THE MILL WHISTLE
Eden, N. C., March 20, 1978
No. 17
Mary Martin Inspires Fall Collection
Mary Martin
Mary Martin, the star who won the hearts of a
generation of theatre-goers will come into the spot
light this fall as the inspiration of a major collection of
bed and bath fashions by Fieldcrest.
According to an announcement by David M. Tracy,
president of the Fieldcrest Marketing Division of
Fieldcrest Mills, Inc., Miss Martin’s needlework pat
terns and highlights of her career in the theatre will be
the design sources from which Fieldcrest will draw a
varied group of patterns.
“Some of the designs will relate to the hit shows in
which Mary Martin has starred” said Tracy —
“specifically from songs she has sung, or actions
particularly associated with her world-wide starring
appearances.” And at least one pattern will salute the
star’s considerable skill as an artist in needlepoint.
Her book of needlepoint designs, originally published
in 1969, is still a best seller.
It is no accident that Mary Martin has become as
sociated with a top manufacturer of bed and bath
fashions: the potential of sheets in home decorating
has always intrigued her. At one period in her life she
was the owner of a plantation house deep in the Bra
zilian jungle and during the four years she lived there,
she put her ingenuity and resourcefulness to the task
of decorating with sheets. She reports that it was the
practical thing to do, adding that it made her very
much aware of the exciting designs that flourish in
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'Writer To Prepare History Of Company;
Needs Old Photos Of Mills, Employees
G^'ijunction with the 25th
^sary of Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.
company has
L ^*oned a writer to prepare a
^ the mills. This history will
,, material from the years
^ 1953 when Fieldcrest Mills,
formed.
having old photographs,
jjPaper clippings or other
containing information
about the company, please call the
Mill Whistle office at the AMP
Building, extension 53356 or 53290,
and tell us what you have.
, Of particular interest would be
photographs of the mills prior to
1930, either inside or outside, em
ployees at work in the Karastan Rug
Mill between 1922 and 1930, em
ployees participating in vocational
classes during the late 1920’s and
early 1930’s.
^tisfan Celebrates Anniversary
% Two Fashion Conscious Events
f ®fore events combining “shotv-biz” entertainment with fashion
^ solid decorating information have been packaged by Karastan for
^ as part of its 50th anniversary celebration,
idg launched this spring, both events have been programmed to pro-
store traffic by appealing to a wide audience with “emphasis on
il '^'Conscious consumers,” according to George V. Grulich, vice-presi-
marketing services for Karastan.
; ^'mt event is called “Karastan’s 50th Anniversary Area Rug Sale and
Seminar.” Grulich explained, “As the name indicates, this event
double appeal of much-desired decorating guidance on area rugs
(ip^^bstantial savings on all of Karastan’s Oriental design and con-
rugs.” An innovative' slide presentation on decorating, a motion
I® On Oriental design rugs and consumer give-aways are other features
event.
'jfil'mstan’s Fifty Year Parade of Fashions” is the title of the second
iSj.' ^his is a full-scale production starring a collection of authentic period
t) and involves the use of live models and a specially-created mo-
Picture,” Grulich related. “The ‘show’ capitalizes on the current fascina-
'ffi nostalgia, relating the changes in women’s fashions to home
ay
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MARCH 20, 1978
Also of interest would be advertis
ing material or catalogs from the
following dates which displayed the
products listed: 1910-1920 - any and
all company products, but especially
towels; 1920-1930 Karastan carpets;
1932-1934 -Karastan broadloom car
pet; 1945-1955 - Karastan carpets
produced on Kara-loc looms; 1957-
1958 - “One Look” fashion co
ordinated sheets, towels, blankets
and bedspreads; 1963 -Thermoflo
blanket; 1964 - cellular blankets;
1965 - durable press, cotton and
broadcloth products; 1967 — per
fection no-iron sheets.
All material will be returned on
completion of the project and will be
handled with care.
Specific photographs needed are:
photo of 120-inch continuous dye and
finishing range at North Carolina
Finishing Company from about 1967
when machinery first went into pro
duction; photo of the 100-year old
loom used in the Leaksville Town
ship Vocational School which apear-
ed in the Greensboro Daily News on
April 23,1948. T. W. Suttenfield was
pictured operating the loom. We
need the the original photo or other
photos of vocational students who
were employees or who later
became employees; photos of em
ployees participating in the “Music
Department” sponsored by Mar
shall Field and Company during the
late 1920’s or early 1930’s ; photos of
nurses employed in the “Welfare
and Health Department” and infor
mation on that program.
James O’Hara
O’Hara Named To
Industrial Relations
Post For Irish Plant
James O’Hara has been named In
dustrial Relations manager for
Fieldcrest Ireland, Ltd. He will be
responsible for all Industrial Re
lations functions and will report to
W. S. Ayscue, general manager -
Fieldcrest Ireland, Ltd.
O’Hara is spending several weeks
in the United States studying Field-
crest’s towel operations.
A native of Cork County, Ireland,
he holds an undergraduate degree in
electrical engineering from Univer
sity College Cork, and a Master’s
degree in business administration
from University College Galway.
He was previously employed by
Lana Knit Ireland, Ltd. as chief in -
dustrial engineer and personnel and
training manager.
He is married and he and his wife,
Theresa, have three children, Lisa,
Deirdre and James, Jr.