Impressions by Hal – Number 4, January 2003

A Job Case?

It was July 1947. I was working part-time at the Sunoco filling station on Rte. 22 in Phillipsburg, N.J. My friend Ron had just stopped by. Now Ron and I went everywhere together.

Today he wondered if I wanted to go to Ingersoll-Rand (I-R) to apply for a job. I-R was a large manufacturing plant. It seemed like everyone in Phillipsburg worked there at one time or another.

The next morning Ron and I were at the I-R filling out an application for employment. I hadn’t heard any rumors indicating that I-R was hiring, but you never know.

Much to my surprise, a few days later I was informed that Ron and I had an appointment at the employment office. Ron got a job in the Photo department of the Advertising Division, and I was placed in the Print Shop storeroom of the same division.

Things seemed to run its course for the next three years. Now it is 1950, and the US is at war in Korea. Ron and I figured there was a strong possibility we could be drafted. So we did the predictable, and visited the local enlistment office. You remember, where there were signs of Uncle Sam pointing his finger, saying, I WANT YOU. The next thing I know Ron and I were on our way to the Capitol.

In Trenton, NJ a strange thing happened. While waiting in line, Ron’s name was called, and he went to be interviewed and I was called and went to another desk. After the swearing in ceremony, Ron and I got back together again. I found that Ron had enlisted in the Army for two years. I had enlisted in the Air Force for four years. Maybe we should have collaborated a bit more ahead of time.

Ron was sent to Fort Dix, NJ, and I was sent to Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. After basic training I spent the next two years at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida. I volunteered for duty in Korea, and I spent the next two years in England. So much for volunteering. Seems like the military had other plans.

After England, my four year tour of duty was over, and I returned to I-R. My old job wasn’t available, so I was placed in the print shop hand feeding a 12 x 18 Chandler & Price printing return addresses on large brown kraft envelopes. From there I ran a 10 x 15 automatic fed C & P. Then it was a 14 x 20 Miehle Vertical printing price lists.

After a lengthy strike in 1959, I-R was sending a lot of work to Mack Printing in Easton, PA. The rumor was that the Printing Division would be closing. Some employees began leaving for other employment. The general consensus was that if you waited till the end, all the good local jobs would be gone, and I think they were right.

I applied to the Government Printing Office in May of 1960 as a cylinder pressman, and was approved. The first week of July I was a Civil Service employee, and living in the State of Maryland.

I didn’t stay a cylinder pressman long. With my experience with small presses, I was sent to the job press division. In 1975 I was promoted to Group Chief and remained in that capacity until retiring in 1980.

I have been printing in many different shops since retiring, always keeping my hand in. I opened Harold’s Quick Print at Pennsboro, WV in 1993. Business was good, possibly too good. I was busier than when I was working full time. I then changed my name to Harold’s Olde Printery, and I now operate only as a Hobby Shop.

Epilogue

Ingersoll-Rand closed the Printing Division in 1965. Ron retired from I-R as Director of Personnel Relations, and passed away a few years later.

What I didn’t know at the time we applied for employment, was that Ron’s father was foreman of the Foundry Division at I-R, and was instrumental in seeing that Ron and I found jobs. I’m not sure, but if you’re not aware of it, is it still nepotism?

Just for Laughs

“It’s not the HIGH cost of living that gets us in trouble… it’s the cost of HIGH LIVING.”

Caddy… how would you have played that last shot?
Caddy: Under an assumed name.

* * * *

Fred, who had a stuttering problem, was expounding on the problems of the world. “I-I-I-I thin-k-k-k that we s-s-s-h-o-u-ld qu-u-u-it sending money all-l-l over the wo-r-r-r-ld and j-u-u-st keep our money at-t-t-t home.”

“Oh sure,” snorted Harry… “That’s easy for you to say.”

* * * *

5/6 of the world is water, and 1/6 is land, so any gal should be able to see… that the good lord meant man to fish five times as much as he works.

Colophon

impressions by hal is printed for the enjoyment of NAPA members. 10 pt. Modern, 10 pt. Garamond and 8 pt. Bodoni were used for this publication. The editor Harold L. Shive, Pennsboro, WV 26415