DECEMBER, 1956
firisiont S!3liwi
PAGE 5
YOUR TRAVEL NOTEBOOK
Varied Attractions For December Vagabonds
Charles Hamrick and his sister. Nova
Employees’ Son Unruffled
At $1,000 Streak Of Luck
Charles Keith Hamrick, six-
year-old son of Charles W. Ham
rick, Shop, and Mrs. Hamrick,
Cotton Weaving, will have a
trailer truck this Christmas, be
sides $750 in savings for his
future education. Then, too, Lo-
ray Baptist Church in the Fire
stone community will benefit
$100—all beacuse the son of the
employees was the winner of the
grand prize of $1,000, award
ed on a lucky ticket at the No
vember 7-8 open house program
of the new drive-in National
Bank of Commerce in Gastonia.
A first-grader at Abernethy
School, Charles was home at 110
South Elm street the night of
November 8, when the winning
^lumber was drawn. Thousands
jammed the bank edifice for the
drawing and thousands more
heard the lucky numbers an-
Jiounced over the radio.
Hearing her son’s name
called over the radio, Mrs. Ham
rick hurried Charles into his
Pants and jacket, for a quick
^rip downtown to claim the prize
the new bank headquarters on
franklin avenue.
“How much is a thousand
dollars?” inquired Charles.
“More’n you’ve ever had,” his
'Mother told him.
Once the money was claimed,
Charles admitted that the $1,000
bill “looked just like any other
bill, ’cept it had different figures
on it.”
Next day, at Abernethy
School, he told Principal T, L.
Looper, “I can’t count to a thou
sand.” But he intended to have
his nine-year-old sister. Nova,
teach him how right away.
The employees’ son says he’s a
bit too young to have decided
what he will do with his life.
But he plans to keep his savings
from the big prize, to help him
along in high school and college,
when the time comes.
In addition to the savings of
$750, his tithe of $100 to the
church and money for his trailer
truck, Charles kept out $100 to
pay taxes on his prize.
AFTER first hearing of his
luck, he envisioned a tremen
dous supply of bubblegum, but
the wisdom of his parents helped
him to a nobler decision.
A newspaper reporter asked
Charles if his popularity had
picked up any at school since
coming into his wealth.
“Naw,” he grinned, “they
don’t know any more’n me about
how much a thousand dollars is.”
Prizes Ready For Gridiron Prophets
Three cash prizes are waiting
^0 be claimed by the top football
Prophets at the plant. In the
^^^nual bowl winners-and-scores
S^essing contest, prizes are:
First — $15; Second — $10;
1'hird—$5.
All employees are eligible to
Chosen NCRS
Vice-President
^alph Johnson, plant recrea-
lon- director, has been chosen
president of the North Car-
^^a Recreation Society for the
joining year. He was chosen to
office at the 12th annual
^®creation Conference in
^^®igh in mid-November.
^Iso attending the meeting
Bob Purkey, assistant plant
tj^'^^^stion director here. During
three-day conference a total
supe:
re
159 recreation directors,
ervisors and park directors
Sistered for the program.
enter the competition, which
consists in attempts at predicting
the winning teams in the na
tion’s major gridiron clashes,
most of which are scheduled for
New Year’s Day.
In the guessing rivalry, which
is sponsored by the Recreation
Department, winners will be de
termined by the highest number
of team victors picked correctly.
In case of ties, the most nearly
accurate prediction of total
scores of the games will decide
who wins in the contest.
ENTRY BLANKS and instruc
tion sheets may be had from the
Recreation Department office,
the Personnel office. Men’s Club
and refreshment wagon. Each
employee is allowed only one
entry in the contest. The dead
line date is December 29.
Last year, Lennell Keenum,
Refreshment Department, was
first-place winner in the contest.
Second place went to Charles A.
Small, Spinning; third, to C. W.
Donaldson, Cable Twisting.
The December menu for traveling and sight
seeing includes a varied listing of things to do
and places to go on a short trip, a week-end
journey or wintertime vacation. Attractions add
up to a lively schedule with something to suit
almost every fancy of employees here.
One of the unusual and rapidly-growing tourist
attractions which has become a must on the win
ter trip-taking of many Firestone families is the
refuge for Canadian wild geese at Gaddy’s Pond,
near Ansonville, N. C., on U.S. 52. Here, some
10,000 wild geese take up their winter residence
in October and remain through March. The ref
uge was founded by the man whose name it bears,
and is now operated by his widow.
In a similar attraction, westward in the state,
ducks are arriving at Lake Junaluska near
Waynesville. The waterfowl, both at Ansonville
and at Waynesville, are for sightseeing only—no
hunting, please.
FOR THE culturally-minded, the “Rembrandt
and His Pupils” art exhibit at the N. C. Museum
of Art, Raleigh, promises a treat. The special
showing opened November 16 and will continue
through December 31. The exhibit, in observance
of the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth,
is adding new glitter to the State Art Museum’s
$2,000,000 collection of Old Masters. Consisting
of some 20 paintings by the great Dutch master,
and 40 others by teachers and pupils, the exhibit
is valued at over two and a half million dollars.
It will be the fourth collection of its kind as
sembled in the United States during the past 25
years.
