Nature never quite goes along
with us. She is sombre at wed
dings, sunny at funerals, and she
frowns on ninety-nine out of a
hundred picnics.
—Alexander Smith, 1863.
GASTONIA
The weakest among us has a
gift, however seemingly trivial,
which is peculiar to him, and
which worthily used, will be a
gift to his race forever.
— John Ruskin
VOLUME VI
GASTONIA, N. C. JUNE, 1957
No. 6
Honor Awards To Highlight
Annual Boy Scout Banquet
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Fifty Boy Scouts from the Gastonia District of the Piedmont Council will receive cer
tificates of Merit for outstanding achievement in scouting, and one of them—with the most
notable record of all—will be given the Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., Award. The scouts will be
honored at ceremonies following a dinner in the Recreation Center of the old dormitory
buildings at 7 p.m., June 13.
Recipient of the Harvey S.
Firestone, Jr., Award this year
will be the 12th area Boy Scout
so honored.
General Manager Harold Mer
cer is scheduled to preside over
the presentation meeting. Among
others attending will be Boy
Scout officials and leaders, civic
and industrial representatives,
and several members of the plant
management here.
t
S
As an added feature of the
program June 13, winners of the
top Award over the past years
have been invited to be present.
THE TOP AWARD includes
an engraved silver medallion, a
$100 Savings Bond, and a check
for $25.75 to sponsor a two
weeks’ stay at the Piedmont Boy
Scout Camp near Tryon, N. C.
In addition to the certificate of
Merit, each of the other 49
scouts honored will receive a
check from the Company, in
tended to cover expenses for two
weeks at the Tryon camp, or for
the purchase of scouting equip
ment—as the scout chooses.
The Company makes the
awards each year to Boy Scouts
v/ho have distinguished them
selves by meeting requirements
set up by the Company Scouting
Program. Awards are given in
the United States in cities in
which the organization operates
major plants. At Gastonia, the
program has been in operation
since 1946.
The Firestone Scouting Pro
gram originally made the John
W. Thomas Award, in honor of
a former Company Chairman.
Since Mr. Thomas’ death, the
present Chairman has promoted
the Company’s interest in this
field.
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■ #;
TEXTILE LEADERS from Britain and India are welcomed by
General Manager Harold Mercer (front, right) and General Super
intendent Nelson Kessell (left). In center is Sir John Burns, and
(from left, back row): John Taylor, G. L. Anderson, and C. H.
Campbell.
Foreign Textilists Impressed
By Employee Efficiency Level
Four officials of manufactur
ing concerns in Great Britain
and India were favorably im
pressed with the high level of
productivity in American indus
try, when they visited the plant
here. May 13-17.
Sir John Burns, ranking of
ficial of James Finlay & Com
pany with headquarters in Glas
gow, Scotland, noted that the
individual worker on the job at
Firestone showed a “high ef
ficiency level.”
With him for the visit were
John Taylor, an Englishman,
who is manager of Swan Mill in
Bombay, Indiaj C. II. Cam^jbell,
a Scot who is manager of the
Finlay interests in India; and
G. L. Anderson, an American of
ficial with the Firestone plant in
Bombay.
The Swan Mills supply the
cotton and synthetic tire fabric
production requirements for op
eration of the Firestone Bombay
plant.
While at Firestone, the indus
trialists conferred with Company
officials and had a look at manu
facturing operations. They were
primarily interested in new
—Turn to page 2
Outdoor Movies Through Early September
AGAIN - BAREFOOT TIME
Summer comes in full-bloom on the wings of June, offering a
I’are treat for those venturesome youngsters who prefer real under
foot contact with The Good Earth.
Time was when most young folks knew what it was like to
Experience the thrill of a nice, sunny morning to step out barefoot
On the dewy grass. How the blades tickled one’s toes and how cool
^nd relaxed the whole body felt!
But all is not the most pleasant memories for the once-barefoot
youngster. Hot sands on the creek banks scorched the calloused
feet. Broken glass in unexpected places sometimes meant cuts and
^ bandaged foot. Added to this were chestnut burrs, thorns in the
Meadow, painful toe itch, and the stubbed big toe that seemed to
^urt and cripple like nothing else could.
These are recollections of many employees who are old enough
^o be parents—surely of those who are grandparents.
Today the barefoot boy and girl are all but forced into the
P^ges of history books—if not into legend. Nowadays most young
sters wear shoes around the calendar. . .
Except maybe for a trip to the beach, swimming hole, or for an
Occasional romp in the yard, like the grandchildren of Jud
Whitaker, Rayon Twisting; and Mrs. Whitaker, Rayon Weaving.
^I'om left, they are Terry, Debora and Teresa Jane Whitaker,
Youngsters these days have many advantages their parents
^ever had. But folks who have never gone barefoot have missed
Something, too.
...
Fifteen full-length movies —
six of them in color — and a
serial of 15 chapters comprise
the schedule of free motion pic
ture entertainment for the sum
mer season.
The lineup, begun May 31
with “Abbott and Costello Meet
the Mummy” and the first in
stallment of “King of the Con
go,” will continue through Sep
tember 6.
Pictures will be shown to em
ployees and members of their
families at dusk on Fridays, in
the open-air area between Dal
ton street and Firestone boule
vard, near the recreation park.
In event of rain, whatever show
is scheduled will be presented
the following Monday. In the six
years of the summer picture
shows, rain has interfered with
only one program.
The Recreation Department,
sponsor of the program, says the
lineup of shows has been care
fully made, for appeal to both
children and grownups,
EACH WEEK, a chapter of the
serial, “King of the Congo” will
be presented.
Here is a list of the feature
attractions for the remainder of
the season:
June 7: Destry (technicolor),
Audie Murphy and Mari Blanch
ard,
June 14: Jungle Manhunt,
Johnny Weismuller,
June 21; Violent Men (techni
color), Glenn Ford and Barbara
Stanwick,
June 28: Law Versus Billy the
Kid, Scott Brady and Betta S,
John.
July 5; Rusty Leads the Way,
Ted Donaldson and John Litel.
—Turn to page 7
Summer Vacation Is Coming-
Then Where Shall We Go?
While the plant is on its summer shutdown the week of July
21-27, employees and members of their families will experience the
balm of vacation. The respite from labor will range from a simple
stay-at-home week of leisure to elaborately-planned trips with far
away places at the end of the road.
In recent weeks the plant travel information service has noted
a sharp increase in requests for vacation-planning help. Some em
ployees who were entitled to more than the one-week time off have
taken vacations in advance of the July shutdown.
Announcement from the General Manager points out that those
employees who are entitled to two or three weeks of vacation should
arrange with their supervisors in order to schedule a time for taking
the remaining one or two weeks due them. These vacations can be
gin anytime during the present season.