PAGE 2
S3SW1
MAY, 1957
New Recreation Facilities
To Be Completed In June
Another forward step in the plant sports and recreation
program will be taken when the new Recreation Center is
completed in early June. Under construction as the lower
level of the Girls’ Club building, the modern facilities will
provide 4,800 square feet for organized employee recreation.
The Men’s Club and Recrea- tical ceiling and rubber tile
tion Center in the dormitory
building which the Company do
nated to Gaston Technical In
stitute, will be vacated and some
of the equipment will be moved
to the new location.
The play center under con
struction is to be of masonry
and ceramic finish, with acous-
floor covering. Interior walls
will be painted a soft green with
the ceiling of eggshell white.
In addition to the new recrea
tion facilities, the Girls’ Club
building will be renovated. In
cluded on the list of major im
provements are a complete and
up-to-date kitchen, social hall
Safety Citation —From page 1
llJlr I His
VIEW of ihe Girls' Club building just before work was begun
on Ihe new Recreation Center.
A LOOK at the blueprints; (Left): Ralph Johnson, recreation
director, and W. G. Henson, plant engineer.
Firestone Textiles shares in
the National Safety Council’s
highest award, presented to the
Company for the ninth time, in
recognition of its outstanding
safety record during 1956. The
recognition went recently to the
Company’s 42 plants throughout
the world.
For its accident - prevention
program in 1956, Firestone’s
Gastonia plant was third highest
in the U.S. among textile es
tablishments employing 1,100
persons or more. For this indus
trial safety achievement, the
plant here will receive a plaque
from the National Safety Coun
cil.
World - wide accident fre
quency rate for the Company in
1956 was 1.20, a rate of less than
two accidents per 1,000,000 man-
hours worked. The accident fre
quency rate was 61 per cent be
low the par rate of 3.11 set by
the National Safety Council to
select recipients of its highest
award, and 75 per cent below
the accident rate for the rubber
industry.
The Company’s accident se
verity rate was 248, some 47 per
cent below the council’s par of
466 and 51 per cent below the
industry rate. The severity rate
figure is based on the number
of days lost per 1,000,000 man-
hours worked.
IN PRESENTING the Award
of Honor to Firestone for the
ninth time in 12 years, the Na
tional Safety Council pointed
out that only two companies in
the United States had received
the award more frequently on a
company-wide basis.
Industrial firms who have co
operated with the National Safe
ty Council on this program have
saved hundreds of lives, accord
ing to a Council spokesman.
Besides the company - wide
award, six Firestone plants re
ceived the council’s individual
Award of Honor, seven plants
received the Award of Merit,
four received the Certificate of
Commendation and one received
the President’s Letter.
Commenting on the Firestone
honors. Executive Vice Presi
dent J. E. Trainer said:
“The Company’s good record
is one more indication that safe
ty programs are saving lives
just as surely as modem medi
cine.”
with dining area, new interior
decoration, fresh paint on the
outside of building, and a brick
underpinning painted white to
match the exterior of the struc
ture.
A PARKING LOT to accom
modate 30 cars will be construct
ed of crushed stone at the east
end of the building. And the
front lawn will be newly land
scaped.
The recreation area under the
building will have an entrance
from both Dalton and Ransom
streets. Space provided will ac
commodate three bowling alleys
and tables for billiards, shuffle-
board, chess and checkers. A
concession stand will be located
near the main entrance on Ran
som street.
Of the recreation plant equip
ment, there will be two shower-
restroom combinations. The
women’s rest parlor will include
a powder room.
Plans call for a fluorescent
lighting system throughout the
new portion of the building.
Then, there are to be two new
rooms upstairs which will pro
vide for the Recreation Depart
ment office and space for addi
tional recreation needs.
The Puetts Live
In Burnsville
☆ ☆ ☆
Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Puett
are at home in Burnsville, N. C.,
after their marriage in First
Baptist Church, Morganton,
March 30. Mrs. Puett, the former
Miss Jacqueline Ann Dorn, is
ihe daughter of Mrs. Nellie Dorn
of the Spooling department. Mr.
Puett is the son of Mrs. A. M.
Puett and the late Mr. Puett of
Morganton.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Robinson
are at home in Bowling Green,
S. C., after their marriage March
19, in York. Mr. Robinson is em
ployed as a doffer in Twisting.
The wedding of Miss Jane
Humphries and Glenn Smith,
Jr., is planned for June 7 at
Loray Baptist Church. The
future bride is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Humphries.
Her father is employed in the
Twisting department.
Steak Dinner
For Rifle Club
Members of the Shop Rifle
Club met recently at Five Points
for a steak dinner. The club,
made up of 16 members, is di
vided into four groups.
Officers of the organization
are: Paul Barker, president;
Paul Nolen, vice president;
Cramer McDaniel, treasurer.
Other members of the club are:
Ronnie Rumfelt, Jack Morris,
Scott McCarter, James Barker,
A. B. Dalton, Furman Pearson,
Ernest Austin, Tom Huffstickler,
Morris Chastain, Rufus Hughes,
Floyd Hogan, Ray Pearson and
Horace Robinson.
ARRIVALS...
Harriett Callaway, the daugh'
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Cal'
laway, arrived at Gaston
morial Hospital on April 17.
father is editor of Firestone
News.
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Sumn^i^^
are the parents of a son,'Jam^^
Michael, who arrived at Gastoi^
Memorial Hospital, March 1^'
Mrs. Summitt is the daughter
Early Rasberry, doffer in Spl^'
ning, and Mrs. Rasberry.
f
Employees Honored For Suggestion Contributions
Five employees have been cited for their outstanding partici
pation in the Company Suggestion Awards System Program during
the past two years. The awards, announced at the recent 21st All-
Sports Banquet, were based on the highest rate of adoption of all
suggestions turned in by employees. Charles Parham was named
outstanding suggestion-maker of 1955. In the photo above, he is be
ing congratulated by F. B. Harrison, chief accountant and member
of the suggestion board. The Shop employee received a $50 Savings
Bond and a $25 merchandise certificate to be redeemed at the local
Firestone store.
In the background is a pencil sketch of Harvey S. Firestone,
Company founder, whose interest in employee suggestions was
largely responsible for the beginning of the Company program
which has paid out more than a million dollars for employee ideas.
At above right, Mr. Harrison passes out a $25 certificate for Fire
stone store merchandise to A. C. Kessell of Quality Control Labora
tory, who tied with three others for top place in suggestion-making
during 1956. They are, from left: Gene Carson, Shop; Harold Rob
inson, Warehouse; and Flora Pence, Industrial Relations (Firestone
News). Each received the $25 merchandise certificate.