Walter Shearer Pamphlet Collection
name: label: Collector
content: Shearer, Walter
label: Manufacturer
content: General Motors Corporation
topic: label: Topic
content: Propaganda, Capitalist
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Arthur L. Shearer, August 14, 1989.
creator: label: Collector
content: Shearer, Walter
setName: label: See more items in
content: Walter Shearer Pamphlet Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Pamphlets published by the General Motors Company, covering a wide variety of topics, including business and industry, economics, household tips, politics, safety, and self-improvement. There are also a number of pamphlets about General Motors itself. Many of these pamphlets also serve as corporate propaganda.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.3 Cubic feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1948-1973
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: These pamphlets were collected by Walter Shearer, president of Bartley Crucible & Refractories, a small ceramics firm located in Trenton, New Jersey.  Mr. Shearer evidently acquired most of them through the Trenton Chamber of Commerce, of which he was a member.  There is a large GM plant in Trenton, which accounts for the large number of GM pamphlets in the collection.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0347
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into thirteen series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Craig Orr, 1990
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The bulk of this collection consists of pamphlets published by the General Motors Company.  These pamphlets were produced and distributed by GM's Personnel and Employee Relations Staff as part of its "Information Rack Service."  The pamphlets cover a wide variety of topics, including business and industry, economics, education, household tips, politics, safety, and self improvement.  There are also a number of pamphlets and reprints about General Motors itself.

Many of these pamphlets  particularly those dealing with business and industry also serve as corporate propaganda.  For example, several discuss the harmony between labor and management at GM and favorably contrast GM workers' wages with those in other industries.  Many others attempt to improve the company's workers, through tips on improving one's work habits, how to get along with others, and self improvement through education.  Others deal with safety, psychology, and health issues.  In addition, the political pamphlets provide insight into the company's attitudes during the Cold War.

Other, non General Motors publications originate from a variety of sources, such as the New Jersey state government; various U.S. governmental agencies; several schools; and a number of corporations and businesses, primarily in New Jersey.  These pamphlets also cover a wide range of subjects, including social security, medicine and Medicare, health, political education, and selling techniques.  Unlike the GM pamphlets, which have a propaganda nature, the "other" publications aim primarily at informing.

The pamphlets are arranged into 13 categories, such as economics, education, politics, technology, etc.  Within each category, the pamphlets are grouped into folders by topic.  The folders are arranged alphabetically by topic.  General Motors and non General Motors publications are kept in separate folders.  The inventory lists all folders and shows which are GM publications and which are not.