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MILL WHISTLE
Published by Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.
Plants locateil in Spray, Draper and Uaksvllle, N. C. and Fleldale, Va.
VOL. XIV
Spray, N. C., Monday, May 28, 1956
NO. 23
Two Plants Honored For Safety Records
Nineteen To Retire
With Pension June 1
Ceremonies honoring 19 ertiployees
retiring under the Fieldcrest Mills’
Pension Plan will be held in the Nan
tucket conference room at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, June 1. Attending with the
retirees will be the officers of the Com
pany from the Spray area, members
of the Retirement Committee, and
members of mill management. Repre
sentatives from these groups will take
part on the program.
Miss Mollie B. Lea of the Synthetic
Fabrics Mill and John J. Dodson of the
Blanket Mill, both of whom have com
pleted over 50 years of continuous ser
vice, are among those who will retire.
Retiring on the same date at our Kara-
stan sales office in Chicago will be
(Continued on page five)
Displaced Employees
Are Given Other Jobs
The Sheeting modernization program
is nearing completion and so far Field
crest has been able to offer employ
ment to every person affected by tech
nological changes. Of the employees dis
placed, about two-thirds were given jobs
in other mills and one-third were re
hired on new jobs in the Sheeting Mill.
Increased operations at other mills
and normal turnover enabled Field
crest to absorb the displaced workers.
Only three persons declined the jobs
offered to them.
It is understood that only a few more
employees are to be affected by the
Sheeting Mill changes. These likewise
will be offered other jobs in line with
policies of preferred hiring.
Misses Tucker, Hale and Navey. See story at right.
Bedspread And Electric
Blanket Mills Receive
Labor Dept. Awards
Vice-President E W. Medbery has
been notified that the Bedspread Mill
and the Electric Blanket Mill have won
safety awards from the North Caro
lina Department of Labor. The awards
are expected to be received within a
few days after which they will be pre
sented to the mills concerned.
The Bedspread Mill was honored
for having operated the entire year of
1955 without a disabling injury, rep
resenting a total of 728,524 accident-
free manhours. The records indicate
that it was the first time in the his
tory of the mill that it came through
a full year with no lost time due to
injuries.
The Electric Blanket Mill won a
sixth consecutive year award, having
operated since January 1, 1950 with
out a disabling injury. During this
period and up to December 1, 1955, the
employees of the Electric Blanket Mill
had accumulated 1,352,317 manhours
of safe work.
Frank Crane, North Carolina Labor
Commissioner, in a. letter to Mr. Med
bery stated; “A safety award is a tang
ible token of outstanding safety work.
It is evidence that you and others in
(Continued on page five)
Enter Pageant
Three entries in the Jaycees’ “Miss
Tri-City” beauty pageant June 8 are
shown at Lynrock Park. Gladys Tucker
(left), is the daughter of W. J. Tucker,
Finishing Mill, Martha Hale (climb
ing ladder) is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Noel Hale, Leaksville, and Anne
Navey, is the daughter of Mrs. Thomas
B. Navey, of Draper, and the late Mr.
Navey, who was a weaver at the Blan
ket Mill for many years.
Eight contestants have enrolled so far
and several more entries are expected.
Walter Schacht, of Quality Control, who
is publicity chairman for the pageant,
says, “We are trying very hard this
year for another Miss North Carolina
from the Tri-Cities to compete in the
Miss America beauty pageant at At
lantic City.”