Los
Angeles County
Biographies
CLARENCE B. KERR
Clarence B. Kerr, president and
general manager of the Hollywood Paper Box Corporation, 1057 North La Brea at
Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, has been engaged in the creation and
production of fine paper boxes for more than a quarter of a century. He is also president and general manager of
the Master Service Corporation, Ltd., rendering specialized automobile service
in shops at 1400 West Eighth Street in Los Angeles and 10880 Weyburn Avenue in Westwood.
Mr. Kerr was born in St. Louis, Missouri, August 31, 1884, his parents
being James M. and Altha (Bowman) Kerr, the former a
native of Chicago, Illinois, and the latter of the state of Missouri. James M. Kerr is deceased.
C. B. Kerr acquired his early
education in the grade and high schools of his native city and afterward
attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, from which institution
he was graduated with the degree of B. E. in 1903. He then taught school in
Dayton, Ohio, for a year and next became identified with the advertising and magazine
business, covering the Chicago-Buffalo-Great Lakes section. It was in 1906 that Mr. Kerr came to Los
Angeles, California, as a jobber of paper boxes. Subsequently he was associated with the paper
box company of Renshaw, Jones & Sutton, one of
the old concerns, in the capacity of sales manager, from 1907 to 1926. On the 1st of March, 1926, the
Hollywood Paper Box Corporation was organized with C. B. Kerr as president and
general manager; H. A. Dunlop as vice president and secretary; Park V. Foster as
treasurer; and C. E. Toberman and Earl Dietz as
directors.
We quote from an attractive pamphlet
issued by the company: “In the creative
atmosphere that has made Hollywood the seat of the motion picture industry and
‘the style center of the world,’ the Hollywood Paper Box Corporation designs
and produces boxes, in which many of the west’s and the nation’s best known
products are ‘dressed to sell.’ The
package has become such an important factor in modern merchandising that this
era has been spoken of as ‘the package age.’
The package is more than a protector of that which it contains. From the moment it is displayed on the shelf,
it becomes an advertisement, and as such, is subject to the whim of the
advertising-minded buyer. . . . In the
department of research and design are created the novel box shapes, cutout and
window displays, display containers, counter cards and folding cartons that
constitute the most important link in a merchandising campaign—advertising at
the point of sale. The personnel of this
department combine proven artistic ability with wide experience in advertising
and sales work. . . . The home of the Hollywood
Paper Box Corporation contains over one hundred twenty-five thousand square
feet of floor space used in the production of paper boxes and display
material. The physical layout is
unexcelled in the paper box industry.
All activities of each department are completed on the single floor
reserved for that department; wasteful trucking from one floor to another has
been eliminated. The modern vogue
dictates distinctive packaging—silk or satin lined jewelry boxes, odd-shaped
boxes for powders, perfumes and the dozens of other aids to feminine beauty,
special gift and stock boxes for department stores. These are produced in the fancy box
department. The staying machines
reinforce the corners of boxes with Kraft or other material, as the carrying
capacity of the box demands. The seven
hand-staying machines each turn out one thousand or more pieces per hour; and
the quadruple or automatic stayer from two thousand to twenty-eight hundred pieces
an hour. Hollywood has one of the most
modern and complete printing departments of any paper box factory in the
west. Box coverings with gold and raised
letters and designs are produced in the bronzing and embossing department. In this department is a Peerless Gold Leaf
embossing machine, the only one of its type in operation on the Pacific
coast. Over fourteen thousand automatic
suit and notions boxes are stapled in one department every day. Five of the most modern type of stapling
machines, equipped with complete safety appliances (as are all machines in the
Hollywood factory) are used. Three wire
stitching machines constitute one of the largest batteries of this type of
equipment in the west. From eight
thousand to twelve thousand of the larger type boxes, used as containers for
hats, millinery and other wearing apparel, are produced daily. There are eight large modern stripping
machines in constant operation in this department. The set-up box department conveys an idea of
the general excellence of working conditions in the Hollywood plant. Plenty of daylight, plenty of air, modern
machines equipped with complete safety devices, no undue crowding—all this is
reflected in the quality of paper boxes produced. In the die and cutting department the cutting
form dies are made, and the cardboard sheets cut up into box forms.” No man in the paper box industry has a
clearer conception of the complete merchandising function of the paper box than
Mr. Kerr, now president of the Pacific Coast Paper Box Manufacturers
Association.
As state above, Mr. Kerr is also
president and general manager of the Master Service Corporation, Ltd., which
maintains a large shop for specialized automobile service at 1400 West Eighth
Street in Los Angeles. Completely
equipped allied departments provide economical service in repairing, rebuilding
and refinishing. Departments supervised
by high skilled factory-trained specialists are maintained for all cars. Washing, polishing, oiling and greasing are
done by experienced mechanics. This
organized skill affords a service unequaled in the ordinary shop. Mr. Kerr is president of the Automotive
Maintenance Association of Los Angeles.
On the 19th of December,
1932, Mr. Kerr was united in marriage to Thaddea A. Barcafere, of Oklahoma.
He gives his political support to the Republican Party and is a member
of the Christian Science Church. His
name is also on the membership rolls of the Los Angeles Athletic Club and
affiliated beach clubs, Casa del Mar, Riviera Country Club, Compania
de Mejores de Ensenada and the Los Angeles Breakfast
Club.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 319-322, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES