A Memorable Experience
After graduating from Flint Central High School in 1943 and being rejected for the WWII Draft, I applied for entry into General Motors Institute (GMI) as a Co-op Student. I was told that I lacked a couple of credits and was advised to go down the hill, work for Chevrolet, go to night school, make up the credits and come back the next semester. I was lucky enough to get a job as an Office Boy in the Plant Engineer's Office. I also took the recommended courses at GMI. However, in the mean time, I fell madly in love and felt that four years of college would be an awfully long time. I was married at the age of 19 and worked for General Motors for 40 years. By the way, until the love of my life passed away, we were married for 62 years.
My career at General Motors ranged from Office Boy to a Superintendent rating at Corporate Central Office, but one of my early experiences sticks in my mind. In April of 1947, the Flint River flooded due to heavy rain and melting snow. Water was 2-1/2 feet deep in the Motor Plant and other parts of the complex. Remember, our plant was referred to as "Chevy in the Hole" After the water receded, of course it was the Plant Engineering Department's responsibility to get things back in order as soon as possible. The water receded enough to get clean-up and maintenance crews back to work, but there was a communications problem. The phones were out and of course this was before wireless communications and the river was still over its banks. There was still 2 feet of water in the yard and the river separated the Plant Manager (in the Main Office) and the Plant Engineer (in the Motor Plant). I was selected to close that communications gap. I was issued a pair of hip boots and waded through the river (back and forth) as the personal messenger between the Plant Engineer and the Plant Manager. Later, I was a runner between Electricians and Storage for replacement motors. It was a hectic time; but we got cleaned-up, dried-out and production back in operation in record time. That high-water mark was still on the outside walls until the buildings were repainted 10 years later. Can you imagine?
This experience stands out over and above things like Burden Studies, Appropriations, Cost Controls, Time Studies, Production Efficiency, Promotions and many other monumental events over the years. The entire complex is gone now and is still commonly referred to as "Chevy in the Hole". When I hear people say that, I say "No, 'Down in the Valley'."
Tag Cloud
 |
English |