Six
THE MILL WHISTLE
May 13, 1946
E. D. Pitcher, Nearing Retirement
Recalls Associations of 61 Years
E. D. Pitcher, who has achieved the distinction of having more than 61 years
of continuous service with Marshall Field and Company, will retire June 30 of this
year under the Company’s Pension Plan. Looking back over his associations since
joining the Company in 1885 and in anticipation of his approaching retirement, Mr.
Pitcher has written an expression of his feelings to Vice-President and General
Manager Luther H. Hodges. The letter, and Mr. Hodges’ reply, follow below:
Spray, N. C.
April 10, 1946.
Mr. Luther H. Hodges, General Mgr.
Marshall Field & Company
Manufacturing Division
88 Worth Street
New York, New York
Dear Mr. Hodges:
As the time approaches for my re
tirement from active work, after 61
years of continuous service, I feel that
I must express to you my feelings on
such an event in my life. I shall miss the
daily contacts with associates with
whom I have worked for so many years.
I am, however, looking forward to my
retirement and the opportunity to do
many of the things that I have felt
heretofore I have not had the time to
do. I shall still consider myself a part
of the Marshall Field organization, how
ever. My work with you and my associ
ates has been most pleasant.
I think that the establishment of the
Pension Plan is one of the many big
things and forward steps which Mar
shall Field & Company has taken. Our
Company since its organization has con
stantly gone forward, and I have the
confidence that it will continue to do so.
I believe that industry will follow the
lead which our Company has set.
It is but right and fair, I think, that
the younger men hi the organization be
given a chance and that those of us, as
we reach retirement age, should step
aside so that they may advance and the
Company can maintain younger men
and women, who, by virtue of their age,
are more vigorous.
From the standpoint of the employee,
I think that the Pension Plan is liberal
and if employees stick with the Com
pany and plan for their future, buy a
home and save money, when they reach
age sixty-five there is no reason why
they cannot have a feeling of security
with ample provision made for their old
age, through the Company retirement
plan and Social Security benefits. My
suggestion to employees would be that
they buy a home and make such sav
ings as they reasonably can, and, if
that is done, old age will not be some
thing to be dreaded but looked upon
with a great deal of pleasure and hap
piness. They will be permitted to retire
and enjoy a leisure, with activity along
the lines anticipated, but, as I have
stated above, never felt that we had the
E. D. PITCHER
time to indulge in.
I congratulate the Company upon the
step that it has taken in establishing a
retirement program, believing that it
will work to the benefit both of the
Company and its employees.
Most sincerel.y,
(Signed) ERNEST D. PITCHER.
New York, N. Y.
April 29, 1946.
Dear Mr. Pitcher:
Your recent letter to me about your
retirement was greatly appreciated. If
there is anyone connected with our
Company that has an understanding of
what a long and pleasant association
means to an employee it must be you.
I am, therefore, not greatly surprised to
have you say such fine things about
Marshall Field & Company and the Re
tirement Program which is provided for
all of us.
Our Company has always tried to be
a leader and I hope it will continue to
have that spirit. I trust that your other
associates who are also going to retire
on June 30, have the same good feeling
toward the Company that you have
expressed in your letter. Naturally,
none of us want to leave a good Com
pany where we have worked pleasantly
for such a long time. On the other hand.
as you say, to many of us the retirement
benefits come as a welcome relief for
our old age and it is only fair that we
continue to make way for younger men^k
and women who are coming along.
Please accept my very best wishes for
your continued good health and happi
ness.
Sincerely yours,
LUTHER H. HODGES.
Spring Cleaning
By FRANK HOWARD
I wonder why a woman waits until the
prettiest day of the year comes along be
fore she starts her spring cleaning. Now
you get all the rugs up and take them
outside, curtains must come down—just
slip them off the rods and when you
finish with the book case please remove
the pictures, turn all the chairs upside
down and remember, dear, the lawn
should be mowed.
Yes sir, that fellow was right, there
ain’t no place like home. What a relief
to get outside, fresh air, flowers bloom
ing. You drag the old mower out; its a
bit rusty but enough oil on it works
wonders. A bird sings from the top of
a ful bloomed apple tree—boy what a
contrast.
Around the house you go, you stop
and look back to see how the old ma-
chine is working and there at a distance fl||
stands your old friend barking at you,
you snap your finger, he sniffs a time or
two, he comes a little closer, slap your
hand on your knee and he bounces
right up in your face, happy to greet
you. Boy, what fellowship you have
right there until—another thing I wish
you would do for me, move this piece of
shrubbery from over there to right here.
I think it Will look much better, then
you can see it from the bedroom window.
She knows as well as you do that two
years ago you moved it from over there
to where it is. You will find pick and
shovel under the house. Well sir, after
you get out from under there you look
more like a rat than you do a human
being. Now every thing is finished, you
swell up with pride as you look back
over your well finished job. You grab
for the screen door, you find it hooked,
then you have to knock to get into your
own house. Don’t come in this way
looking like that and run that old dog
off the porch and please take off your
shoes on the back door steps.
Well, you pet your old friend on the
head, he looks up at you with sad eyes
but he understands as he heads for the
back alley and you for the back door.
You tip toe in, the only thing you are
able to recognize is t h e bath tub, no A
wrench could be found to fit the pipe
connections was what kept it intact.
Who was the fellow who wrote—In
the spring a young man’s fancy—well,
it ain’t so noway.