Woman, 70, doesn’t miss a day
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SLEEPY EYE -- Del Monte Corporation completed one of its finest canning seasons for peas and corn here Monday afternoon.The corn pack started Aug. 7 and ran 42 consecutive days.
Not missing a day of work during that span was 70-year-old Mrs. Claude Ingraham, who lives on the southern edge of town.
Superintendent Aaron Gregg said 1973 was a good year, and that Mrs. Ingraham was an outstanding worker.
"We had a good pack," he commented. "It was the biggest pea pack we've ever had, and corn might have ended earlier than normal but it was real steady. As for her, she's doing a young person's job and hasn't missed a day."
The so-called senior citizen of the employees, she has worked on the "cutters" ever since 1966, when they retired from farming near the old Leavenworth school house area. She says she'll return next fall "if they want me and as long as I can stay in good health."
Del Monte, along with a Wells plant in Minnesota, has helped show off the community here, she believes.
"It's a wonderful thing for the town,"Mrs. Ingraham noted. "I don't feel that they should hire just people from Sleepy Eye. They do give outsiders a chance."
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EMPLOYMENT supervisor Gerry Plahn said the company employs around 400 during the summer. The farthest away this year, he said, were workers from St. Cloud. There have been foreign exchange students as far as India and Africa working here. He figured about a 60-40 ratio of college-aged workers compared to the older set. There are 51 regular year-around employees.
"One more week, and we would have been hurting for help," said Plahn of the kids going back to college in Mankato, St. Cloud and the U of M which all start next week. Helping hands were light in years back when the pack lasted into October. Mrs. Ingraham thought it would last that long again, which would have spoiled her record.
"I had everything in my favor," she added. "I expected it would go into October, but then I would have missed a day or two. I wouldn't have been able to work this weekend."
They will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Oddly, a year ago, she missed some hours but no days.
Mrs. Ingraham began her Del Monte career in the 1930s, when she "helped out" her sister, Mrs. Henry George, as night-shift forelady. "I didn't work regularly, and when she quit so did I," she recalled.
"Working nights when farming was just too much."'
As for her reasons for resuming work, she had these: "I had to have something to do; I just couldn't sit around home and twiddle my thumbs. I've enjoyed every minute of it. It's a good place to work, the wages are good and they have a wonderful staff."
She says there are no problems communicating with the youngsters.
"I enjoy the young people, and still don't feel any older," Mrs. Ingraham replied. "There are many things to talk about. The kids want an education, and where else can they find work. Through the years it has helped them through college. And when you want some extra Christmas shopping money, it's a good way to get it here."
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HAVING THE privilege of working beside her was Elsie Anderson, who claims of being the first 16-year-old to work, that being in the initial year of the cannery in 1929. She's been on and off working for 29 seasons. Gordy Steinhaus has top honors with 30, the same number as blue-hat Gordy Thoms. Of the foremen, Charlie Crouch started in 1930 and has been a white-hat for 38 years. Vesty Rono and Butch Arbes, now safety chairman, also rank high. The plant won safety awards in 1967-71.
Gregg began working in 1935, handled the Wells plant from 1942-55 when he became superintendent here replacing Sid Peterson. He's seen automation set in, including automatic huskers in 1967, a continuous cooker this year and recently a cooling tower to conserve water usage plus land for aeration of waste water. He said improvement plans for next season are being considered in the budget presently.
"We haven't had too much trouble with the cookers this year," he said of the newest additions. "They have improved our quality and increased our production. Most of the original buildings are the same, but our production has increased. We haven't declined much in employment, although we added some new equipment. We send a lot of kids through school and keep them out of trouble. And with them and the truckers, it brings in more business."
New Ulm Daily Journal, Sept. 19, 1973