Evening journal., 1914-01-17
W. M. KENNARD,
CITY MERCHANT,
PASSES AWAY
Continued from First Page.

NOullnueQ from flISl rage.
the building at No. G21 Market street
In time this building also became too
small and they combined it with the
adjoining property. at No. 62S Mar
ket. These two buildings are the
present location OF the store. al
thought II has been remOdeled and
improved many times since the Ken
nards first established themselves
there.
AT that time the Kennard brothers,
with their parents, lived at No. 62i
Shipley street. Many years ago the
elder brother, John Kennard, died
and William succeeded to the bust
ness and conducted it up to the time
OF his death.
The business grew steadily, the at
tractivp personality and pleasing
methods of Mr. Kennard, courteous
and afiable sales people and depend
able goods being a combination that
soon lifted the store TO command
ing position in the mercantile life of
Wilmington.
William NJ. Kennard has always
been a pioneer in the field of maxi
ing more pleasant working cQnoi-
tions and hours for his employees.
Many years ago the general custom of
all the stores in the city was to re-
main open every day from 7.3O a. m.
until p. m. Mr.. Kennard realized
that these hours were too long for his
women emp Dyes and, regard ess of
what the other merchants would do,
he inaugurated a system of closing at
8 o'clock every evening but Tuesday
and Saturday. Other merchants, re-
cOgnizing the merit of this pl n. inn
mediately adopted it, Later Mr. Ken
nard originated the idea of closing
every night except Saturday night.
and this plan also was followed by
other merchants. Some years ago
Mr.. Kennard decided that It was not
necessary to keep the store open
even on Saturday evenings in warm
weather. so he started TO close his
store at 6 o'clock in summer months.
Later he followed this up by making
the closing hour on Saturdays
o'clock In the afternoon in summer.
and this in turn was reduced to 1890
O'Clock, which is the present custom
of the Store. It Is known that many
OF the other stores have f-llowed this
plan, and that it is only a question OF
few years before IL viii be the gen.
eraf custom in all stores of all lines
of trade. 1t was Mr.. Kennard's hope
that he would live TO see the time
when the stores would close Satur-
day nights the entire year around,
winter as well as summer.
Whenever Mr. Kennard decided
upon making change in his store. OF
to change the hours of the employ
ment of his employees. he was not re-
strained by what any competitor
might do, he seeming not to care
whether they did likewise, but he
simply inaugurated his plan. and in
most instances others followed his in
novation.
Mr.. Kennard has always treated
his employees fairly and kindly, max.
ing himself like a father TO them. anc
it is generally known that when {
person entered his employ he or sh,
never left except for reason other
than dissatisfaction. Some years age
Mr. Kennard established plar
whereby his employees share. to a GER
tain extent. in the profits of the store
On account Of the considerate treat
ment they received the Kennard stor,
force has always been the acme O
efficiency and Willingness.
In addition to the many changes