AMERICANS AT WORK : SHOE MAKERS

Americans [Music] at work making shoes for all America's families. using their combined skills to create a product exemplifying the standards Americans live by. Making footwear is an important job and shoemakers are important people of transportation was his feet. The progress of centuries has not succeeded in replacing them. Early he discovered that he could travel further if his feet were protected by shoes. Today, shoes take us everywhere into stores, theaters, homes, uptown, cross town, downtown, upstairs and down along the sidewalks at a leisurely, neighborly pace. Shoes from booties to boots, high heels and low, high tops and slip-ons. Shoes for a world of walkers. Carefully selected hides, properly tanned, are used to make America's shoes. The skins are sorted into piles to be cut and formed into every type of shoe imaginable. When a shoe maker was still called a cobbler, he made his shoes entirely by hand, cutting, lasting, stitching, sewing, nailing. He could turn out two or three pairs a week, a six-day sunrise to sunset week. Today, guiding modern machines which automatically cut the leather, do the stitching, and other intricate processes, shoe workers turn out thousands of pairs a week, making available any style you desire. With an accuracy born of long experience, the cutters rapidly punch out the pieces with an absolute minimum of waste. This skill is an important part of their jobs. Working with calf skin, doough skin, suede, alligator, lizard, and other leathers, some plain, others highly decorative, these men turn large sheets into individual shoe parts. Skilled hands doing skillful jobs like guiding rough cut souls through the trending machines. Wherever there is a sharp bladed knife, you can be sure of finding even sharper wits in the hands and eyes of the worker. Every part of a shoe is subject to finishing processes even before they are assembled. With his hands, the shoe worker guides each piece to asssure perfection. The shoe worker's tools are the same today as they have always been. Hammers, knives, nails, and thread and craftsmanship. a desire to do the best possible job to benefit the most people. This man's hands must be highly skilled for his job. Slitting the heel of the inner sole, a protective flap is made to cover nails used to attach the heel. The cuts must be exact. [Music] An important part of shoemaking is stamping the size and identifying style number along with the trademark to aid the salesman in fitting you properly with exactly what you want. If you think making shoes with the aid of machines is simple, consider the problem of converting a flat piece of leather into a rounded pointed shape. The speed with which these people work makes the job look easy. When a gentleman's boots were made by hand by one man, the uppers were cut and formed. The heels and soles then cut and the parts joined together. In a modern shoe plant, many men and women work side by side on different parts of the shoe. While soles are being cut in one place, the uppers are being finished in another. This worker needs excellent visual judgment to place the parts properly. Here she applies glue to join the pieces that line the shoes. A quick eye is important here because the two pieces must be equal in size. Shoes can be either plain or fancy. Where intricate designs are to be stitched, marks must be made to indicate where the needle will penetrate. [Applause] To meet the constant demand for attractive footwear, skilled shoe seamstresses are always busy. Many parts of a shoe must be sewn. The uppers to the soles, the vamp counter and heel, the fabric and leather liners. American women today demand smart, stylish shoes for different outfits, any occasion. Where a simple pump will not do, dress shoes with linings as attractive as the leather are a necessity. When the shoe workers have completed the various parts, the finishers direct their skills to assembling the whole shoe. There can be no mistakes here either. No broken stitches or blemishes on the leather. At this point, the worker's individual ability in mass production is most evident as a shoe takes shape. [Music] Even using an iron is a necessary part of making shoes. Small lining pieces are pressed to the leather. The picture of the old shoe maker, his mouth full of nails, hammer in one hand, is brought to mind by his modern counterpart, tacking parts together much more accurately, aided by a machine. [Music] Using a wooden mold or last, the old and the new methods meet. The last is as old as shoemaking, but the machine which pulls the leather tight is a modern invention. The operator exerts great caution in the job because pulling the leather too tight will cause it to tear. Not enough pull and the piece will not fit smoothly with the sole. Yet with this narrow margin, the shoemaker skill permits great speed. These are happy people because they are proud of the jobs they do and their part in America. [Music] With the leather upper secured to the last, the worker is ready to build the rest of the shoe. With the application of a special glue, this man will produce two pieces joined so well, they will be as one. [Music] With his sharp trimming tools, he removes the excess leather. Then with the glue, he fits the inner sole by hand. Shoe making is still a job for hands. Even with modern machines, cutting, sewing, nailing, they are no more than giant knives, needles, and hammers operated by the hands of the workers. [Music] Through each process, watchful eyes have checked each step for quality. Before the final work takes place, they are scrutinized again as the inspectors separate them into pairs. To make a firm bond between parts held together by glue and to smooth the surfaces of the leather, a heated press is used. The pressure of the arm and the penetrating heat solidify the joints. Even the lightest shoes today give protection and support to our feet. Man's initial reason for making shoes. Fitted individually, shoes with high heels receive extra care in the hands of the workers. The craftsman work assures long wear with safety. The pieces are fitted by hand, placed just right. In the final stages, the hands of the shoe maker are his most vital tool. With a trimming knife, the leather covering the shank of the shoe is cut so that an invisible joint results. Now, the shoe is held against a trimming machine to smooth all of the rough edges and remove any excess glue. To give the leather sole the same color as the rest of the shoe, the edge is painted with matching ink. As the polish is brought to a high luster, bits of trimming and leather are brushed away, reflecting the pride these men and women take in their work. Shoemaking is no longer strictly the province of the male. Women possess skills, too, and take pride in doing a job with meticulous attention to the many small details involved. When all of the assembly processes have been completed, all the cutting and shaping, the sewing, gluing, tacking and trimming, the wooden lasts are removed. To protect the shoes until you buy them, they are carefully wrapped and boxed. Soon these shoes will be in the shops ready to attest to the shoe worker's ability. Shoemaking has come a long way from the days of the cobbler shop and a lot of changes in methods have been introduced. But one thing which hasn't changed is the skill of the worker. The most vital part of any job. When people take pride in their work, they want to develop their skills. American [Music] workers like the shoe workers of the AFLC CIO have always taken pride in their work. No matter the size of their contribution to a product, they are proud to be able to contribute to their fellow citizens well-being. Proud to be Americans at work for you. Americans at work presented as a public service by the AFL CIO. Next week, another interesting story of Americans at work. Americans whose skill and effort help keep our country great and strong. [Music]