libravets - Librascope Memories

Librazelle
JANUARY 1970
VOl. 16, NO.1
COVER
Santa Gaus was a special guest at the
Children's Christmas Party. He later told
reporters that it was worth the long trip he
made to attend.
Photographers contributing to the pictorial
success of this issue include Jim Avera, Rex
Fries, Don Graham, Nancy Laughlin, Jim
Rutledge, and Jim Norwood.
In this issue
3 -- Christmas at Librascope
7 - A message from the president
9 -- They once were servicemen
10 -- Libravets
~
-:>
it:
iE
Paul Hansen, Editor
Jim Rutledge, Associate Editor
Jim Norwood, Art Director
Member: International Council of Industrial Editors,
Southern California Industrial Editors Association.
The Librazette is published monthly for
employees of Librascope by the Public
Relations Department. Editorial offices are
located at 808 Western Avenue, Glendale,
California 91201. ©1970, Singer-General
Precision, Inc.
Buddy Hughes
enthralls the audience
with his magic
handkerchief
(above), while party
chairman Jack
Naimoli (right) discusses
the next act
with Dolly Madison.

ChriJtmaJ iJ a
time for kldJ ...
viJiting
with J'anta ...
Cartoons, dogs, candy canes, and
kids - mix them well, add a dash of
Santa Claus, and serve with presents.
That's the Precisioneers' recipe for a
Children's Christmas Party, and it
worked its magic once again when, the
Saturday before Christmas, children of
Librascope employees gathered for a
morning of fun.
The kids in the audience and their
parents were entertained by Dolly
Madison's French Poodle Review and
the magic hands of Buddy Hughes.
Ray G. Johnson was named Santa's
special escort, to help the jolly gentleman
locate Hoover High School Auditorium,
the site of the party, in time
to greet all the kids personally.
Party chairman Jack Naimoli acted
as master of ceremonies, and introduced
Santa to the kids when he
arrived, in the nick of time.
Christmas music before and during
the show was provided by retired
Librascoper Al Fonseca and Joe Tripoli,
eight-year-old son of Ida Tripoli.
After the show, Santa's gifts were
distributed to each child in the audience
by volunteers Lois Benjamin,
Betty Cardona, Jean and Mike
Naimoli, Lisa and Liz Sands, Elsie
Stefurak, Jeri Tichenor, and Doreen
and Janine Watkins.
Assisting the children were Jim
Avera, Stan Bucklein, Warren
Douglass, Manny Gil, Fred Killips,
Don Mann, and Jayne Stanek. Kay
Small was Santa's special helper.
"The committee certainly wants to
thank Santa and all the volunteers, for
helping to make Christmas time a little
bit nicer for the children," Naimoli
said after the party.
At Santa's special request, the extra
toys and candy canes were donated to
the Los Angeles Toys for Tots campaign.
0
(Christmas
continued)
3

~ :i~.~ .... )- .;0
€hri:.rtma.f i.f a4~'
for decorating ...
~¥1g1ving the plant
a holiday air::..
In the days before Christmas the
lobbys, offices, shops, and assembly
areas of Librascope began to reflect
the season.
Christmas trees of all shapes, sizes,
• and kinds seemed to grow overnight
from table tops, filing cabinets, bookcases,
and other unlikely places.
Walls were festooned with colorful
trappings and tidings of good cheer.
Corners usually blank and uninteresting
throughout the year suddenly
proclaimed the universal message of
"Peace on earth, goodwill to men."
The festive decorations served to
impart their spirit of happiness and
brotherhood to all who saw them, as
the people of Librascope lightened
their hearts for the holidays.
4

