PAGE 4
DECEMBER, 1958
FOR THE TRUE SPIRIT
OF CHRISTMAS. . .
Look Beyond
Material Values
To The Men And Women
Of Firestone Textiles;
Once again we find ourselves in the midst
of the Christmas Season. As preparations for
the holiday go forward in our homes, in
stores and on the main streets of the com
munities where we live, we are made aware
that Christmas is the happiest time of all
the year.
It is natural that we pause this time of
year to give humble thanks for the many
material joys which Christmas brings. Yet
we must look beyond material values to dis
cover the true spirit of Christmas.
The anniversary of the birth of Christ is
traditionally a time for giving: the giving of
ourselves to a great spiritual ideal which up-
IN HOPES THAT ST. NICK...’
Margaret Helms and Richard Green entertain visions of a
joy-filled Christmas, as they explore the exciting display of toys
at the Gastonia Firestone Store on Franklin avenue. Richard's
father, Owen Green, works in Twisting. Margaret's father, Drifford
Helms, works in Carding; Mrs. Helms, in Spinning. The number of
toys carried in Firestone's network of retail stores this year has
been increased by more than 50 items. Home and auto supply
division officials expect heavy sales of toys, especially those of a
scientific and electronic nature.
Plant Joins Wise Owl Club
Firestone Textiles is one of the
latest industrial establishments
to receive a charter membership
in the Wise Owl Club of Ameri
ca. The charter presentation was
made to General Manager
Harold Mercer in mid-Novem-
ber, by Mrs. John B. Brown Jr.,
Chairman of the North Carolina
Committee, National Society for
Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Morrow
II are parents of a son, Fred T.
Morrow III. The youngster ar
rived on his father’s birthday,
October 9. The grandfather, Fred
T. Morrow I, is Warehouse su
pervisor.
Emmet D. Anderson, son of
Pearly Anderson of Carding, died
from a fall while at work in
Flint, Mich., late this year. The
deceased is a former Firestone
employee, having left here to go
to Michigan in 1952. His wife,
Juanita; and baby son, An-
dreous, survive him.
the Prevention of Blindness. The
society sponsors the Wise Owl
Club.
Membership of the Wise Owl
Club is made up exclusively of
working men and women who
have saved themselves from eye
injury or loss of vision, through
the wearing of protective equip
ment at the time of an on-the-
job eye accident.
The club has enrolled more
than 15,600 members. Safety di
rector A. V. Riley ponts out that
the Wise Owl safety incentive
plan is used as an educational
tool by industry in the hope of
eliminating an estimated annual
toll of 200,000 eye injuries in
the United States. Authorities
believe that 90 per cent of these
eye injuries are preventable.
Total membership of the Wise
Owl Club represents a compen
sation saving in excess of $78,-
000,000. Savings in production,
purchasing power and family
welfare are too great to be cal
culated, Mr. Riley noted.
holds the dignity and worth of the individ
ual, whoever it be. Christmas is a time to
reflect soberly on the freedoms that are
ours—the personal, social and economic free
doms which enrich our lives throughout the
year.
As we prepare for this Christmas of 1958,
we cannot help being aware of the existence
of powerful forces and ideas in the world
which seek to destroy the things we hold
dear. We are reminded of our obligation to
resist these dangers with all our material
spiritual strength.
The new year will bring great opportuni
ties to produce for ourselves and our fami
lies. We will have opportunities to share a
part of what we have, with persons less for
tunate than ourselves. And we will again
have the opportunity to work ably together
at our jobs and in our communities.
With these thoughts go my warm wishes
to you and your family for a very Merry
Christmas and a New Year filled with happi
ness.
General Manager
Scouts Exploring Helps Young Men To Grow
The Boy Scouts of America is a well-known
and widely-recognized organization that has been
serving boys in the United States for 48 years.
Although we call it old because of the time it
has been in existence, it is amazing how fast
Scouting changes from year to year in its en
deavor to train more boys in self-reliance and
good citizenship.
Now, something new has been added. The Ex
ploring program has been created by the Boy
Scouts. It is designed exclusively for boys of
high school age.
Launched this fall, it offers six fields of ex
perience in which a young man can grow. They
are: Social experiences, service opportunities,
citizenship growth, vocational exploration, per
sonal fitness, and outdoor activities. Surround
ing these six fields are the overall objectives of
the Boy Scouts of America—character building,
citizenship training, and physical fitness—all
geared to the high school age group.