OUTSTANDING of special events during the
month is a program commemorating the Wright
Brothers’ first airplane flight. The event which
celebrates the 53rd anniversary of aviation is set
for December 17 at Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills,
on North Carolina’s northern coast.
In the spirit of the Yule season, travelers may
attend the ceremony of the lighting of the
world’s largest living Christmas tree at Wilming
ton on December 15.
FOR LOVERS of the outdoors, Tryon, in the
western part of North Carolina, offers its win
ter resort facilities. Because of the unusual
characteristics of the “Thermal Belt,” which
makes its winter climate milder than that of the
surrounding area — although located at an
elevation of 1,000 feet—^Tryon offers riding and
hunting as big attractions. Too, the golf course
and the beauty of the village and surrounding
country make it equally popular with those who
neither ride nor hunt.
In the Piedmont, and a short drive from Gas
tonia, P’inehurst lives up to its reputation as a
favorite winter meeting place. Among December
events scheduled here are the Christmas Hole-
in-One Turkey Shoot, December 24; the ninth
annual Donald J. Ross Junior Golf Tournament
on the same day; the 20th annual Winter Informal
Horse Show, 30; and the New Year’s Eve Ball, 31.
THOSE WHO LIKE sports afield, are reminded
that there is dove hunting, statewide, December
14 through January 10; boar hunting at Robbins-
ville, ending December 17. These are in addition
to the already-opened seasons on other wildlife
in the Carolinas.
Other events of interest to the recreation-
minded are the Carrousel Basketball Tournament,
Charlotte, December 17-19; the 8th annual Dixie
Invitational Basketball Tournament, Raleigh 27-
29.
At Morehead Planetarium, University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, you may see the Christmas
story in all the splendor which the Biblical ac
count gives it. “Star of Bethlehem,” which runs
through December 31, turns back the hands of
time some 2,000 years. Through the planetarium
instrument, the 60-minute celestial pageant re
creates the skies of Judea on the planetarium
dome, just as astronomers say they appeared in
the year 7 B.C. Five tableaux and other effects
add splendor to the presentation, based on the
King James Version of the Christmas story in the
Bible. The program begins with a narration on
science in Bible times, ending with the
pageant itself, which recounts the Annunciation
and the Christmas story through the Nativity.
May Yuletide Sparkle—But Not With Fire
The festive celebration of Christmas is often
turned into pain, loss and tragedy in the home—
all because of the lack of precaution with fire.
Each year before Christmas, the National Fire
Protective Association reminds householders to
be especially careful, because of the increased
danger of fire from home lighting systems,
Christmas trees, gifts, decorations and wrappings,
to mention but a few causes.
The following commonly-known rules of safety
can help you avert tragedy and disaster from fire
this Christmas season.
The Chrisimas Tree
Find a growing tree or one that has not dried
out from long storage. Stand it in water outdoors
until you’re ready to decorate it inside the house.
Bring it inside just before Christmas and try to
remove it as soon after December 25 as possible.
Since the larger the tree the greater the fire
hazard, let your tree be no larger than you need.
When you set up the tree, saw off the trunk at an
angle at least one inch above the original cut.
Put the tree trunk in water and keep level of
water above the cut all the time the tree is inside
the house.
Anchor the tree well, and keep it away from
heat sources, or where standing or fallen, it could
obstruct the passage from a room or out of the
house, in case of fire.
Decorations and Wrappings
Put Christmas wrappings in a metal covered
trash container or burn them in an incinerator
without delay. To burn paper in an open fire
place is to invite fire-out-of-hand.
Non-combustible materials, such as glass,
metal, asbestos, are best to decorate the home
for Christmas. If you must use combustible ma
terials, let them be “flameproofed”, particularly
if they are to be used near the tree or other
lighted decorations. Many paper decorations and
materials for clothing will ignite easily. That goes
for Santa Claus whiskers, too.
Home Lighting
Candles on the tree or an open flame near
combustibles invite tragedy from fire. Use only
electric lighting systems that bear the UL (Un
derwriters’ Laboratories) label. Check lighting
sets each year for frayed wires, loose connections
and broken sockets. Do not overload the fuse in
the electric circuit.
If extensive holiday wiring is what you want,
employ a competent electrician. This is no time
for the do-it-yourself flair.
Don’t overload extension wires. Turn off tree
lights when you go to bed or go out for the
evening.
A Word About Gifts
Non-flame-proofed articles such as cowboy
suits, pyroxylin plastic dolls, and toys operated
by alcohol, kerosene or gasoline are firestarters.
Look for the UL label when buying electrical
toys, for it means that they have been tested for
fire and shock hazards and may be reasonably
safe if properly handled and maintained.
And Some Other Reminders , . ,
When Careless Dan smokes close to the Christ
mas tree or other combustible material, he’s ask
ing for a pack of trouble. Plenty of large, safe
ashtrays around the house are necessary equip
ment for fire control.
Guard against flying sparks from an open fire
place by using a good screen.
The inquiring hands of small children should
not be allowed to reach matches, lighters and
candles.
What if fire should break out at your house?
While there’s opportunity, give some thought to
what you would do, in case—and keep calm if
the emergency should arise.
Have water-type fire extinguishers that are
kept in working order, buckets of water or even
your garden hose attached to a faucet and in
reach of the tree.
Can you extinquish the fire? If not, call the
fire department immediately.