and a time for partieJ' ...
The Christmas Dinner-Dance was
held again this year high in the Burbank
foothills.
The view at twilight was clear and
magnificent as over 300 employees
and their guests gathered at the Starlight
Ballroom of The Castaway to
usher in the holiday season in the
traditional Precisioneers' style.
A cocktail hour led off the evening's
activities as happy, laughing
couples filled the room in anticipation
of an
which
enjoyable
followed
time.
featured
The dinner
a choice of
Mignonette of Beef A ux Champignons
or lobster, and was topped off with
baked Alaska for dessert.
The rest of the evening was filled
with music, dancing, and entertainment
- and a drawing for valuable
door prizes, which added a touch of
suspense and excitement to the festive
atmosphere.
Music for all tastes and of all
tempos was provided by the Bluenotes,
and carefree couples filled the
dance floor throughout the evening.
During the first and second intermissions,
the dancers rested and were
entertained by Ginny Tyler and
Friends, a performing group of widely
diverse talents including a singing
group, an exotic dancer, a pair of
comedians, and a ventriloquist.
"All the performers in the group
are members of the Masquers' Club of
Hollywood," said Lisa Sands, chairman
of the Precisioneers' dinner-dance
committee. "The Masquers is a club
for professional entertainers."
Five door prizes were awarded to
lucky dinner-dancers during the last
intermission. The winners were Harold
Mosman, who won an electric blanket;
Gary Rever, an AM/FM transistor
portable radio; Dixie Campbell (a
guest), a lazy susan; and Phyllis Abele
and Jayne Stanek, cash awards of $25
each.
D
(Christmas
ALL SMILES AT THE DINNER DANCE.
The annual Precisioneers' event set the holiday
tone, and was a fitting opening for the season
of good cheer.
continued)

ASC()P£ CIlRISTMAS CARDfU~D
ChriJYtmaJY
IJY
time
a
for
JYharing ...
helping
otherJY ...
In the weeks before Christmas,
Librascope employees showed their
generosity in a number of ways .....
The results of the United Crusade
Campaign conducted at Librascope
were announced by Paul Glass, chairman
of the Librascope AID Club. He
reported a significant increase during
1969 in the number of employees who
participated in the campaign.
The percentage of AID Club members
giving their Fair Share has also
increased at a promising rate, Glass
said. Reco.rds show that the average
amount donated 'by each member of
the Librascope AID Club is at an
all-time high.
The total pledge from Librascope's
AID Club to the United Crusade was
$44,078 for 1970.
Librascope's traditional Christmas
Tree Poster campaign, which last year
was conducted from early Der;:ember
through Christmas Eve, collected
$ 7 55.50, reported chairman Jeri
Tichenor.
The money was donated to the
Blind Children's Center of Los
Angeles, a nursery school for visually
handicapped children. The center is
known throughout the world, and
provides services for children up to age
8, and their parents.
All employees who participated in
the campaign received Christmas stickers
which they could sign and paste on
one of the many Christmas tree posters
around the plant.
;\.
Paul Glass (left) chairman of the Librascope
AID Club, accepts United Crusade poster of
recognition for the Company's efforts in the
annual campaign. Production editor Tammie
Mintzlaff (right) decorates a Christmas tree
poster for the Blind Children's Center.
Special Christmas packages were
mailed to servicemen by the Vietnam
Gift Lift committee in late November,
to make sure that the parcels would be
delivered in time for the holidays.
Each package contained a small
canned ham and other canned meat,
and also fruit and juices, stationery,
soap, cards, candy, miscellaneous gifts,
and personal items such as shaving
lotion or hair oil.
Committee chairman Margaret
Brown indicates the committee plans
to continue its monthly gift shipments
throughout 1970, following the same
sched'ule as last year. That is, packages
containing home-baked cookies will be
shipped to all servicemen on the committee's
mailing list in odd-numbered
months, and packages containing
books will be mailed in even-numbered
months.
The regular monthly mailing of
books was completed Dec. 30. January
is a cookie month.
Those wishing to prolong the spirit
of Christmas by participating in the
Vietnam Gift Lift, or who know of
ex-employees or relatives of employees
now in service, are invited to contact
their building representatives or Margaret
Brown (ext. 1155). The cookies
are scheduled to be mailed Jan. 28. 0
6

