You've got to hand it to these glove-makers

They gather as the sun rises, climb two flights of stairs, sit at worktables and methodically sew gloves, piece by piece.

From 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., they stitch thumbs, fingers and hems. One woman is actually called the "thumber"; another specializes in the frechette: the thin, inside lining. Other workers check for defects, box, count and pack.

That labor goes on in Gloversville, recalling the name of the town itself. Once a renowned center of glove manufacturing that faded, the work has returned, thanks to a contract from the U.S. government.

Revival

According to Richard Warner, manager, the Samco Glove factory will produce 200,000 pairs of leather gloves for the government this year.

Although he doesn't know where the gloves will go, the rumor is that soldiers overseas will be wearing them.

The glove-making industry had virtually disappeared from the town, and the skill of glove-making was slowly dying out. Now, it is being reclaimed by a few people who still know how to piece gloves together at the rate of dozens a day.

Skills of past

The women called back to the sewing machines are all over 50; many are beyond retirement age:

* Connie Montanaro, 79, has worked in the factories of Gloversville since she was 30. A parishioner of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church, she is almost as old as her vintage sewing machine. She returned to work because she has been lonely since her husband died several years ago. "Coming here helps pass the time. I get lonely and bored sitting by myself," she said.

* Amerda Calendra, 76, also a St. Mary's parishioner, retired 11 years ago. "It's a good job," she said. "I know how to sew the gloves. It is what I've done all of my life."

* Mary Ann Izzo, 63, a member of Sacred Heart parish in Gloversville, decided to take an early retirement but never left the shop. The management asked her to stay until they could train new employees. "I've been a thumber all of my life," she said. "There were glove shops all over town. It's what we did here. I've been working in the glove industry since I was 16."

'Buckler'

Working alongside the veterans is Fawn Wadsley, 20, who joined Samco as a trainee less than a month ago. Known as the "buckler," she sews black plastic clips onto the front of each section of glove.

"I knew how to sew when I came here," she said; "but, this is not like anything else I've ever done. It's good, honest, hard work for a decent paycheck. I'm glad to have it."

In six months or so, she and five other newly hired trainees will have learned enough to replace the women who came out of retirement. But, some may not be giving up their jobs too quickly.

"I'll work as long as I'm well, as long as they have work for me to do," noted Mrs. Montanaro.

Putting 'glove' in Gloversville

The glove industry first appeared in Fulton County in the late 18th century. Deerskins, brought to the area for sale by trackers and hunters from the Adirondacks, became the foundation for a tanning and glove-making industry.

Between 1880 and 1950, most of the leather gloves and almost all other gloves in America were produced in Gloversville, which was named for the workers. However, there has been a steady decline in the industry since 1950.

The modern glove-makers sit at ancient sewing machines built nearly a century ago by the Singer Commercial Sewing Machine Company.

Jerry Marshall, the only worker at the Samco Glove factory who repairs, cleans and keeps the machines running. said they rarely break down because they were built to last forever. (PP)

(5/26/05)