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Who Said "Life Is Hot A Picnic?"
By Debbie P. Bailey
Clowns. Balloons. Popcorn. Music.
Dancing. Crowds. Kids. Does anything
come to mind as you read these words?
Probably any Olin employee who
spent part of the Fourth of July week-
end at Camp Straus spent it on
Saturday, July 5, at the family picnic,
a lively annual event Olin sponsors
for employees.
Some 6,000 + people turned out
this year to try and figure the magic
tricks and potions of Doc McConnell
and his famous Medicine Show or
simply be entertained by the variety
of fast-moving attractions taking place
all about the grounds and under the
multi-colored tents.
There was something fun for every
body—for those who have long retired
from Olin to those families’ children
who may be a future "Olinian”—and
for “in-betweeners” who are part of
our work force now. Retirees had a
chance to get together and talk about
old times—well, nowadays, too—at
the Retiree Roundup where drawings
were held and gifts received. Children
of all ages had events to release their
young energy. They participated in
foot races, rode ponies, dug deep in
the sawdust pile for handcrafted
miniature wooden animals (made by
Transylvania Vocational Services
employees), took a bumpity-bumpity
ride in the ox cart and darted in and
out of the crowds tossing their very
own frisbee with the same enthusiasm
and almost the same expertise as our
pro-frisbee teacher, Shane Smith.
And that’s not all.
Bingo was a favorite activity. For
those who weren’t fortunate enough
to get an inside seat, a shady area
near the Bingo tent was just as well-
received. It didn’t much matter. Bingo
was the winner!
Sad-faced clowns happied the
youngsters by painting multi-colored
shapes and funny faces to their own
little faces while their sparkling
eyes grew wider with another stroke
of the make-up brush.
For the mountain heritage and love
in those of us, the blue grass music
of the Green Grass Musicians and the
clogging of the Green Grass and Tar
Heel doggers captured our hearts ...
definitely our attention! Green grass
... oops ... I mean blue grass (I’m
not originally from the mountains,
sorry bout that) music has its own
unique sound and doggers don’t miss
a beat to its fast-paced rhythm.
The Appalachian Puppet Show, in
two performances, kept both the
young and old entertained, and the
cherubic voices of the Sweet
Adelines was certainly “music to thine
ears.” Food for the soul was hotdogs,
hamburgers, baked beans, cole slaw,
potato chips and drinks. And drinkwas
sobering that day with a sizzling
summer sun.
With a plate full of food, spectators
watched a softball game that
4 Recognized For Safety
Four employees in Winding and Cal
endering were specially recognized
recently for their attitudes toward
good safety practices. Shift safety
representatives, they bring
suggestions for discussion to safety
meetings. In a late June edition of the
“Weekly Winder," four people
mentioned are Larry Wiggins, A Shift;
Bruce Smith, B Shift; JackAmmons, C
Shift; and Arnold Case, D Shift.
“And while these fellows deserve a
lot of credit for our good safety
record, a hearty thanks goes to all
Winding employees,” A Shift Foreman
Virgie McClure said.
eventually ended with a score of 8
to 4. Half out of it from the blistering
sun, the 4s broke open chilled water
melons (delivered on the field as a
surprise) and the 8s were close
At Watertown
Storm Causes Damage
A severe June thunderstorm and
heavy winds up to 70 m.p.h. caused
damage at the Watertown Fibre
Operation, but no injuries occurred.
The storm moved in by surprise and in
a matter of minutes the plant's
maintenance shop garage door
(10 ft. x 14 ft.) tumbled to the
ground, coverings for the flax straw
stacks were whisked away and one of
two warmer houses in the Rauville
Speaking of safety, it's just as
important to practice good safety at
home. Those same attitudes which
have helped our Group become a
corporate safety leader and be
recognized by numerous associations,
should prevail in our homes, on the
highways and on vacations.