I..11
II~
I
Librascope
and the challenge of 1970
In the past 30 years, the fortunes of
Librascope have ranged almost from
one extreme to the other, as any
Libravet can tell you. At times, it
seemed as if new business would never
stop coming in; at other times, it
seemed as if it would never start.
As we begin 1970, the state of the
Company is this:
- Weare progressing well on several
From the president's desk .. ,
prudent to expand our new business
activity beyond anti-submarine warfare
fire control systems, and we
started making the long term investments
necessary to do this. While
additional orders of Mk 113 systems
will provide a significant portion of
our manufacturing base in 1970 and
for several more years, that market is
still limited by the number of ships the
Navy builds.
We looked for other, related,
product areas to move into, where we
could put Librascope's long experience
to best use. Expansion into the development
of other systems aboard both
submarines and surface ships was one
of our prime goals. We thought it
necessary to build and strengthen our
technology in several areas, such as
digital design, displays, and acoustics.
We also decided to apply our technology
to commercial areas wherever possible
- our glide angle display for the
Boeing 747 and our new MiniMemory
are just two examples.
Another reason we will weather the
procurement crisis is that we have
become competitive. We will continue
to get new work - interesting and
important new work - just as long as
we are efficient enough to hold costs
down to reasonable levels.
So 1970 is shaping up as a decisive
year for Librascope and for all of us
who are part of it. We have done our
homework these past five years. If
each of us does his job to the best of
his ability, we can get through these
lean times. I think we can, and I think
we will.
major projects, and we are working to
obtain several other promising contracts.
- From all present indications, the
Company is in a healthy position.
- As far as we can reasonably
foresee, the future of Librascope is
sound.
It should be no secret to any of
you, however, that Librascope is currently
suffering from a procurement
slowdown - and we are not alone,
because all our competitors for the
defense dollar are also suffering from
the same slowdown.
f
The day of tight money has come
I
right at the time the technological and
economic nature of the ind ustry is
changing radically.
The rush toward miniaturization,
for example, has caused a technological
upheaval of almost unprecedented
proportions. Technological changes
require large capital outlays for
machinery, tools, and test equipment;
therefore, a sound economic base is an
absolute requirement for any company
that hopes to remain in business
today.
Some defense contractors will not
survive these stresses. We will. I say
that for a couple of good, hard
reasons.
One reason is that we have diversified.
Five years ago, we thought it
President
~~
7

