We recently learned from Frank Prete that his father, Dominic Prete, passed away in September. He was 96 years old. He was born in New Haven, Conn. and worked at the A.C. Gilbert Factory for 30 years until it closed down. Long-time ACGHS members may recall an article we did on Dominic in the September 2011 newsletter. We’re reprinting this article below.

An interview with a former A.C. Gilbert factory employee, Dominic Prete

ACGHS Newsletter, September 2011

Dominic Prete is 89 years old and worked for many years in the Erector Set manufacturing plant in New Haven, Conn. Dominic, who still resides in East Haven, recently agreed to share with the ACGHS some of his working experiences while being employed by the A.C. Gilbert Company.

ACGHS: What years were you employed by A.C. Gilbert?

Dominic: I worked there from 1950 until the company closed the doors in 1965, so I was there for 15 years.

ACGHS: What was your position with the company?

Dominic: I was a supervisor in the shipping and receiving departments. In addition to Erector sets I also worked with a guy named Pat Torello, who installed the real headlights in the A.C. Gilbert Race Car – but only for employees. Pat also helped in other areas.

ACGHS: Did you know A.C. personally and what was he like?

Dominic: I talked to him every day. He was a very pleasant and a smart man. He never talked down to you. He shook hands with each employee on their birthdays.

ACGHS: What did the employees think of A.C. Gilbert.

Dominic: They all loved and respected him.

ACGHS: What time of the year was the busiest?

Dominic: The busiest time of the year was October through December. We were busy shipping to keep up with the demand for Christmas. Normally I worked a 40-hour week, but during that time period there was some overtime.

ACGHS: Was there a high priority for quality control regarding the number of parts placed in a set prior to shipping, or not so much? I had to ask this question on behalf all our Erector set collectors.

Dominic: Placing the correct number of parts in each set was a very high priority.

ACGHS: Did A.C. do anything special for the employees at Christmas?

Dominic: For Christmas, each department had its own party, but A.C. sponsored an all-company outing in the summer.

ACGHS: Any recollections of the famous Gilbert Hall of Science by yourself or other employees?

Dominic: Since the Hall of Science was in New York City, the plant employees did not see much of it.

ACGHS: In terms of the last few years of the declining production, did the employees believe the company lost its focus, or with the advent of television, did many believe it was the end of the Erector glory era?

Dominic: I don’t know but I can tell you when the Sears Corporation sent back their order of race car sets it was all downhill from there.

ACGHS: Thanks so much, Dominic, for sharing your thoughts and work experiences with the A.C. Gilbert Company.

Dominic: You’re welcome.

ACGHS: Anything else to add?

Frank Prete (Dominic’s son): My dad loved working for that company; in fact, they had a street named Erector Square in New Haven, Conn. I had tears in my eyes when they took down a large Erector sign that was there for many years. In my humble opinion, if the company had stayed with the Erector set, the American Flyer trains, the microscopes, and the sewing machines for girls, they might have still been in business today. They tried to compete with Lionel and the James Bond dolls, and the race cars were a flop. Every Christmastime we would go down to Union Station and see the large train display that was set up. The joys of the past bring back fond memories. Thanks for allowing my dad and me to share our experiences with the club.

The ACGHS would like to thank Frank Prete for contacting the ACGHS and assisting in the preparation of this article.