Staley Museum In The News
Staley Museum is Part of the Heritage Network
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We have been so honored to have this guest visit Decatur this week. Rev. Randy Garner is the great-nephew of A. E. Staley. He grew up on the North Carolina farm Mr. Staley was born and raised on, and still owns a part of that land today. Today Randy was a special guest at the executive office of Mr. Staley, now owned by Primient. Here he is in the lobby with a portrait Mr. Staley. The building was opened 92 years ago.
Definite family resemblance 💗
He looks like Mr. Staley.
Join us this Saturday to celebrate Historic Preservation Week!
Football fans, you won’t want to miss this episode of THE SEED! 🏈🏈🏈
Well done!🏈
Staley's Extra Board
The Extra Board kept track of all temporary job vacancies at Staley’s. Vacancies may have arisen for many reasons like injury, illness, deployment, etc. Extra Board work changed daily depending on the needs of the company. Individuals seeking work at Staley’s most often started at the Extra Board office. Hopeful employees would fill out an application, take testing for placement and aptitude, get a physical examination, and an interview before moving on to the waiting room. At shift change, a select number of people would be chosen for the work needed that shift. Those left behind would return at the start of the next shift change in hopes of being selected. In the 1930s, in the midst of the Great Depression, the Extra Board offered hope of work and wages and a foot in the door for a stable job.
Many long time employees, including a few of our museum volunteers, got their start at Staley’s on the Extra Board. The Extra Board introduced workers to Staley’s and gave them a chance to experience the full range of the work done at the company. When a worker had proven themselves hardworking and reliable, they could be offered full positions doing the work that suited them best. Employees of the Extra Board often received the same insurance and savings benefits, as well as plant-wide seniority rights, as other employees.
Photos from the September 1957 Staley Journal
Local ownership provided these opportunities.
Wow, 13 years, I spent 1 year on the extra board and I thought that was a long time. You take chances hanging on that long, I got forced into 29 building for 6 months. Not my favorite place.