Max Goshkin (center), retiring after 18
years in the Model Shop, discusses his future
plans with Cesar Goldstein (right), foreman,
and General Foreman Ray Setty.
Libravet Max Goshkin retires
after 18 years in Model Shop
December 5 marked the start of a new
way of life for Libravet Max Goshkin, of the
model shop .. ' ...
After completing 18 years with Librascope
as a tool maker, Max retired amid the
good natured encouragement and best
wishes of his fellow workers and friends.
All employees in the model shop and
many from other departments turned out
for Max's retirement party in the patio.
"Eighteen years is a long time," Max said
later, over coffee and a piece of his retirement
cake, "but I've enjoyed it all. The
company has been very good to me."
After reti~ementh Max plans "nothing,
for the first couple o~months. Just rest and
do a little fixing on the house, I guess. After
that, though, my wife, Esther, and I plan to
take an auto trip across America."
1970 holiday schedule set
Five three-day weekends, and two fourday
weekends are scheduled for the coming
year, according to Frank Yapp, manag~r of
compensation and employee benefits";"who
recently announced the paid-holiday schedule
for 1970.
The full holiday schedule is:
Friday, March 27 - Good Friday.
Friday, May 29 - Memorial Day
(May 30 falls on Saturday).
Friday, July 3 - Independence Day
(July 4 faIls on Saturday).
Monday, September 7 - Labor Day.
Thursday, November 26 - Thanksgiving
Day and Friday, November
27 - Floating Holiday.
Thursday, December 24, and Friday,
December 25 - Christmas.
Friday, January 1, 1971 - New
Year's Day.
Janu.ary theater party
'Marooned' at Egyptian
"Marooned" has been selected as the
feature attraction of the next scheduled
Precisioneers' Theater Party, to be held the
end of this month at the Egyptian Theatre
in Hollvwood.
Subtitled "The Saga of lronman One!",
the film is the epic story of a manned space
shot, in the not-too-distant future, when
things do not work as planned, and the lives
of the astronauts are placed in grave danger.
Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, and
David Janssen star in "Marooned," which is
billed as the most authentic space story ever
filmed.
Precisioneers' discount tickets are now
available for the 5 p.m. performance Jan.
31. Librascope employees may purchase the
tickets for $2.00 per person.
See your local bulletin board for more
information on this attraction, and for news
of future Precisioneers' Theater Parties.
I Discount Tickets I
You can obtain any of these discount
cards through the Precisioneers Bldg. Rep.
in your building.
SAN DIEGO ZOO - A discount family card
for the special "Zoofari" program. Reduced
prices are $2.25 for adults (16 and older),
$1.25 for Juniors (12 to 15), and $.75 for
children (ages 2 to II).
SEA WORLD - A $.50 discount ticket (for
adults only) is available for San Diego's new
recreation center.
MARINELAND - Discount prices to Librascope
employees. Adults $2.25, juniors
(ages 1"3'through 17) $1.00, children (5
through 12) $.75. Youngsters under 5 get in
free.
DISNEYLAND - A family Magic Kingdom
Card entitles you to a book of 12 rides and
general admission at a fantastic discount.
Prices: adults - $4.50, juniors (12 - 17) ­
$4.00, and children (3 - II) - $3.50.
MOVIE LAND WAX MUSEUM, PALACE
OF LIVING ARTS, JAPANESE VILLAGE
AND DEER PARK - A 20% discount is
available for all of these attractions.
PACIFIC DRIVE-IN THEATERS - Discount
tickets available. Regular $1.50 tickets
for $1.00, children free. For tickets call
Lisa Sands, ext. 1272.
8

Librascope welcomes
5 who returned from
service in 1969
From Librascope to Vietnam and
back again - that's the story of three
who left Librascope to enter military
service and, when their obligations
were fulfilled, returned to Librascope
last year to resume their civilian
careers. Two others who left the service
in 1969 and returned to Librascope
saw duty in California. 0
Mike Donley, Shipping and Receivi~g Clerk,
Shipping
Drafted into the Army, Mike became a
petroleum, oil, and lubricant storage specialist
at a petroleum tank farm near An Khe,
South Vietnam. "I never was shot at,
directly," he says, "but our outfit was
mortared some. They blew up the tank farm
about four times while I was there. "
Jim DeMoss, Tabulating Operator, Data
Processing
Jim was drafted just after Christmas 1967,
and spent his entire U.S. Army career in
California. "I was scheduled to go to Vietnam
when I got out of radio school, but my
orders never came," he says. "I spent my
whole time as a radio operator there at Ft.
Ord."
Dick Guffey, Instrument Inspector, Adjustment
Inspection
Dick's National Guard unit was activated
during the Pueblo crisis, and he found
himselfin uniform almost overnight. Sent to
South Vietnam as a replacement, he spent
eight months as an ordnance and ammunition
specialist in the Da Nang and Phu Bai
areas.
Don Graham, Photographer, Photo Lab
Pulled from civilian life by the Pueblo crisis,
which saw his National Guard unit activated,
Don was classified as an armo'red
intelligence specialist. "That's a glorified
name for a scout," he explains. He was put
in charge of the special services photo lab
near Xuan Loc, South Vietnam.
Paul Morin, Computer Operator, Data
Processing
Paul was a Librascope tab operator when he
enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He went
through boot camp at Camp Pendleton,
California, and then attended computer
schoo/. After graduation, he was assigned to
Camp Pendleton's computer facility, where
he learned to be a computer operator.
9