Vacations are a time when we can
easily forget about being careful, but
we should remember that a vacation
Olin Works' Coating Employees
Help Children
1979 was "The International year of the Child." In remembering the
year, employees in the Coating Department at Olin Works
made a significant contribution toward helping crippled children.
The Coating Department donated a $500 savings bond to the St. Louis,
Mo. Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children. Coating earned the money
during the Hand and Finger Contest in 1979. The decision to contribute to
the worthwhile organization was prompted by Howard Marlatt, Coating Bath
Mix Operator. Department Superintendent H. J. Schmitt was notified who
offered the idea for discussion to Coating Union Committeeman Jerry Hodge.
Employees thought it a generous gesture and have been recognized in
the Shriners’ “Gold Book,” on display in the hospital’s lobby.
behind, biting into a chunk of mouth-
watering melon.
Not all families spent the time
allotted for the picnic, noon to six. But
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Yard was "completely demolished,"
according to Plant Manager Pete
D’Angona.
The storm not only caused physical
damage, but the operation was closed
down for one-half hour as a result of a
power outage.
Pete reports that “it’s the first time
since I've been here that we've had
winds at that speed." He has been at
Watertown for 2-1/2 years.
can be spoiled in a few minutes with
an accident.
Sometimes we are not as conscious
of good safety habits as we could be
at our homes. We tend to get too
relaxed and forget the principles we
practice at work.
So whether we are working or at
home or play we should place safety
first. Work, relax at home and enjoy
your vacation—but do it safely!
Olin Launches New
Training Program
Olin’s new Maintenance Training
Program got underway June 16. The
program took a year to design and is
indoctrinating 12 employees in
mechanical crafts maintenance. Not
only do employees receive class study
but they also experience first hand
repair of the equipment which keeps
the plants operating.
Those graduating from the four
year program will be certified first-
class craftspeople.
This is not the first training program
for Olin employees, but it is the first
designed for classroom study. In the
past, individualized training has been
emphasized. But Training Coordinator
Jim Glazener explains, “Job training
in an academic setting not only offers
a feeling of group identity but
promotes learning in a positive stimu
lating manner."
“The first year of study will be basic
maintenance mechanics,” Glazener
explained, "while the last three will be
concentrated in an employees' choice
of mechanical crafts.” Choice of a
specific craft is contingent upon the
employee's grade at the end of the
first year, he continued.
“The program is of mutual benefit to
Olin and to the individual,” Glazener
said. "The company will be able to
satisfy its requirement of keeping the
plant running and in good repair, and
the individual realizes a sense of
personal accomplishment in becoming
a certified first-class craftsperson.”
Employees are paid their regular
salaries while in the training course
and spend four hours per week in class
and 36 hours per week in on-the-job
training.
Vice President of Manufacturing
John S. Candler says, “We are pleased
to see this concentrated skills
training program incorporated in our
Group. The benefits received by the
first 12 participating employees and
Olin’s benefits are numerous. We are
excited about the program and look
forward to its success.”
Charles Cable, International
Representative for United Paper-
workers International Union AFL-
CIO, states, “This will prove to be a
dynamic and continuing progressive
program at Olin. The academic setting
is the best way for instruction and
learning."
Blue Ridge Technical College
President Dr. William D. Killian, feels
the program at Olin is in line with
the technical college's mission of
continuing education. Blue Ridge pro-
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OLIN WORKS COATING DEPT. — A $500 savings bond is exchanging hands. The
bond is donated by Olin Works Coating Department employees to the Shrine Hospital
for Crippled Children in St. Louis, Mo. The gesture was made in honor of “The
International Year of the Child,” in 1979. L to R are Harold Hobaugh, President of
Western Indiana Shrine Club; Francis Neal, Recorder at Zorah Temple; Larry Carriker.
Staff Assistant to Plant Manager Chuck Bruner; Coating Bath Mix Operator Howard
Marlatt and Coating Shift Supervisor Harry Lonnie Jones.