OCTOBER, 1957
PAGE 5
Gail McCoig Finds Rewards In Writing Poetry
Employees in this department are glad to see R. B. Whitfield
back on the job in Carding. Mr. Whitfield worked here before he
moved with his family to Georgia. Now the Whitfields are back
in Gastonia to live.
A visit in Chester, S. C., was a highlight of a recent trip made
by Carl Rape, second hand, and Mrs. Rape, Quality Control inspec
tor.
Among those spending a recent week end at Camp Firestone,
Bridgewater, were Second Hand Coy Bradshaw and members of
his family.
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Ammons, both of this department, ex
perienced the thrill of moving into their new home on North
Glenn street, Gastonia, a few days ago.
Furman Mason, retired, Mrs. Mason, roving hauler, and their
daughter Jinny spent a September week end in Boone, N. C. There,
they attended a showing of Kermit Hunter’s historical drama,
Horn in the West, at the outdoor Daniel Boone Theatre.
A visit with relatives in Belton, S. C., was a main feature of a
recent week-end trip for Card Tender Roscoe Westmoreland and
members of his family.
Novella James. Payroll, has returned from a week-long vaca
tion spent with friends in Cheltenham, Md.
Margie Hill, her husband Clyde and their children, Patsy and
Scotty, visited recently with relatives in Silver Springs and
Rockville, Md.
Miss Mary Johnson is a newcomer to the Payroll department.
She is the daughter of William Arrett Johnson, Spinning; and Mrs.
Johnson, Twisting.
Carolyn Sanders, her husband Carl, and daughter Catherine
spent a September week end at Franklin, N. C. There they visited
the H. C. Fouts family, former residents of Gastonia.
Among those from Main Office spending a recent week end at
Myrtle Beach, S. C., were: Gene Alexander, her husband Paul and
sons, Paul, Jr., and Larry Bruce; Jerry Barton and Pat Hawkins;
Janet Woolley, Joyce Lyons and Sylvia Garner.
Shop Secretary Phoebe Pearson went with Mrs. Joe Wilson,
Mrs. Jean Ledford and Bruce Ledford to Murphy, N. C., for a late-
summer vacation of one week. While in Murphy the Gastonians
visited Mrs. Verdie Ledford and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ledford. Chief
points of interest on their trip which extended into lower east
Tennessee, were Fields of the Wood, Murphy; Hiawassee Dam,
Vogel Lake, Lookout Mountain and Rock City, all in the Chatta
nooga area.
Carpenter Bernard Aim, Mrs. Aim and son David have re
turned from a vacation at Myrtle Beach, S. C.
Plant Engineer W. G. Henson and Mrs. Henson, Cloth Room,
made Panama City, Fla., headquarters of their recent vacation.
Electrician Floyd Hogan and members of his family spent a
late-summer vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hogan
in Andrews, N. C.
Sanitation Foreman Alvin Dill and Mrs. Dill spent a vacation
touring the state of Florida. They went as far as Key West.
Summer vacation employees who have returned to college in
clude Porter McAteer, N. C. State College; Ted Bell, Pratt Institute,
Brooklyn, N. Y.; Dan Moss, Gardner-Webb, Boiling Springs, N. C.;
and Jerry Sparrow, Warren Wilson, Swannanoa, N. C.
Marie Moore, daughter of Machinist Howard Moore and Mrs.
Moore has resumed her class work at the Woman’s College of the
University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
H. A. Cauthen, assistant plant engineer, and Mrs. Cauthen went
to Jacksonville, Fla., recently, where they vLsited Mrs. H. A.
Stokes, sister of Mrs. Cauthen. From Jacksonville, they went to
Miami for a short stay.
Spiimiej
Bobby G. Wolfe of Cleveland, Ohio, recently spent a week’s
vacation with the Rev. and Mrs. O. M. Taylor, 1109 West Third
avenue.
Bill Calhoun, Rayon Weaving; Mrs. Calhoun, Spinning, and
their daughters toured the Great Smokies on a recent week’s vaca
tion.
Dinner guests of the Rev. O. M. Taylor and Mrs. Taylor on a
September Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hovis and son Roger
of Kings Mountain.
October 7 this year is the 177th anniversary of
one of the most decisive military encounters
recorded in the pages of American history. On
that autumn day in 1780, on a low ridge a few
miles South of Gastonia was fought the Battle
of Kings Mountain. This conflict is regarded by
historians as the turning point in the Revolution,
by which the 13 American colonies achieved
complete independence.
At the Kings Mountain battle, about 900
Americans under command of Colonels John
Sevier, Isaac Shelby, William Campbell and Otho
Williams met some 1,100 British troops under
Major Patrick Ferguson.
TODAY the Kings Mountain National Military
Park has its many reminders of the brave
frontiersmen whose victory at that place fore
shadowed the British military defeats of 1781.