LIBRAVETS
Solomon Elkin
15 yrs. - Jan. 4
Vladas Gilys
10 yrs. - Jan. 4
Libraskiers plan winter trips
The Libraskiers' second trip of the season
is scheduled for Jan. 16-18, when the
club will head for Yosemite's Badger Pass
and a weekend of skiing. Club president
Don Barton calls this "a great trip for novice
and intermediate skiers. The package includes
lodging at Curry Village, lift tickets,
and four half-day ski lessons."
"In February we're off to Salt Lake
City, Utah, for skiing at Alta, Brighton, and
Park City," Barton said. "This package
includes five days of skiing, two meals per
day, round trip train fares, lodging, and
evening entertainment."
The next meeting of the Libraskiers is
scheduled for 7:30 Wednesday evening, Jan.
21, in the Dining Conference Room.
Albert D. Houchin
10 yrs. - Jan. 14
Arthur Steiner
10 yrs. - Jan. 6
,Precisioneers golf club
tournament plans told
The Precisioneers' Golf Club's winter
tournament has been scheduled for Saturday,
Jan. 31, club president Mark Ferry
announced. The tourney will be held at the
Vista Valencia (little) Golf Course. Arrangements
have been made for starting times
beginning at 10 a.m.
The first tournament of the new season is
scheduled for Good Friday, Mar. 27, at the
Big Valencia Golf Course. Scheduled starting
times begin at 6:38 a.m. Reservations
for the tourney are now being taken.
Building representatives or club officers
should be contacted for membership or
reservation information.
Bowling title undecided
Elaine C. Whiteford
10 yrs. - Jan. 8
Wren E. Ensminger
15 yrs. - Jan. 12
Joseph M. Donnelly, Jr.
5 yrs. - Jan. 5
NOT PICTURED: :
Edith B. Macinnes
5 yrs. - Jan. 4
How many times this year have you
written "1969" when you meant "1970"?
For 10 years we've been used to writing
"196-" automatically, and now suddenly we
must unlearn that habit and replace it with a
new one, "197-". It's almost a traumatic
experience, having to change two numbers
in the year, but we have 10 years to get used
to it.
Think what it's going to be like with the
year 2000.
The Librascope Mixed Five Bowling
League has seen very close competition
among the teams this season, reports Buzz
Newman, league secretary. In the middle of
December, Juanita Roby's Sandbaggers and
Irene Klima's Slow Starters were tied for
first place, posting 19 wins each, while
Newman's Flubs were a close second with
18V2 wins. Flo Meyer's Kearfott Products
Division, Harriet Lee's Family Affair, and
Dennis Lannlady's No-Namers were close
behind.
George Doerries, of the Kearfott Products
Division team, bowled a record 293 in
early December. It was the house's highest
game score for this season, and probably the
highest game ever rolled in a Librascope
league. For his performance, George will
receive a gold pin from the Los Angeles
Bowling Association, as well as an "Eleven
in a Row" award and a "100 Pins Over
Average" award from the American Bowling
Congress.
10

