The Plimpton Press Forty-Fifty Year Club held its second annual dinner party recently at the Holiday Haven in Norwood.
Seated at the head table were Henry B. Roberts, president of the Plimpton Press; Harry F. Howard, executive vice president; Russell McDonnell, vice president in charge of sales; Heinz H. Roeber, production manager; Edward J. Martin, treasurer and controller; Philip Woodward, personnel director; Theodore Crawford, superintendent of the composing room; Thurmond Erickson, vice president in charge of public relations for the McCall Corporation; Chester Parsons and George Chitty, the guests of honor.
In addressing the gathering, Mr. Henry Roberts spoke of the “New Epoch” in the Plimpton Press, which began when the McCall Corporation purchased the 2 plants last year, and “what a wonderful thing it was.”
“The relationship has been of the best and the cooperation excellent,” he asserted.
He announced that the Plimpton Press had purchased the first high-speed caser which was built by the Smythe Company and is now being installed in the bindery. The new high-speed gathering machine is already installed and the kinks are being worked out of it. Another new line of machines in the process of being installed is a new nipper gluer, dryer trimmer and yet to arrive is a new high-speed backer, liner, caser. In the LaPorte, Indiana, plant a new web-offset press is being installed.
Mr. Roberts told those present that machines are inanimate things and without the people to run them they are not worth anything. Employment in the Plimpton Press is growing every year and without the people the plant would be but an empty shell, he stated.
Thurmond Erickson conveyed the best wishes of Herbert R. Mayes president of the McCall Corporation. He stated that there is something unique in an organization in which people work for years that characterizes something that machinery does not.
Harry Howard informed the people that Ponce de Leon made a mistake when he searched for the fountain of youth in Florida; in seeking it “he should have looked for a book manufacturing plant.” Mr. Howard recalled that the Plimpton Press 50-Year Club was organized in 1942 and in 1964 the 40 Year Club was added to it. He told the people that years ago they learned the hows and whys of book manufacturing which the people of today do not have the opportunity to learn because of automation. They learned how to make a complete book by hand.
“You are being honored and thanked this evening for your years of service and achievement. You are the inspiration for those following you,” he asserted.
Chester Parsons, foreman in the composing room in charge of Monotype, was presented with a gold wrist watch suitably engraved commemorating his 40th anniver-saiy as a Plimpton Press employee by Mr. Howard.
Mr. Parsons commented that 40 years seemed to be a long time to work for one concern, and that he has seen numerous changes, all for the better, over the years he has been there.
Mr. Howard introduced George Chitty, also of the composing room, who will celebrate his 40th anniversary in October.
There are at the present time thirty-seven members of the Fifty Year Club. Thirty six of them have retired from active employment. The thirtyseventh, Mary Flavin, who is in her 54th year of service, is still employed as a hand paster.
The Forty-Fifth year group boasts of eighty-two members, of which forty-seven are still actively employed throughout the plant. All of the members of both groups are employees of the Norwood plant with the exception of Arthur E. White, jr., vice president and general manager in charge of the LaPorte, Indiana, plant.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)
