Newspapers / Firestone News (Gastonia, N.C.) / Feb. 1, 1971, edition 1 / Page 2
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Part Of A Family Tradition When Myles T. Michaels carries on the duties of his job as a section supervisor in TC twisting, he’s keeping up a family tradition that reach es “back yonder” and spans the years between the “Old Loray Days” and the “latter age” of Firestone in Gas tonia. Myles has been employed here for 23 years. His wife, Jean, has six years of Firestone service. She — also in TC twisting — is a beam knotter. Mrs. Alice Michaels, Myles’ mother, worked here off-and-on for several years in pre-Fire- stone days. Her husband, George, also worked here many years ago. He died in 1962. Alice Michaels’ brother, Lee Falls, worked at “The Mills” in the old days. That was for a while around the time Lee turn ed teenager (remember they started early then), and before he joined the Army Cavalry in 1907. Then J. C. Falls, Lee’s older brother, was employed here. To this he makes reference in the keepsake postcard reproduction along with this article. Where Ideas Are WHERE IS THE “STUFF” of suggestions? Usually where you look, because ideas are all around. “Put your finger on them,” con sider them and sort them. Put them on paper and share them with the Suggestion System. Ideas with merit bring money awards to the person who submits them. That we know. There is an even-greater reward. Approved ideas help the company and—through it—a lot of people, and usual ly for a long time. A person who has a sug gestion approved, knows the good feeling which comes from sharing constructively with fellow workers and with the company. POST CARD) ip % •nii» MinK I** Till* • Myles T. Michaels: He found a piece of history. LORAV MILLS, OASTONiii, N. C This Old Post Card Holds A Batch Of Memories • • Myles T. Michaels has "relicked up" an old postcard from his mother's keepsakes. The 2Vz X SVz picture card pub lished by Torrence-Morris Co. (long ago out of business) fea tures old Loray Mills, original portion and forerunner of the Firestone plant in Gastonia. On the card is the Gastonia post mark, Loray branch. The year is not readable, so a guess that it was sometime after 1908 and up into the time of World War I This figures from the military record of Lee Falls, to whom the card was sent at Fort Riley, Kan. Some people whose memory reaches back that far, say the Loray branch postoffice used to be in the old Firestone Dormi tories— buildings last occupied by Gaston Technical Institute before its move to Gaston Col lege. LEE FALLS was in the U. S. Army Cavalry at Fort Riley UCS Memorial Awards From Page 1 lived in Gastonia since 1935. He retired here in early 1968. Mr. Mercer was one of the founders of the local United Fund in the early 1950s, and served one term as president. He was a long-time member of the executive committee of Caro- linas United, an association of United Funds and Community Chests in the two States, At the January meeting, James B. Call, Firestone Tex tiles Company president, was named to the 15-member UCS board of directors, to serve a three-year term. J. V. Darwin, Mr. Call's administrative assist ant, will complete his three-year term on the board at the end of this year. Philip R. Williams, factory manager at the Firestone Gas tonia plant, retired from the board of directors. Dr. Gary Levinson was elect ed 1971 UCS president. Donald Allen Smith is president-elect. Holland, the retiring presi dent, told the nearly 100 United Appeal workers at the meeting: “I want to say how proud we are of the volunteer agencies for which we provide financial support through the United Ap- when he received the card. Luckily, he either sent it home or brought it, and the faded keepsake turned up recently. Born in 1891, Lee worked briefly at Loray Mills around the time he turned teenager. He joined the Cavalry at age 16 and “built” 32 years in the Army, and had nine more in civil service after he retired from the military. Lee’s specialty in the Cavalry was saddlery and other leather- work. After retiring from serv ice, he operated a leather shop in Honolulu; was there at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. He died in 1962 and is buried near Kings Mountain. The Loray Mills photo likely dates to the early 1900s. It pre dates the present west wing to the building, the personnel of fice and other landmarks. The (then) young oak trees are to day towering giants along Fire stone Boulevard. Note, also, un paved street and original factory chimney (being dismantled in 1970-71. See photos on page 1). Tiny figures in foreground: Two women diked in ankle- length black skirts and long- peal. Programs of these agencies are vital and necessary to the people of our county. “All agencies are governed and led by volunteers such as yourself. We appreciate the work of the staff people, of course. But it