"
Ray Johnson (right) accepts congratulations
at his retirement party from Al Germano
(back to camera), Tom Flaherty, and Cliff
Dahl (center) - Photo by Jerry Beushausen.
Treasurer Ray Johnson
retires with 38 years' service
Raymond G. Johnson, a 38-year Libravet
and Librascope's vice president and
treasurer, put on his badge for the last time
when he came to work the morning of the
day before Christmas. He spent the day
reminiscing with all his friends and saying
his goodbyes, for on Dec. 24, Ray retired
after a lifetime of service with the Company.
Long an active member of the Precisioneers'
Fishing Club, Ray plans to spend
considerable time pursuing his lifelong hobbies
of fishing, hunting and golf. He has
recently taken up painting, and plans to
continue that, too. During the last week
before his retirement, he converted his
office into a gallery to show his works.
"Myoid camper is already loaded with
my guns and fishing tackle," he said. ''I'm
going to Mexico fust, for several months,
then I plan to tour the United States, and
visit all myoid friends."
As a new graduate of the University of
Wisconsin, with a BS in accounting, young
Johnson went to New York in June 1930
with the National Theatre Supply Company,
a subsidiary of the General Precision Equipment
Corp. He was named accountant
trainee.
In the 1930s and 40s, Johnson worked
for a number of GPE subsidiaries. In 1950,
he was named controller of General Precision
Labs. He became vice president-finance
and treasurer in 1959.
Ray came to Librascope, then a subsidiary
of GPE, in 1963, where he became vice
president and treasurer.
Plans for January 27
basketball trip announced
Librascope sports fans will have the
opportunity of enjoying a delicious dinner
and attending an exciting basketball game, it
was recently announced.
Plans have been made for employees and
their guests to see the Lakers play San Diego
Jan. 27 at the Los Angeles Forum. Tickets
are available from the Precisioneers at a low
subsidized cost of $6.50 per person, which
includes admission to the game, dinner at
the Blarney Stone Restaurant in Burbank, a
roundtrip bus ride with refreshments on
board, and door prizes.
Only 60 tickets can be made available to
employees. Since it is anticipated that this
will be a popular event, a new procedure
will be tried out for distributing the tickets.
Employees wanting to attend the event
will have their names deposited in a bowl,
and a drawing will be held Jan. 20 to
determine who will have the opportunity of
purchasing tickets. Employees whose names
are drawn may then buy either one or two.
It is felt that this is a fairer way to
distribu te tickets when only a few are
available and the even t is a popular one.
Call Lisa Sands (ext. 1272) for ticket
information.
The
last
Word
Beginning with this issue, the Librazette
becomes a monthly magazine for the employees
of Librascope.
The change in frequency was made in an
effort to streamline editorial procedures and
make the magazine more responsive to the
needs and desires of the employees.
With its new accelerated publication
schedule of 12 times yearly, the Librazette
will be able to provide a greater service to its
readers by bringing them information of
Company-wide interest more quickly than
was possible previously.
In line with the new policy, the Librazette
will attempt to present more news
directly related to the Company, its employees,
its product lines, and its plans for
the future.
The magazine must continue to have the
support of its readers if it is to achieve these
goals. All Librascope employees are invited
to notify the Librazette of newsworthy
happenings within their departments, clubs,
professional groups, etc.
Send all news tips to the Librazette
Editor, Bldg. 3.
11

Good
housekeeping
and the
future
1
Early in December, Librascope was
visited by a group of Government
representatives from the Submarine
Acoustic Warfare System (SAWS) Pro-/
gram.
This survey team came to inspect
not only your Company's technical
capabilities and security system, but
also its physical facilities ~ the offices,
the manufacturing and inspection areas,
the engineering and support areas,
even the storage and warehouse
arrangements - to get a better understandincations.
of Librascope's total qualifi­
Throughout the coming year, Librascope
will be hosting more survey
teams, as your Company seeks new
contracts in established product areas,
and also attempts to diversify and
strengthen its competitive position by
breaking into new product fields.
Obviously, for your Company to be
a successful contender for the contracts
it wants, these survey teams
must report favorably on Librascope's
overall qualifications. These qualifications
are determined not only by its
technical and managerial capabilities,
but also by its neat, professional
appearance as well.
When you came to Librascope for
the first time, looking for a job, you
were careful to have your hair
combed; your clothes were neat and
clean - you tried to present a good
appearance to the interviewer. One of
the reasons you got the job was that
you took the time to make sure your
appearance was in order.
Your Company will be applying for
new jobs in 1970, to provide economic
stability and promote greater growth
in the future, and it will be "interviewed"
by visiting survey teams ­
some of whom may come unannounced.
For these reasons, the appearance
of the Librascope compound - the
yards, the buildings, the hallways,
your individual work area - and, also,
the Librascope people - the professional
attitudes they exhibit - are
both important to your Company and
to you.
Good housekeeping practices have
always been stressed at Librascope
because they promote safety and efficient
work patterns. In the future,
good housekeeping practices may well
shape your future. In a very real sense,
the work you are doing in 1975 may
depend on your good housekeeping
practices today. 0