The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-01-28
H. NJ. Pryor's II Year Climb
Makes Modern Success Story
NEW PROMOTION TAKES
LOCAL MAN TO NEW
YORK OFFICE

I1iilollS tIlC OuISIdlIOlllS SAdlil-
pies of local boys who made
good" is Harold M. Pryor, son of
C. r. Pryor of Redwood Falls
who recently was transferred to
the New York office of Montgom-
cry Ward where he may be said
to "sit among the mighty" with
that great chain.
To Redwood Falls residents,
Mr.. Pryor is perhaps better re-
membered as the young ''funky''
at the Burris Body and Paint shop
during his high school days. His
work at Burris' was a supple
mentary job to his nightly task of
protector operator at the New
Dream theatre, drawing a salary
for watching the wild westerns
while less resourceful members OF
his class paid for seats below the
projection room.
That class was the 1920 edition
from Redwood Falls High school
and the following summer, Har-
old worked at EStherville, Iowa,
as a movie operator. The rudi-
ments of electricity learned there
perhaps prompted his enrolling
at DunWoody Institute for a
course in electrical engineering.
Jobs seemed always calling how
ever, and he was soon making a
house to house canvass for a
Twin Cities directory company,
taking down names of parents
and children and other family in
formation.
1t was in March 1923 after his
parents had talked him out of en-
tering the navy after he came
home to say goodbye" that he
entered the employ of Montgom-
cry Ward. His first work was
filling orders in the st. Paul mail
order house, riding from one bin
to another on roller skates for
greater speed.
Young Pryor's head was work.
ing as well as his feet and it was
only short time before he was
head of the auto accessories de-
partment in the mail order house.
Promotions, each small but fire.
quent, followed until he was as
sistant superintendent of mer-
chandise in the st. Paul mail
order house and it was a proud
day when he had an office with
his name in gold leaf on the door
panel.
In 1927 when Montgomery
Ward began its retail expansion
program he was made merchan-
disc manager of retail stores in
the northwest territory. In this
capacity he assisted in opening
the first store in the st. Paul ter
ritory. This store was located at
Little Falls, Minnesota and was
the third of its kind in the entire
United States.
AS the expansion program got
under way and the number of
stores increased, Mr.. Pryor was
given the supervision of district
in which Redwood Falls is now
located and he has visited here
frequently. His district consisted
of stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Montana, Iowa, North Dakota and
South Dakota.
1t was at the suggestion of Mr..
Pryor that the company decided
to locate one of their stores in
Redwood Falls. The company did
not ordinarily establish in towns
of this size, a store as large as the
one which was opened in Red
wood Falls. However, it being his
boyhood home, Mr.. Pryor knew
1t to be a really progressive town
and he was in a position to con-
vince the company officials that
they would be justified in locating
one of their large type retail
stores in this city. 1t is interest
ing to note that they have had no
reason to be disappointed in then
decision as was brought out by
the fact that only recently they
spent several thousand dollars to
enlarge the store and expand the
lines carried, making it one of the
finest stores in the chain.
Mr.. Pryor's most recent adj
vancement places him in the posi-
ton of assistant to the vice presi-
dent in charge of the New York
textile buying office. In this new
capacity he will be doing field
work in connection with the buy
ing for, and the merchandising of
the $50 Wards stores located
throughout the entire United
States.
Mr.. Pryor's progress is rather
conclusive proof that the oppor-
tunity for advancement today is
present for the man who applies
himself to make a success of his
job.