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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > June > 12 > Entry
Guest column: For many, NCR was part of fabric of life
Bill Lewis is a freelance writer living in suburban Atlanta. He formerly worked in Dayton for the advertising agency Needham, Harper & Steers. E-mail him at wjlwrite@aol.com.
Even though I now live near Atlanta (and have for 25 years), I read the news of NCR’s Dayton departure with great chagrin.
I grew up in the Gem City (well, technically, in Kettering), and NCR was always a part of my young life. No, my parents didn’t work there, nor did we ever have occasion to buy even one cash register. That really didn’t matter. NCR permeated the lives of many of my friends. And the patient rolls of my Dad’s medical practice contained the names of many NCR employees.
NCR was a part of the fabric of life in Dayton. That was especially true during my growing up years in the ’50s and ’60s.
It was a distinct badge of honor to be an NCR employee during that era. Jobs were proudly handed down from generation to generation. The factories lining Main Street were jammed. And you didn’t want to be anywhere nearby when the afternoon whistle went off and a swarm of humanity headed home after another productive day.
Quite frankly, in the summertime, I was jealous of the kids whose parents worked at NCR. One trip to Old River will do that to you. I have never seen a swimming pool that rivaled the size of the one the company built for employees and their families.
On only a handful of occasions was I privileged to be an invited guest. But to my young eyes, that blue water was at least as big as a lake, and maybe even an ocean. Forget about swimming all the way across. (By the way, I tried that … once … thought I was going to drown. Didn’t need the heroics of a lifeguard, but my friend had to help me the last few yards or I was going under.)
The company originally built two golf courses for its employees to enjoy. In the early ’50s, NCR deeded those to the city to be used as public courses. And they built their employees two brand new ones.
These were not your run-of-the-mill courses either. One, the South Course, hosted the 51st PGA Championship in 1969. (Another note of jealousy: This was before regular tour caddies. Pros would just pick up locals to carry their bags. My friend Jeff’s dad worked at NCR, so Jeff knew the course well. He got to be Arnold Palmer’s caddie.)
At Christmas time each year, NCR would find seemingly the biggest tree in the world and put it up right in front of the factories on Main Street. Families, mine included, made going down to see “The Tree” an annual outing. There were thousands of lights and enormous ornaments all over every branch.
In the distance, Miami Valley Hospital, up on the hill, always had a brilliant star high atop its tallest building. Viewed from the correct angle, it looked as if the star was the crowning glory of the NCR tree.
On the property was also a beautiful auditorium. I suppose the company used it to hold meetings. But mostly I remember it was utilized each year by virtually every high school in the area (including mine, Fairmont West) for baccalaureate services in May and June.
Of course, NCR was the corporate “citizen” in Dayton. Museums, art institutes, philharmonics, community parks, United Way programs, anything that benefited the mental and physical well-being of the residents was sponsored in some way, shape or form by NCR.
Alas, it’s all gone now. The move has actually been happening for some time, of course. Most manufacturing moved away decades ago. And other operations have followed suit since then. But the words “World Headquarters” still remained. Today, even they are history.
The relocation will undoubtedly be Atlanta’s gain. But, in reality, NCR will not be a big fish in a small pond any more. Like Old River, this is a pretty big place in which to try to swim. The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Home Depot, Newell Rubbermaid, Delta Airlines and a few more well-known corporate entities are already major players here. So, while the news of NCR is great for Atlanta, it’s certainly a major loss for a city like Dayton. Makes me want to go out and buy a cash register. If you can still do such a thing.
At the very least, the next time I visit Dayton, I’ll make it a point to drive down Main Street and remember fondly what used to be there in days gone by.
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Comments
By John
June 14, 2009 9:00 AM | Link to this
I enjoyed this article, as I retired from NCR after 35 years of full-time work several years ago. My familiarity with NCR goes back before that however as I began working part-time in the new NCR EDP Building (aka. Bldg. 26) in 1964. I will never forget walking from my building over to the NCR Auditorium at lunch each day for a News Reel, a short episode of Zoro or some other popular film, followed by a recent feature film which played over two-and-one-half days. You could buy your lunch and a pop from one of the lunch trucks parked on K-Street on the way to the auditorium. Way before that time, I attended the Saturday Morning FREE Movie for kids from all over Dayton. After the movie the lines would form on the way out of the auditorium for a FREE full-size Candy Bar. What a GREAT Company! We will miss it.