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‘Big Chim’
GETTING READY
• TO GO
• Joining many another area landmark in memory and his
tory is the giant brick chimney which has served the Gastonia
Firestone plant since the original portion was constructed around
1900. The 197-foot stack damaged by a gas mixture explosion in
late August, got a temporary stay as workmen from a Charlotte
firm safety-banded its middle to secure the two clefts caused by
the blast, until the take-down project could begin. A workman
(photo) built catwalk at points were safety girders were placed.
Twin steel stacks have replaced the venerable brick structure.
19 To Retired Status
William E. Cosey, with 35
years of service completed,
is among four making up
the latest-to-retire group at
the Gastonia plant. The
others, with their years of
service, are Will A. Brown,
33; Roland Huss, 25 and
E)avid Ratchford, 19. Retire
ment date for these veteran
employees was Aug. 31.
Also entered on the Gastonia
I'etirement roster dating from
the end of August back to the
beginning of summer were sev
eral others with “career lengths”
of from 11 to 35 years. They,
with service milestones in years:
Estelle Vanderford, 21; Marie
Tart, 34; David McGinnis, 24;
George Sadler, 29; Fred Chas
tain, 34; Guy B. Carlan, 23;
William I. Alexander, 22; Jud-
son Looper, 11; Claude E.
Stewart, 16; Bonnie M. Stiles,
27; Juanita Beddingfield, 29;
Maida Bailey, 23; Ola Austin,
31; Lydia Davis, 34; Edna
Queen, 23.
Cora Sweatt, deceased, was
included in this retiree group.
She died at Bennettsville, S. C.
in late July.
Tire$ton«
SEPTEMBER • 1970
GASTONIA
NORTH CAROLINA
OCTOBER Your Gifts ill H^lp
United Appeal: Through 36 Services
“If you don’t do it, it won’t get done.” That’s the theme
of Gaston County United Appeal’s 1970 funding effort to
provide community services for the 1971 year.
For the upcoming campaign
which begins Oct. 6, several
new approaches will persuade
citizen response toward realiz
ing this year’s goal of $512,000.
More than 900 volunteer
workers will solicit and collect
funds for next year’s operation
of the various United Appeal
member agencies.
A year-round job for the UA
staff and many volunteer work
ers, the United Appeal gains
momentum in late summer, set
ting final plans for the funds-
gathering drive.
September 17 has been set
as the first "milestone" date,
when major planning sessions
will be held: Mass publicity
through spot announcements
and interviews on five radio
stations in the county, display
of street banners, live music to
"drum up attention", and other
promotion, Oct. 8.
Again this year the “Fair
Share” method of making con
tributions through payroll de
duction will be emphasized. UA
division chairmen and section
aides are “placing faith in the
people, to achieve the greatest
success in the history of the
United Way of Giving in Gas
ton County.”
The Community Chest idea of
financing recreation youth,
sccial and other ‘people’ services
has been in operation here since
1954.
It was in 1953 that the late
Harold Mercer, then Firestone
plant general manager, joined
with other business and indus
try leaders to organize the Gas
tonia United Fund. The first
campaign was in 1954. Mr.
Mercer was UF president in
1955.
THROUGHOUT the years.
Firestone Textiles people have
been in the forefront of United
participation through volunteer
leadership and response in the
fund campaigns. Traditionally,
the Firestone contribution each
year is among the largest of
single pledges. Total contribu
tion for Firestone in the cam
paign last year was $31,653.15.
In recognition of “outstanding
participation”, the plant has re
ceived the Citizenship Award
throughout the years.
Early this year the Firestone
company established the per
petual Harold Mercer Memorial
Award which commemorates
the leadership contribution of
the outgoing United Community
Services president each year.
First established to serve Gas
tonia primarily, the United Ap
peal in later years was expand
ed to embrace most other com
munities of the county; Dallas,
Cherryville. Mount Holly, Low
ell, Cramerton, Stanley and
Ranlo.
EXPRESSION'
GCC Certificates To 32 At l^irestone
Completion of a 20-hour
course in oral and written
expression earned a certi
ficate for 32 Firestone men
among supervisory person
nel at the Gastonia plant.
Firestone Textiles President
James B. Call presented the
certificates for the course end
ing in August. The study, in 10
night sessions over a five-week
period at Gaston Community
College, was led by W. B. Boney
of the GCC faculty.
THE COURSE, inaugurated at
the Firestone management’s re-
SCHOLARSHIP
AND MERIT WINNERS
quest, became a part of the adult
education division of the college.
A new course is planned to
begin this fall.
Those receiving certificates,
and their work departments:
Twisting-TC; Frederick Mc-
Curry, Earl Clark, Belon Hanna,
Floyd Ratchford, T. E. Gibson,
Fred Elkin, Oliver Hardee, Har
old Burgess, Jack Hall.
Weaving-TC: Carl Rape, Roy
Davis, Joseph R. Harrison, Clyde
Phillips, Tracy Whitener.
Industrial Relations and Per
sonnel; A. V. Riley, Elmer
Passmore, Dock Reynolds.
Weaving-Chafer; Clee Mc-
Caslin, Ray Shields. Warehouse;
James E. Wellmon, C. K. Cauth-
en. Shop; Horace Robinson,
Cramer Little. Quality Control:
Lewis Clark. Methods - Time
Study: Earl Childs.
Purchasing: Robert Spencer,
Supply: Ernest Keenum. Ship
ping: Elmer Crews. Nylon Treat
ing: Charles Hamrick. Process-
Products Development; Earl
Cunningham, B. F. Massey.
Equipment: D. Ray Thomas.
Gone To School
Susan Gail Chastain entered Appalachian State Uni
versity at Boone in early September to study on a Firestone
Scholarship. Miss Chastain, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James
P. Chastain of Gastonia (he works in the Firestone power
house), is the 1970 winner of a Firestone College Scholarship '
in the Gastonia area.
Betsey Goebel, to Brevard
College at Brevard. Her parents
are Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Goebel.
He is a millwright in mechanical
service.
Katherine Ann Shull, to Gas
ton Community College, Dallas.
She is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. William C. Shull of Besse
mer City. He is a section super
visor in weaving (chafer).
THE TWO OTHERS who have
won company scholarships with
in the past four years are Linda
Kay Murray and Richard Dale
Carringer. Linda, a senior at
Clemson University, Clemson,
S. C. is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. W. Q. Murray of Gas-
At Appalachian, Gail will
study in preparation for a career
in teaching Spanish.
Also entering college this
month are the four Gastonia-
area 1970 Certificate of Merit
winners in the Scholarship pro
gram;
Murphey Anne Moore to Win
ston-Salem State College. She is
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
W. H. Moore of Gastonia. Her
father retired from Firestone
in 1965.
Prenella Neely, to Winston-
Salem State College. The daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. James Neely
of Dallas, her father works in
weaving-TC here.
SUSAN
GAIL
CHASTAIN
tonia. Mrs. Murray works in
weaving-TC. Richard, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Willard Carringer of
Gastonia, is a junior at NC State
University-Raleigh. His mother
works at Firestone in produc
tion planning and control.
Susan Gail Chastain is the
16th student from Firestone
families of the Gastonia plant
to receive the company scholar
ship since the program was be
gun in 1953. Nationwide, the
company as of this year has
awarded a total of 521 full col-
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