John Jr. married Pauline Frey in 1954. We had three children during this period, Lynn, Janet and John III. We lived in Waynesburg at the house across from the mansion known as the Hunt Club. The name came from its use as a social center for the fox hunters before World War II. My father gifted me the house, along with 80 acres, after I got out of the Army. Pauline won the first of eventually three state amateur golf championships. In the 1950s, I read The Practice of Management by Peter Drucker and subsequently, 15 more books by the same author. I found the author instructive, giving me more confidence in my decisions – right or wrong.
Dan also married in the early 1950s. He worked selling architectural products and was the key person in developing the paving brick, random bond and other unique products. Dan managed the magnolia plant, where these products were made, as well as the sales, during the early 1960s. When DD died, he provided means for Dan to start a business of his own, rather than be subject, as DD was, to working for a controlling family member. Dan took advantage of the opportunity and, with Pete Keplinger, founded Structural Stoneware Inc. They developed a unique line of glazed tile. WG turned over the Russell Dorf technology and glazed brick equipment it used in the New York Expressway jobs to Structural Stoneware.
After founding Structural Stoneware, Dan resigned from the WG board, called for cumulative voting for directors and along with RE Whitacre’s daughter, Mary Lou Murray, elected three directors (Pete Keplinger, Harvey Creighton and Harrison Keller) to the board. Following WG’s purchase of the DD estate stock, we asked Harvey to stay on as a director. He was an attorney, had been raised in the Waynesburg area, took a sincere interest in the company and was amply endowed with “street smarts.” Harvey was a great help to management until he retired due to poor health. Pete Keplinger remained and still serves on our board today.