The outcome of the battle had an important
influence on hastening the end of the bitter
struggle, climaxed with the surrender of Corn
wallis at Yorktown, Va., October 19, 1781.
The brave men who fought and died at Kings
Mountain have ever since inspired the poet and
the historian to tell of the heroism, the love of
liberty and the devotion to American ideals of
freedom.
One of these poets is the daughter of a Fire
stone employee.
Sixteen-year-old Gail McCoig has won national
recognition for her poem “At The Crest Of A
☆ ☆ ☆ .
Gail McCoig; Notes for another poem.
V
Hill”, based on the brilliant victory achieved at
Kings Mountain. Ruby McCoig, third shift Wind
ing, is the young poet’s mother.
Gail, an eleventh-grade student at Ashley High
School, is already widely acclaimed for some of
the more than 20 poems she has authored.
“Many of my poems have been written purely
for my own entertainment,” she says.
BESIDES her keen interest in history and
literature, the employee’s daughter is a lover
of music. Also, she likes to attend movies, and
spends much time swimming, playing miniature
golf and attending sports events, especially ball
games.
In addition to these interests and her busy
schedule at school, Gail is an active member of
Loray Baptist Church. There, she participates
in many activities of the youth program.
Gail’s historical poem “At The Crest Of A Hill”
was written while she was a student in Junior
high school. The poem, reproduced here, won for
her state and national honors in a contest spon
sored by the Daughters of the American Revolu
tion.
At The Crest Of A Hill
At the crest of a hill I was standing today—
“Now we’re passing King’s Mountain,” I heard
someone say.
Then I pictured the men with their loud battle
cry,
As they fearlessly charged, though they knew
they might die.
And that was the thought that made my blood
chill,
There as I stood, at the crest of a hill.
At the crest of a hill I was fighting today—
I was fighting with men who heard Ferguson say,
“Britain’s king claims this mountain. They won’t
turn the tide!”
Then Ferguson fell as God’s name he defied.
My thoughts took on form, I captured a thrill,
There as I stood, at the crest of a hill.
At the crest of a hill I was standing today—
As I peered down on Ferguson’s grave, achy gray
Then my eyes wandered up and I saw colors
bright.
Saw the stars and the blue and the stripes, red
and white.
This flag of our land, of peace and good will,
There as it waved, at the crest of a hill.
To the crest of a hill I was looking today
To another hillcrest where in noble display
The capitol of a nation looks forward with pride.
Paid for by blood of men who here died.
Our freedom, their prize, will live on until
No longer men stand, at the crest of a hiU.
Those in Spooling have welcomed Gerald Beaver as a new
employee in the department.
Lee Laltimore, spooler tender, was on sick leave in late
September.
Mrs. OUie Cothern, mother of Warper Tender Hazel Hice, was
admitted to Garrison General Hospital for treatment in late Sep
tember.
Mrs. Anna Grier of Connecticut and Mrs. Jannie Grier of
Charlotte were guests on a September week end in the home of
Albert Meeks and Mrs. Meeks. On another occasion in September,
Mr. and Mrs. J. Hardin of Charlotte visited Mr. and Mrs. Meeks.
Employees of the Warehouse express deep sympathy in the
recent death of James C. Nixon, brother of Will Nixon. Members
of the Warehouse group sent a funeral wreath.
Mrs. R. F. Thomas was honored at a birthday party at Lake
Lure in mid-September. Her daughter. Winder Tender Mable
Thomas and members of her family arranged the program.
Louise Sutton made a trip to Dillsboro, N. C., where she
visited her father, J. J. Sutton.
The welcome mat is out for these members of the department:
Helen H. Meeks, Sarah H. Bradley and Vera M. Edge.
Mrs. Faye Kennerly and Mr. Kennerly went to the Southern
500 stock car races at Darlington, S. C., in September.
Mrs. Pansy Adams, winder teiMer, spent a September day at
Blowing Rock, N. C.
Mrs. Katherine Davis, winder tender, is back home after
treatment in Mercy Hospital, Charlotte.
Plant IR Director
Officer In SACIE
Thomas B, Ipock, Jr., Indus
trial Relations director, was
elected vice president of the
South Atlantic Council of In
dustrial Editors at the organiza
tion’s 10th annual convention
held in Winston-Salem, Septem
ber 11 and 12.
The South Atlantic Council of
Industrial Editors is made up of
persons in industrial communi
cations, dedicated to the highest
standards of journalistic endeav
or in serving industry, em
ployees and the public.
The Council’s membership of
some 60 men and women is con
centrated in the states of North
and South Carolina.
Mr. Ipock, director of the
plant newspaper here, wiU serve
as vice president of SACIE,
through the 1958 meeting of the
organization to convene in Ashe
ville next September.
Other members of SACIE in
the Gastonia area are William G.
Hardin of Rex Mills; Claude
Callaway, Firestone News edi
tor; and Sara Howell of Hardin
Manufacturing Company. Miss
Howell is serving her third year
as treasurer of SACIE.