is the volunteers who decide policy and make de cisions that see to it that people of our county are being served well.” sleeve white blouses. Spinners, maybe? Or, was it Sunday and they were fixed up for Church? The written message? Pencill ed in sky area above mill: “We received your letter and were more than glad to hear from you. You can show your friends where I spend the most of my time. I will answer your letter soon. J. C. Falls.” J. C., Lee’s older brother, died around 15 years ago. His widow, Mamie Falls lives between Gas tonia and Bessemer City. BOWLING GREEN • Luther C, Brown, methods and standards engineer at the Bowling Green, Ky., Firestone plant, is the most recent to re ceive a 25-year service award there. Brown joined Firestone at the Gastonia operation in 1945. First a cleaner in the production de partment, he later worked in quality control before transfer ring to methods and standards. Brown moved to Bowling Green with his wife Vivian and son Michael at the start-up of the Kentucky plant in early 1968. The late Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Brown, Luther’s parents, were longtime employees of the Gas tonia plant. Also, Luther’s brothers, Lawrence and Lewis, were once employed here. Volume XX February, 1971 Number 2 Page 2 • GASTONIA Claude C. Callaway< Editor Plant REPORTERS Offices Warehouses ☆ ☆ ☆ Industrial Relations—Dale Callahan Main Office—Bea McCarter Mechanical Dept.—Rosie Francum Quality Control—Louella Queen, Leila Rape Twisting (synthetics)—Elease Cole, Katie Elkins. Warp Preparation—Elmina Bradshaw, Nell Bolick Warehouse—Harold Robinson, Israel Good. Weaving (cotton)—Ruth Veitch ☆ ☆ ☆ BENNETTSVILLE PLANT Faye Shankle, Mary H. Oliver, Sylvia Lockamy, Louise S. Preston—Report ers. NEWSNOTES Statements of earnings, the familiar W-2 forms, went out to employees in January. The company’s Akron headquarters processed them, and local plants distributed them to the wage- earner. If for any reason you, an em ployee, didn’t get your W-2 and have not checked with the pay roll department, do it right away, requests Mrs. Eula Wil son, payroll supervisor. And Mrs. Wilson added: Now, with increasing depend ence upon machines in office work and use of the mails, it is vital that each employee keep correct and up-to-date his or her address on file in the payroll department. On income reporting for tax es, the payroll department calls attention to some changes in the law on tax status. As of Jan. 1 this year, rate of Social Security tax went up from 4.8 to 5.2 per cent for both wage-earner and employer. For this year’s reporting of 1970 earnings, rate of each per sonal exemption has been rais ed from $600 to $625, and the 2.5 per cent Federal Income Tax surcharge was removed. One thing to look forward to when you report taxes in 1972: Rate for each personal exemp tion will move up from $625 to $650. ☆ ☆ ☆ Robert William Thomas is as signed to Ft. Belvoir, Va., as a U.S. Army engineering train ee. He is the son of Garfield (in twisting at Firestone) and Mrs. Thomas of Gastonia. Robert reported to Ft. Belvoir following a recent 15-day leave with his parents. The 1970 grad uate of Hunter Huss High School completed Army basic training at Ft. Jackson, S. C. Sgt. William L. Brockman be longs to a unit that in early January earned its sixth con secutive U.S. Air Force Out standing Unit Award, and the second straight with the “V” device for valor. Sgt. Brockman is a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. William Cosey, both retired from Firestone, Gastonia. Brockman’s outfit, the 1964th Communications Group, head quartered at Tan Son Nhut AB in Vietnam, was cited for train ing and assisting the Republic of Vietnam Air Force and for providing direct communica tions and air traffic control sup port to USAF and Vietnamese units in launching air strikes against hostile forces. Sgt. Brockman is an air traf fic controller at Bien Hoa Air Base. He attended Gaston Col lege after graduation from Ash ley High School. John R. Carson, retired Fire stone plant protection officer, died Jan. 24. Burial was in Pis- gah ARP Church cemetery. Be sides Mrs. Carson, he is survived by 2 sons and 3 daughters; a sister; 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Boss M. Parson, retired Fire stone elevator operator, died Jan. 30. Burial in Westview Gardens, Bessemer City. Sur vivors: Mrs. Parson; his father; 3 daughters, 2 sons; 2 sisters, 3 brothers and 1^ grandchildren. Monthly publication of the Gastonia, N. C., plant of Firestone Textiles Company, a division of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio. Division headquarters, Gastonia, N. C. 28052. James B. Call, president; PhUip R. Williams, Gastonia factory manager.
Firestone News (Gastonia, N.C.)
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Feb. 1, 1971, edition 1
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