Blog # 204 in a day of my life. "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW." AMERICAN OLEAN TILE PLANT 1912 TO 2012. RIP

     My heart is heavy today. An end to a epic run is coming to a close tomorrow, December 12th 2012. 99 1/2 years to be exact. It was June 5th 1967- a warm beginning of summer day. My mother and sister on the sidewalk- my ex-wife and six month old son in her arms. I was headed for my first day of work at the TILE PLANT. Nervous, excited- one week after graduation. Had a 1957 Chevy  two toned four door. Turquoise and white. I remember this like it was yesterday instead of 45 1/2 years ago. You see, that was the start of my journey , much like THE WIZARD OF OZ- and it's character's .



I had just turned 18- just graduated from high school one week before. I started the car and was on my way to my own EMERALD CITY- OLEAN NEW YORK via AMERICAN OLEAN TILE PLANT. I knew a little bit about it- my mother in law worked there.

I had to report to human resources- Jim Echman- I remember faces but not names- there was a nurse- before Iris Curtis and a women before Shirley Ford. But I do remember sitting there and being called into Jim's office. There was some artwork on the wall- some sticks and some pebbles glued to make a picture. I asked and he said he had done it and was a art teacher at Smethport before coming here. That made me more relaxed. He gave me the rules- and explained lunch and breaks and then he called in my first supervisor, Jim Halleck. I was going to the cellar gang!

 

I had no clue in what I was going to do- like I had no brain- I was intimidated walking down to the service department. Passing through the old number one kiln area. It was hot- looking at all the commotion with fork trucks and people going here and there. People staring at me, LIKE I HAD NO BRAIN!

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

The years started to pass- I had been assigned to second shift Body Prep as a WEIGH MASTER- Now I had a brain!  I was in charge of weighing up the batches of clay- reformulating them to different weights and measures.

I actually liked my six and one half years on second shift. Between batches I had 12 Min's. and I would use that time to clean and read. I devoured books in those years. I read anything. That was my college- reading. Hundreds if not thousands of history-current events-sports-political. My favorite in the political- Advice and Consent.

I read all the Hobbit series- Water ship down, you name it- I read it. That was my form of education that I could not get in college. I had a family to support. I learned the hard way.  OLEAN TILE PLANT WAS MY EDUCATION!



I meant many character's on my journey. Frosty-Nolder-Shorty-Nick-Fly-Zeke-Lawton-Baer-big John-Ray-Walt-Herb-Jim-Paul-Clarence-Friday-Denny-Norm the list goes on and on, it could fill all the cast of the Wizard and be very funny.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

There is a history here to be learned. The people- they were wonderful and still are. Each and every one of you who worked there and are still there until tomorrow- are an inspiration to hard working people and generations of families. Yes generations, grandparents-mothers & fathers and sons & daughters all working at the same time!



We linked  arms- and we moved forward- we produced the best you could buy- we are the class of the ceramic world. We were special, because we did hand mounted murals and later water jet murals.No one really knows the artistic work that went into the manufacture of these special designs. That will be lost after tomorrow.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.


YES, IT WAS MAGIC-IT WAS A GREAT TIME-IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK-IT WAS FAMILY!

THE YEARS HAVE MOVED ON-PEOPLE CAME AND WENT- OLD CLASS MATES- SOME STAYED-OTHERS LEFT-PEOPLE FROM MY HOME TOWN-PEOPLE FROM THROUGH OUT THE AREA. BOSS'S CHANGED-RETIRED OR MOVED ON. OLEAN SEEMED TO BE THE PRIZE FOR PEOPLE BEING PROMOTED TO LANSDALE AND OTHER FACTORIES IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. YOU SEE WE HAD A WORK ETHIC- ONE THAT JUST DOES NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE. I KNOW, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE AND SEEN AND CARRIED THAT TO WHERE EVER I GO.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?



YES-WE HAD THIS ALSO- BUT FEW AND FAR BETWEEN-AND THEY LEFT-AND WE MOVED ON-I THINK WE BECAME STRONGER AND BETTER FOR IT. WE HAD RESOLVE AND WE DID THE RIGHT THINGS. THAT IS ONE THING I LEARNED WHILE AT OLEAN TILE- DO THE RIGHT THING! BE HONEST-BUT ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

NOW WE ARE COMING TO THE END-I MOVED ON 13 1/2 YEARS AGO AFTER 32 YEARS THERE- FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I STILL WORK FOR DAL TILE ALL BE IT IN NORTHERN VA. BUT IT STILL HURTS AND MAKES ME SAD TO SEE IT END THIS WAY. I FEEL DEEPLY FOR ALL THOSE BACK HOME- MOST I KNOW- SOME I DON'T-BUT YOU ALL HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART.


If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?



PLEASE KNOW THAT THE EMERALD CITY YOU KNOW- WILL ALWAYS BE THERE IN YOUR HEART AS IT IS WITH ME- WE ALL JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE AND WE FIND ANOTHER DOORWAY TO GO THROUGH. THIS ONE MAY CLOSE BUT YOU HAVE THE MEMORIES AND THE PICTURES IN YOUR MIND.



Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?



                        PICTURES IN YOUR MIND-THOUGHTS OF YOU SOUL




                                    REFLECT-LAUGHTER-SORROW-HAPPINESS




                          YOU ARE YOU- YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE- BE PROUD



                             SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW




                                                 ANGELS DO EXIST

GOOD NIGHT MY FRIEND-YOU SERVED ME WELL-I WILL LIVE ON BUT YOU SHALL DWELL IN THE MEMORIES AND THE PICTURES OF MY MIND-FAREWELL-RIP




   AMERICAN - OLEAN TILE COMPANY FORMED 1912-CLOSED DECEMBER 12TH 2012

A TRIBUTE TO ALL WHO HAVE WALKED AND PASSED THROUGH THE DOORS-THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES-HARD WORKING PEOPLE. 99 1/2 YEARS!

                        FOR ONE DOOR CLOSES-ANOTHER WILL OPEN-
                              ONE CHAPTER ENDS-ANOTHER BEGINS
                              I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST-GO IN PEACE