Summary Information
John MacKay Shaw Papers
1930-1959
U.S. Mss 67AF
1.3 c.f. (3 archives boxes)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of an AT&T public relations and marketing executive, consisting of correspondence, internal memoranda from Shaw to people in the Bell System, speeches, articles, and miscellaneous papers and reports. Subjects discussed include public attitudes and corporate image, rate-making and governmental regulations, and marketing and market research.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0067af ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Born in Scotland, John M. Shaw came to the United States as a boy. He was only fourteen when he first went to work, but he continued his education and attended night courses at the University of Pennsylvania. Shaw was employed both in retail business and in several public utilities before joining the then Information Department of AT&T in 1930. The next year he went to Washington as general information manager of The Chesapeake and [UNK] Telephone Companies. Five years later, he was named assistant vice president in the public relations department of the New York Telephone Company. Returning to AT&T in 1944, Mr. Shaw, as assistant vice president in the Public Relations Department, had charge of radio, motion picture, open house, and public lecture and exhibit activities. He was named assistant vice president of the Merchandising (now Marketing) Department when the new department was created in 1955. Mr. Shaw retired from the Bell System in 1959 to pursue his scholarly interest in poems relating to childhood and the books in which they have appeared.
Scope and Content Note
The materials in the John M. Shaw Papers consist entirely of copies of more important letters, memos, reports, and the like, kept by Shaw from his career with AT&T and affiliated companies. The items are, in the vast majority of cases, carbons, with a few typescript copies and fewer mimeographed copies. No attempt has been made to list all items, but main topics covered in each series are listed.
Correspondence: Topics include speech improvement, buildings, rate-making, setting up a public relations club, public attitudes toward the Bell System, AT&T films, Bell TV program, educational materials, exhibits, color phones, and “extension” phones.
Internal memoranda: Topics include financial policy, introduction of hand set, change of numbers in New York, contributions (philanthropic), dial phones, long distance, speech improvement, slogans, presentation of general Bell policy to the public, telephone terminology, Western Electric, low cost ads, advertising for Chesapeake and Potomac Co., getting BBD&O for advertising, local advertising, directories, “postponement” service for sports events, numbers on letterheads, news-flash service, billing problems, weather and time services, unlisted numbers, curtailment of service during World War II, post-war planning, films (training and other), employee information, educational discussion groups, introduction of telephone economic education material into the schools, AT&T giving to higher education, retirement income, party lines, Telephone Hour, telephone orchestra, telephone number display, market research, AT&T expansion, color phones, extension phones, buying by telephone, management training, and research in human sciences.
Articles and addresses: Topics include information pamphlet, company policy, careers in business, expense control, dial phones, price of service, telephone numbers in advertising, the Depression, profit motive, telephone use, West Virginia telephone business, depreciation of telephone property, scientific developments in telephone company, area public relations programs, employee education, notes for speeches at telephone conferences, public relations objectives, financial policy, mass production and the Bell System, sociological research and the Bell System, civil defense and telephone service, telephone shortages, public relations after the war, orientation films, audio-visuals in public relations, film “Mr. Bell”, union films, community chest, rate cases, public attitude measurement, party lines, relations with educators, engineer in telephone business, lecture-demonstrations, management (many facets), mechanization, merchandising, color phones, market research, stimulation of use of local service, and the telephone in retailing.
Miscellaneous papers, including reports, summaries, and recommendations: Topics include radio broadcasting as a medium for advertising, government in business, increasing use of phone calls, company payment of dues in various organizations for employees, definition of duties of various company officers, merchandising, rates, lecture and demonstration, outside counselors, public telephone number habits, news service, Telephone Hour, public telephone service, installation and repairs, directories, auxiliary services, public attitudes, public relations studies department, films, wartime restrictions, traffic standards, telephone wages, proposed TV program, company's relationship with schools, pension plan, visit to small town to determine attitudes toward telephone company, and market research.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by John M. Shaw, Tallahassee, Fla., January 2, 1964.
Processed by Janice O'Connell, February 23, 1966.
Contents List
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Box
1
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Correspondence, 1930 May 2 - 1960 February 2
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Box
1
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Internal Memoranda, 1930 March 24 - 1959 June 15
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Articles and Addresses
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Box
1
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1930 May - 1932 February 9
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Box
2
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1932 March - 1959 January
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Box
3
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Reports and Miscellaneous Papers, 1930 December 1 - 1959 January 29
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