CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]
Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	$ 631,313	$ 300	$ 279,392	$ 441,566	$ (25,378)	$ (64,567)
Balance (in Shares) at Sep. 30, 2012		30,044
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net (loss) earnings	(25,603)	$ 0	0	(25,603)	0	0
Translation adjustments	644	0	0	0	644	0
Net unrecognized actuarial gain (loss), net of tax	8,078	0	0	0	8,078	0
Cash dividends declared	(8,451)	0	0	(8,451)	0	0
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit	5,436	$ 1	5,173	0	0	262
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit (in Shares)		104
Purchases into treasury	(9,703)	$ 0	0	0	0	(9,703)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	601,714	$ 301	284,565	407,512	(16,656)	(74,008)
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Sep. 30, 2013		30,148
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net (loss) earnings	410	$ 0	0	410	0	0
Translation adjustments	(844)	0	0	0	(844)	0
Net unrecognized actuarial gain (loss), net of tax	(1,686)				(1,686)	0
Cash dividends declared	(8,471)	0	0	(8,471)	0	0
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit	1,018	$ 1	740	0	0	277
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit (in Shares)		100
Purchases into treasury	(11,970)	$ 0	0	0	0	(11,970)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	580,171	$ 302	285,305	399,451	(19,186)	(85,701)
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Sep. 30, 2014		30,248
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net (loss) earnings	42,512			42,512
Translation adjustments	(6,297)				(6,297)
Net unrecognized actuarial gain (loss), net of tax	(6,961)				(6,961)
Forward exchange contract, net of tax	(94)				(94)
Cash dividends declared	(8,331)			(8,331)
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit	1,430	$ 2	1,180			248
Stock options and stock compensation plans, net of tax benefit (in Shares)		111
Purchases into treasury	(18,248)					(18,248)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 584,182	$ 304	$ 286,485	$ 433,632	$ (32,538)	$ (103,701)
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Sep. 30, 2015		30,359