The clothmaker. [volume] (Clinton, South Carolina) 1952-1984, October 15, 1966, Page 4, Image 4
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This is tho fourth in o series
men for whom the Bailey P'on
of, N\. S. Bailey, W. Bailey,
(lliugra/ihictif sketch rc/um/in c<l /?
South" J
Hutsy Silas Kailoy of (
horn into a textile family
plierc, and in liis adult yea
to the advanciiu'iif o!' the 1
He assumed control of the
Clinton and Lydia Mills during
the new era of intensive
competition that followed
World War II, and he guided
them through their most progressive
decade, 1948-1958.
His understanding, generosity,
and humility will long
be remembered by employees
and others for whom he did
so much.
Mr. Bailey was born in
Clinton, December 8, 1004, two
years after his grandfather,
Mercer Silas Bailey, h a d
started the second of his two
successful textile enterprises,
the Lydia Cotton Mills. He
was the son of Putsy Silas
Bailey and Fannie Copeland
Bailey. He received his early
education in the public schools
at Clinton, the Wofford Fitf
inrf QoV\ Anl nt Qnnvf onVn i r/f
11 i i ^ ci c L(WI;;uj L'i(
and the McCallie School in
Chattanooga, Tennessee. He
attended Presbyterian College
in Clinton and was graduated
in 1926 with an AB
degree.
After graduation !VTr. Bailey
or "Si" as he was known to
his many friends, began learning
the textile business. He
started as an outside cotton
overseer, was advanced to
shipping clerk, and later to
other positions. By 1038 he
had 12 years of experience in
all phases of the industry and
ho was named vice-president
of both mi'ls.
1
as Bailey '
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of bionraphical sketches of the
t is named. The first three were
and C. M. Qailey.
i i>et mission "Textile Leaflets of the
Mint on, South Carol inn, was
, roared in a textile atinosirs
fontributed significant\v
l,,v( M/. i.wh.ol ,.,r
I LJiV 1 ilvl UO I I Y
He succeeded to the presidency
in 1948 after the death
of his uncle, W. J. Bailey.
From that time until his
death in 1958, he demonstrated
a high quality of
leadership in his direction of
mill activities.
The ten years of Mr. Bailey's
presidency were termed the
most dynamic in the history
of the m- Is for several reasons.
Despite the troubles that
beset the textile industry in
tho:.o years, he continued to
enlarge and expand operations
so that the productive
output was increased by 40
per cent. He modernized the
plant facilities and expanded
the program of benefits for
employees. He exhibited great
confidence in the textile industry
and in the ClintonLydia
employees. He w a s
continually justified on both
counts.
Mr. Bailey held numerous
positions of responsibility in
the business world. Besides
being president and treasurer
of the Clinton and Lydia Mil's,
he was in 194R elected treasurer
and director of Clinton
Cottons, Inc. in New York.
In 1948 he was elected a director
in M. S. Bailey and
Son, Bankers, in Clinton, and
in 191)1 he was named a member
of the advisory committee
for the Bailey Foundation.
His leadership was recognized
by the South Carolina
'HE CLOTHMAKER
Textile Manufacturers' Association,
which elected him
vice-president in 1957 and
president in 1958, and by the
American Cotton Manufacturers'
Institute, which named
him to its board of directors.
Mr. Bailey was concerned
about the progress of the
people of Clinton. He helped
advance many civic, educational,
religious, and other
worthwhile projects. He was
elected to the Clinton city
council in 1932 at 28. He was
named Mavor two vears lnt.nr
when only 30.
During his 12 years of service
as mayor, 1934-194G, many
progressive measures were
taken by the government to
meet first the problems caused
by a depression and later
those evolving because of
World War II.
He was a deacon and later
an elder in the First Presbyterian
Church in Clinton, and
continually strived to advance
its many programs. He was
a charter member and past
president of the Lions Club,
charter member and past governor
of the Clinton Lodge,
Royal Order of Moose, a
member of the Clinton Chamber
of Commerce, and a director
of the Clinton Community
Hotel. His contribuf
inno 1 I'rvi i rrV* i ? ? -1
uui ij mi wu^ii lilC II II 11?) til 111
a!! these various organizations
led to his recognition as Clinton's
Citizen of the Year in
1951.
