last
year that department tied with Twisting for the
honor.
INCLUDED for the special awards will be four
men and four women representing all three shifts
at the plant, and who will be announced as “Ideal
Athletes of 1955.” Those so designated have been
chosen by secret ballot, cast by employees. Those
voting were required to have participated in at
least one sports and recreation activity during
1955. Points considered when an individual voted
included the suggested Ideal Athlete’s sports
manship, attitude, co-operation and participation
in the sports and recreation program last year.
Coach Jim Tatum is scheduled as the principal
speaker at the April 14 meeting. Besides him, a
number of other eminent personalities in the
sporting and recreation world will attend.
A partial and tentative outline of the program
follows:
Invocation; L. B. McAbee
Dinner
Words of Welcome: Harold Mercer
Awarding of Trophies: Ralph Johnson
Awarding of Supremacy Trophy: F. B. Galligan
Awards to “Ideal Athletes”: Mr. Mercer
Introduction of Speaker: Caldwell Winecoff
Address: James M. Tatum
"SUNNY" Jim Tatum is credited with having
produced some of this country’s top defensive
football clubs. He has an .812 winning percent
age for 11 years of coaching. He was at the Uni
versity of North Carolina before going to Okla
homa and then to Maryland.
In the time that elapsed between his tenures
in Chapel Hill, Tatum became recognized as one
of the most outstanding collegiate coaches in the
country. He used his football mind and his per
sonality to perfection in compiling, prior to the
—Turn to page 4
James Moore Tatum
Good Roads For Defense And Economic Progress
The following statement by H. D. Tompkins,
Vice-President in Charge of Trade Sales of the
Company, is addressed to all Firestone employees.
Because of the high stakes that Firestone em-
Ployees have in the enactment of the right type
legislation for a long-range building program
an adequate highway system in the United
p^tes, the Company is making known its posi-
concerning the Boggs Bill (HR 9075), expect-
to be reported out of committee in the House
Hepresentatives soon.
t "The Company, with the rest of the tire manu-
i^cturing industry, has thrown its full support
. ^Mnd the “pay-as-you-go” approach to financ-
construction of the interstate highway
system.
BOGGS BILL, as introduced on the floor of the
of Representatives early in February by Con-
®ssman Boggs, Democrat of Louisiana, and referred
^ the Speaker of the House to the Ways and Means
Committee for consideration, provides for financing
the new highways in the pay-as-you-go manner.
After much study of all possible legislation the Com
pany and the rest of the tire industry has concluded
that this bill contains the most adequate and fair
method for financing.
The bill includes provision for raising new taxes
amounting to $12,000,000,000 over a period of 15 years,
through additional Federal excise taxes on gasoline,
diesel fuel, trucks, buses, trailers, tires and camelback.
THE BILL PROVIDES for spreading costs of the
construction program fairly among highway users. The
measure would increase the Federal excise tax on tires
for highway use from 5 to 8 cents a pound and would
add an entirely new tax of 3 cents a pound on rubber
used for retreading purposes.
It is noted that the increase proposed on tires is pro
portionately higher than increases suggested in the ex
cise taxes on other automotive products. However, the
tire industry is supporting the Boggs Bill because, ac
cording to an announcement through the Rubber
Manufacturers Association, it “believes wholehearted
ly in the pressing need for an expanded system of fed
eral, interstate and defense highways.”
AN ADEQUATE HIGHWAY system is needed for
the survival of the nation in time of war, for the full
development of the economy of the country in time of
peace, and for improvement of traffic safety. The sys
tem must be geared to future needs to permit the con
tinued expansion of the national economy for the bene
fit of all. Of particular interest to those in the rubber
industry is that, because of poor roads, there may be
less use of vehicles on the highways and thus a decrease
in the sales of tires and other rubber products to the
automotive industry and to the driving public.
In addition, jobs by the thousands will be created
in accomplishing the task of modernizing the highway
system, both in the actual construction of the highways
and in the production of materials for construction.
For these reasons, Firestone employees are urged
—Turn to page 7