The W/S Cafeteria at 55th and Carnegie

What a great spot this was! Not only was the food great, with plenty of selctions, during the long stretch of good years that I was fortunate to be part of, but the feelings of community, of team, of warm friendliness that existed there were strong and built morale. The large room was very high and bright with sun coming in from very large windows on the south and west sides. On the east wall, over where the lines formed and people picked up their lunch trays, was a large board which held the metal name plates, positioned under headings to show the years of service employees had devoted to W/S. There were large round tables at the west end, which was where customers generally sat with the field people who had brought them into the plant on a visit, often to see the machine they had purchased being run on their tooled job on the Test Floor. Entering this cafeteria, as a guy from the field, was always like a homecoming, as there were always so many familiar and friendly faces. Lots to talk about. There was a feeling of history - work history. It was an unusual place in many ways, as I am sure many will agree.

And how about the tall second floor windows that would open up to reveal our chorus serenading us during the Christmas Holiday Season?

JACK: REAL NICE POST, GOOD RECOLLECTION, HOW
ABOUT THE "XMAS TREE". HAD LUNCH IN
THE CAFETERIA THE LAST DAY IT WAS OPEN.
NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE LEFT ON 55TH
AT THAT TIME, MOST WERE IN SOLON.
THE ONLY PERSON I CAN RECALL AT THE
LUNCH TABLE WITH ME ON THAT DAY WAS
CARL MEYERS FROM ENG. DEPT. HAD A
PICTURE OF THE XMAS TREE AND CAFETERIA.
WILL E-MAIL IF RUN ACROSS. KEN

My good Friend, Bill Zelenka, also a regular apprentice, married Janice Coan who was an employee in the cafeteria. I remember trying to hurry him through the line when all he wanted to do was talk with her. That was a "great" room. My gradfather`s name was somewhere on that wall.