As with most forwardlooking
persons, education
was of special importance to
Mr. Bailey. He particularly
promoted the work of his
alma mater, Presbyterian College,
and the Thorn well Orphanage
in Clinton. He served
on the board of trustees of
Presbyterian from 1950 until
his death, and was one of the
leaders in that school's million
dollar development program
in the middle 1950's. lie was
a trustee of the Thornwell
Orphanage and the Tnstitute
of Textile Technology in Charlottesville,
Virginia.
jry i 1 ? - i
ii 11l" nau noi ueen a successful
businessman, Mr. Bailey
doubtlessly could have made
a good living as a cattle
farmer. Next to education his
greatest outside interest was
raising pure-bred cattle. Tie
established t h e Creekland
Polled Shorthorn farm. Creekland
Lancer, a product of this
herd, gave South Carolina its
first native - bred national
champion at the International
Livestock Show in Chicago in
1955.
Mr. Bailey was an industrious
worker when on the
job, but he enjoyed relaxing
on his farm, and he was devoted
to his wife, the former
Miss Ouida Carolina Cox, and
their daughter, Emily Frances
TTn \I7ftC O cunennnfi.l
gardener and enjoyed working
with the flowers and
shrubs around his house, as
well as with his vegetables.
Many tributes were paid Mr.
Bailey at his death.
Charlie Garrison in the Anderson
Independent particularly
cited his open door office
policy, noting that there was
no record of any employee
over failing to see "the bend
man" when lie needed !o for
Home reason, Mr, Carrlrmn
described hlrn as a man
among men, and said: "He
came as near being an individual
without guile as any
that my memory recalls."
The Greenville News noted
that Mr. Bailey was synonymous
with Presbyterian College
and the textile industry.
Clinton Mayor J. P. Terry
spoke of his great friendship
for all. "Mr. Bailey was a
great friend not only of the
people who work in ClintonLydia
Mills," the Mayor said,
"but of the people of the entire
town. He worked rpacp
lessly to make the mill villages
and town better places
in which to live and work."
The Clinton Chronicle said
that the real worth of the man
was exhibited in his personal
relations with his many employees.
It noted, "He was intensely
interested in their
welfare and constantly supported
and instituted moves
to improve their physical,
moral, and spiritual welfare
and happiness." In the Chronicle's
words, "Si Bailey did not
stand on ceremony. He was
easily approached. Many of
Service Award
Selections
ScetoSetecj
A
Selections <?t" service awards
jewelry accessories
Iiv 171 eligible employees
was rompleled lasl week.
Shipment of the awards is
exported to arrive in approximately
six weeks.
The new program offers a
select ion of att raet ive and
useful jeweled accessories
to employees upon completion
of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 40
years of continuous serv;'PI...
inl.r I I t.1
M i-, i ne im\ g,<?iu enimeilis
are in-set with genuine
stones to designate the
years of servirc and to
heighten their elegance.
Five years service employees
will be presented Sterling
Silver Pins. All the awards,
with the exception of those
representing 25 or more years
service, will be presented onthe-job
by a member of management
within one month of
the employees anniversary
date.
IManl No. 1 Weaving Sim
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OCTOBER. 1966
his employees called him 'Si'
and his dignity suffered not
the least bit because he was
a man with a common touch."
Si Bailey had a great family
tradition to live up to, and he
did it well. The continued returns
from his investments in
people and progress are a memorial
to his achievement,
among them the Bailey Memoral
Hospital, a "living"
testimonial to the generosity
of the Bailey family and,
above all, a reminder that Si
Bailey and others had greater
objectives in life than the
mere accumulation of large
estates.
The Bailey family, said to
have come from North Ireland
and to have lived in Clinton
for more than 100 years, has
been the financial bulwark of
the community for years. But
in P. S. Bailey, who died as a
comparatively young man after
a brilliant career in textiles,
the family probably
made its greatest contribution
to humanity.
. . I t .|AX-|
When announcing the expanded
program on July 22
President Vance said, "The
award of an appropriate service
emblem is of equal significance
to the emnlovee and
the Company. It denotes that
both parties have carried out
their responsibilities to a mutual
benefit. More meaningful,
however, is the fact that
a milepost in tenure holds
promise of greater productivity
in the future. This is the
real value of experience. I
trust everyone will wear their
new service emblem as proudly
as it is awarded."
pvier Emblem Selection
IP^
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