Oct. 8, 1986
Bronner’s Research Reveals Consumerism is not a New Concept
By_Jan Travers
College students are taking a
bum rap. Every time one of us
mentions he is here to improve
his future earning power, society
jumps in with their theory that
young adults are only interested
in material success, leading to
the moral decay of America.
There is no denying that
America is a nation of mass
consumers, however,
surprisingly this is not a new
phenomenon. As early as the
mid-1860’s this consumerism
has been growing.
Industrialization, which occurred
just after the Civil War, made
Reach Out To Touch Registrar
By Thalia Cook
Have you heard about the new
concept in registration,
“Touchtone” registration?
B.Y.U. started it three years ago.
Ten other institutions now use
the system and twenty more are
to begin this academic year.
Touchtone registration offers
significant advantages such as:
-It is relatively inexpensive and
efficient, which keeps
registration costs down.
-It allows students to decide, on
the spot, exactly what classes
they will take.
-All expenses including tuition,
housing, board and parking are
also computed.
-Students can register early.
-The school can collect
payments early.
-Faculty can determine early if
classes are filling up and new
sections can be added if
necessary.
-Systems are simple to use and
more goods available to the
masses.
Dr. Simon Bronner, associate
professor of folklore and
American studies, will explore
the growth of consumer goods
in our lives at a conference
titled, “Accumulation and
Display: The Development of
American Consumerism 1880-
1920” November 7 and 8. The
conference, under the direction of
Bronner as coordinator, is being
sponsored by Winterthur
Museum with assistance from
Penn State and the University of
Delaware, at the Winterthur
Museum and Gardens,
Winterthur, Delaware.
Nationally recognized scholars,
are practically faultless.
Texas A&M will start using
the country’s largest and most
expensive touchtone registration
system in November. Another
school already using a touchtone
system is Georgia State. That
system cost $130,000.
It has 32 telephone lines,
making it one of the largest
systems. Georgia State estimates
that the system will pay for
itself in one year.
Dorothy Guy, Registrar, says
that Penn Slate has some
drop/add via telephone, but she
has not heard of any plans for a
touchtone registration system for
Penn State in the near future.
The University would be
pleased to accept the
'‘Touchtone” system as a gift
from the class of 1987!
Capital Times
including the Capital College’s
Michael Barton, professor of
, will explore the growing
accumulation and display of
goods in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries.
This conference will mark the
first time scholars have met and
discussed their research in a
public forum, according to
Bronner. “We want to explore
the field to see if consumption
is uniquely American and how
the roots of consumerism took
hold in this country.” Bronner
feels that an understanding of
consumption could lead to
predicting future living patterns
and lifestyles.
Bronner, who became interested
And in "the Gallery Lounge we have
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FOX'S MARKET
MIDDLETOWN THE POINT
HERSHEY CEDAR CLIFF MALL
in this field when writing his
latest book “Grasping Things:
Folk Material Culture and Mass
Society in America” (University
Press of Kentucky, 1986), is
looking to involve {he American
studies program at Penn State,
Harrisburg in this new field of
study by drawing on local
resources. In addition to living
in the state capital region,
Bronner mentioned local vendors
responsible for early
materialism. John Wanamaker,
of Philadelphia, took over a
New York department store,
Stewart’s Marble Palace, in
1886 and subsequently became
the first retailer to use display
advertising in newspapers on a
regular basis.
Sears and Montgomery-Wards
became household names in the
1890’s when they reached
several million homes, many in
rural areas, with their
catalogues. In addition, these
two retailers were among the
first to introduce a system of
credit to ensure a larger audience
for their goods. This area is also
among the first nationwide to
build shopping center, said
Bronner.
All these resources could be
explored to attempt to find the
roots of today’s consumerism.
“Penn State University at
Harrisburg could become the
leader in this field,” concluded
Bronner.
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