One of life's most prized virtues
is the ability to disagree without
being disagreeable.
—P. H. Welshimer
Tire$ton«
GASTONIA
From a worldly point of view,
there is no mistake so great as
that of being always right.
—Samuel Butler
VOLUME VI
GASTONIA. N. C., JANUARY, 1957
No. I
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***** *
r7; 'i r
AT THE GATE OF A NEW YEAR
With the old year of 1956 gone and its opportunities out of
^each, 1957 looms before us, offering its challenge of new and
9reater promises. Here Michael Purkey suggests the wisdom of the
9ood stewardship of time and symbolizes a clean page on the ledger
of life in the New Year. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Purkey
of 416 North Edgemont avenue, Gastonia. His father is the plant's
A.ssistant Director of Recreation.
Vocational Textile School
Has Free-Tuition Courses
New classes in all departments
the North Carolina Vocational
"textile School, Belmont, began
January 2. The departments in
clude Yarn Manufacturing, Mill
Maintenance, Weaving and De
signing, Knitting and Tailoring,
^lasses run from 8:20 a.m., to 1
and 3 p.m., to 6:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
For those interested in enroll
ing for the new term, it is not
too late to contact the regis
trar’s office, Principal Chris E.
Folk said.
IN MAKING the announce
ment of the new term. Principal
Folk pointed out that within the
—Turn to Page 2
T'wo Preparations Of Vitamins
Available Through First Aid
. Two preparations of vitamins
Capsule form are for sale to
employees. Available at the
|*lant First Aid Room, the die-
Supplements are being sold
Cost, on a cash basis.
*l'he capsules on hand are
^ckaged by a leading Ameri-
^ drug manufacturer, and are
, ^rketed here on the following
basis:
* /Vitamins, in bottles of only 50:
^1.15
Vitamins and minerals, in bot-
of 50 only: $1.25.
^IS SALES program was be-
^ December 5. The prepara-
may be obtained at any
during the three working
at the plant.
Social Security Changes Affect Employees
☆ ☆ ☆
Several major changes in the
Social Security program concern
Firestone employees. These
changes mean revised benefits
for some persons covered by the
law, and increased Social Se
curity payroll deductions.
On January 1, 1957, the tax
went up from two per cent to
two and one-quarter per cent for
both employees and the Com
pany. This tax is paid on the
first $4,200 of the employee’s an
nual earnings.
What does this mean? If your
annual earnings amount to $3,000
in 1957, you will pay $67.50 for
Social Security, as compared
with $60 in 1956 for the same
$3,000 earnings. This year, if you
make $4,200 or more, a total of
$94.50 will be taken for Social
Security, or $10.50 more than in
1956.
Benefits For Women
Under the new provisions,
women can start receiving Social
Security benefits at age 62 in
stead of 65. This is subject to the
following conditions:
A v/oman covered by Social
Security by reason of past or
present employment will receive
a smaller monthly benefit if she
retires at age 62 instead of 65.
At age 62 the amount she will
receive is 80 per cent of the
amount she would receive at age
65.
The longer a woman waits
after age 62 and before age 65
to draw benefits, the larger the
monthly benefit will be until it
reaches full benefit at age 65.
If she retires and applies for
benefits between age 62 and 65,
the amount of her monthly bene
fit is set, depending on her age at
the time she begins to draw
benefits, and will not increase
thereafter by reason of increas
ing age.
A woman can start drawing
benefits at age 62 instead of 65
in case she has been provided
with Social Security through
her husband. Regarding the
amount of benefit, the same
rules apply as in the foregoing
paragraph.
Beginning in November, 1956,
widows eligible for Social
Security benefits were entitled
to start receiving full benefits at
age 62 instead of 65. “Full bene
fits” means this: The amount she
receives is equal to three-fourths
the primary amount to which
her deceased husband was en
titled.
Benefits Upon Disability
After a six-month waiting
period, eligible men and women
who are unable to work because
of permanent and total disability
can start receiving Social Se
curity benefits at age 50, July,
1957 is the first month for which
payments can be made under
this provision of the law. Those
in the disability classification
will receive the same amounts
as if they had retired at age 65.
To collect benefits at age 50,
the disability must prevent the
individual from holding a job.
Benefits are not payable to the
eligible person’s dependents.
To be eligible, a worker must
have six quarters of coverage in
—Turn to Page 5
Technical Institute To Move
In Time For FaU Opening
The Gaston. Technical Institute
will move to Firestone this sum
mer, in time for the opening of
the fall term next September.
The school has been scheduled
to move earlier in the year, to
the new quarters in the old Fire
stone dormitories and recreation
center, a property gift of the
Company.
Gaston Tech, operated in Gas
tonia since 1952, has been of
fering courses on a one-year
basis. Near the close of 1956,
plans were begun to convert the
school to a two-year program.
The new plan for each course is
being scheduled for integration
with the re-opening of the in-
sfifiifp of tli0 FircstonG location.
STUDIES and recommenda
tions for converting the institute
were made by Dr. Leo F. Smith,
dean of instruction of the
Rochester, N. Y., Institute of
Technology, and K. L. Holder-
man, assistant dean of the Col
lege of Engineering and Archi
tecture of Pennsylvania State
University.
Dr. Smith, co-author of the
book, “The Technical Institute,”
and Mr. Holderman met with
James I. Mason, director of the
school, and members of the ad
visory board, which include
Firestone General Manager,
Harold Mercer.
Driver Award To Be Annual Recognition
An announcement on the
opening of the vitamin program
here said:
“Usually, persons who suffer
from vitamin and mineral de
ficiencies receive considerable
benefit through taking vitamin
capsules.
“Much has been written by
State and Federal Departments
of Agriculture concerning the
need for proper mineral content
in the soil and the increased re
sistance that people build up
after eating foods grown in
mineral-rich soils. A high per
centage of persons need vitamins
or vitamin-mineral diet supple
mentation because many factors
deprive foods of these essential
needs.”
A $25 Savings Bond award
to Alonzo Setzer in late 1956 es
tablished special recognition to
be given a Warehouse fork
truck driver each year, for out
standing safety practices and
performance.
At the recent presentation.
Safety Director Alvin V. Riley
commended all fork truck driv
ers “for improved operation
practices and a growing aware
ness of safety on the job.”
For the annual award, the
driver of the year is selected on
the basis of his competence on
the job. Among points consider
ed are: Observance and practice
of all safety rules, alertness,
maintenance of vehicle assigned
☆ ☆ : ☆
A SAVINGS BOND from
Safety Director Alvin Riley
(left), goes to Alonzo Setzer.
Warehouse Manager Fred Mor
row looks on.
the driver, and pride on appear
ance of his truck.
Throughout the year fork
truck drivers are under constant
observation on the job, and op
eration records are kept on each
individual. To determine the
employee to receive the award,
records of the drivers are care
fully checked, with the top
scorer being designated to re
ceive the honor.
ff”
M