THE EXPLORER program originated from
suggestions by boys of this age group, who were
surveyed on what they liked and needed. Be
sides the six fields of experience mentioned, boys
indicated that there were many that they wanted
but that were not ordinarily available.
Exploring offers an unlimited number of
specialities ranging from falconry to agriculture;
rockets to skin diving. Any Exploring unit can
call itself by its specialty name, for examples,
“rocket post” and “radio post.” This special in
terest can be engaged in for any length of time
and offers great flexibility to the program.
People who have worked in Scouting through
the years see the possibilities which the Explor
ing program offers to young men. The program is
based on what high school boys want and need.
It includes the high ideals of Scouthood with
the modern environment of our society. It is
flexible enough to interest any young man. And
once an Explorer, it can keep him interested.
Congratulations, Exploring! We wish you weU.
Communications
Students Needed
The Gastonia area Civil De
fense program now operates ten
radio base stations throughout
Gaston County, The department
expects to add other outlets to
its Radio Amateur Civil Emerg
ency network, as more citizens
become interested in enrolling
in the training classes to be con
ducted at Gaston Memorial Hos
pital.
Instruction, provided through
Civil Defense, is part of Gaston
Memorial’s extensive disaster
program.
As students are available, the
local CD office will conduct the
training of staff operators, and
familiarization with communica
tions equipment. Enrollment re
quirements are that an appli
cant be an American citizen and
age 16, or older.
Local CD communications
facilities are inter - connected
with the Raleigh headquarters,
and the national headquarters
of Civil Defense.
Interested in the training pro
gram? Inquire of Ronald Heff
ner at the Gastonia CD office,
or Edgar Lineberger at RD 1,
Box 424, Gastonia.
To Help The Spreading Of Liberty
The United States, as a first colony in modern
history to win independence for itself, instinctively
shares the aspirations for liberty of all dependent and
colonial peoples. We want to help and not hinder the
spread of liberty . . . That is the spirit which animates
us. And if we remain true to that spirit, we can face
the future with confidence, knowing that we shall be in
harmony with those moral forces which ultimately
will prevail.—John Foster Dulles
Winter Killer: Carbon Monoxide Fumes
To play with dynamite is not wise. But it is far more unwise to
use defective gas stoves or furnaces and run automobile engines in
closed garages, especially in winter. Danger of carbon monoxide
poisoning increases in winter because houses and garages are likely
to be closed tight, not allowing fresh air to circulate.
Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless and colorless—but dead
ly. With small amounts present there are warning signals—dizziness,
nausea, headache, muscular weakness. In large amounts, carbon
monoxide can produce unconsciousness quickly, without warning.
These reminders will help guard against carbon monoxide poison
ing:
Have plenty of ventilation. See that heaters are in good work
ing order, that they have outlets for fumes. It is best to run the
motor of your car in the open. Check autos to safeguard against
faulty mufflers or exhaust pipes.
Volume VII, No. 13, December, 1958
Published by The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Firestone Textiles Division.
Gastonia, North Carolina. Department of Industrial Relations
DEPARTMENT REPORTERS
CARDING—Edna Harris, Jessie Ammons,
SPINNING—Lillie Brown, Mary Turner,
Maude Peeler,
SPOOLING—Nell Bolick, Ophelia Wallace,
Rosalie Burger,
TWISTING—Elease Cole, Vera Carswell,
Katie Elkins, Annie Cosey, Catherine
Fletcher,
SALES YARN TWISTING—Elmina Brad
shaw.
SYC WEAVING—M a x i e Carey, Ruth
Veitch.
CORD WEAVING — Irene Odell, Mary
Johnson, Samuel Hill.
QUALITY CONTROL — Sally Crawford,
Leila Rape, and Louella Queen.
WINDING—Mayzelle Lewis, Ruth Clon-
inger,
CLOTH ROOM—Margie Waldrep, Mildred
McLeymore
SHOP—Rosie Francum.
PLASTIC DIP—Jennie Bradley,
MAIN OFFICE—Doris McCready,
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS—Flora Penc^.
WAREHOUSE—George Harper, Albert
Meeks, Rosevelt Rainey, Marjorie Falls.
Claude Callaway, Editor
Charles A. Clark, Photographer