Note 4 - Supplemental Financial Statement Information - Balance Sheet Information (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017	Dec. 03, 2016
Raw materials	$ 169,228,000	$ 174,093,000
Finished goods	186,335,000	198,009,000
Total inventories	355,563,000	372,102,000
Other receivables	26,542,000	24,304,000
Prepaid income taxes	31,899,000	41,105,000
Prepaid taxes other than income taxes	16,718,000	20,852,000
Prepaid expenses	19,161,000	29,521,000
Assets held for sale	1,337,000	1,607,000
Total other current assets	95,657,000	117,389,000
Land	79,745,000	79,993,000
Buildings and improvements	369,072,000	364,048,000
Machinery and equipment	815,084,000	787,844,000
Construction in progress	39,689,000	56,402,000
Total, at cost	1,303,590,000	1,288,287,000
Accumulated depreciation	(667,041,000)	(618,093,000)
Net property, plant and equipment	636,549,000	670,194,000	$ 515,275,000
Investments and company owned life insurance	8,596,000	8,602,000
Equity method investments	51,454,000	48,962,000
Cost Method Investments	1,669,000	1,669,000
Long-term deferred income taxes	27,112,000	43,422,000
Prepaid pension costs	37,881,000	30,145,000
Prepaid postretirement other than pension	48,872,000	39,163,000
Other long-term receivables	46,755,000	18,577,000
Other long-term assets	15,329,000	16,444,000
Total other assets	237,668,000	206,984,000
Taxes other than income taxes	16,592,000	18,753,000
Miscellaneous services	7,694,000	13,565,000
Customer rebates	10,082,000	10,114,000
Interest	5,996,000	6,766,000
Insurance	401,000	5,668,000
Product liability	1,249,000	961,000
Contingent consideration liability	3,610,000
Accrued expenses	30,164,000	28,398,000
Total other accrued expenses	75,788,000	84,225,000
Other liabilities:
Asset Retirement Obligations, Noncurrent, Total	3,646,000	2,129,000
Long-term deferred income taxes	214,295,000	280,515,000
Long-term deferred compensation	5,974,000	5,424,000
Postretirement other than pension	2,603,000	2,992,000
Contingent consideration liability		496,000
Environmental liabilities	5,183,000	11,380,000
Other long-term liabilities	33,067,000	43,445,000
Total other liabilities	$ 264,768,000	$ 346,381,000