John MacKay Shaw
Encyclopedia
John MacKay Shaw was a business executive, bibliophile, philanthropist, and writer. He was keenly interested in the tradition of poetry in the English language from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries. He was especially attentive to its treatment of the theme of childhood.
; his mother's family was from the Isle of Lewis, one of the Outer Hebrides
. Shaw was educated at the Willow Bank School in Glasgow.
Neil Shaw emigrated to America in 1910, and in April of 1911 John Shaw, his mother, and sisters Margaret and Anna followed. The Shaw family settled in Philadelphia. Feeling that he was too advanced for the grade level in which he was placed in the public schools, John Shaw departed from formal schooling and took the initiative in educating himself in various libraries, taking his cue from the institutions established by Scotsman Andrew Carnegie.
Shaw’s involvement in business began at age sixteen when he enrolled in a program of business training organized by John Wanamaker
. This involved a summer camp and also experience working in Wanamaker’s Philadelphia store, where, among other responsibilities, he sorted and delivered mail. His activities with Wanamaker extended from 1911 to 1913. During this period Shaw taught himself stenography, in part by transcribing Sunday sermons into shorthand. He was soon working in the steno pool at Union Casualty Company and afterwards at Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
.
With the coming of World War I, John Shaw enlisted in the Army. He served in Europe from 1917 to 1919. As an ambulance driver in France, he took part in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meusse-Argon Offensive. He was in Paris on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918.
On his return from Europe, he worked with Mitten Management, serving first as private secretary to Thomas Mitten (1865-1929) and afterwards as vice-president of the company. Mitten Management operated the Philadelphia street railway through Philadelphia Rapid Transit. Shaw was associated with the firm from 1925 until Mitten’s death in 1929. Shaw’s specialty was in the field of public relations and advertising.
Although remaining on the board of Mitten Management, Shaw next accepted an appointment with American Telephone & Telegraph
in 1930 and remained with the Bell Telephone system until his retirement in 1959. He served as assistant vice-president for public relations and marketing from 1944 to 1959. He played a key role in the introduction of the dial telephone, testifying before Congress in its behalf. As head of public relations at AT&T’s headquarters at 195 Broadway in New York, he was in charge of the Bell Telephone Hour broadcasts and the preparation of the Bell system’s telephone directories. In the latter endeavor, he worked with Chauncey Hawley Griffith in the development of the Bell Gothic typeface.
John Shaw founded the Public Relations Society of New York in 1945. He was active in various charities including Community Chest (1940-1950), National Council, Boy Scouts of America (1947-1966), and the Joint Council of Economic Education (1948-1955). He was active in the St. Andrews Society of New York and in 1976 served as first president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Tallahassee, Florida.
On 19 June 1926 John M. Shaw married Lillian Reamer. Shaw soon began writing witty poems to amuse their son and daughter, and this interest led to his broad search for the treatment of childhood in the works of the British and American poets.
Upon his retirement, Shaw placed his library at Florida State University
in Tallahassee, Florida. Here he continued to build on his holdings, and to speak and write about the collection and its research potential. He received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1972. He served as voluntary curator of his collection until 1980.
Biography
Shaw was born 15 May 1897 at 60 Lumsden Street, Overnewton, in Glasgow’s west end. He was the son of Neil and Catherine Ann (Mackenzie) Shaw. His father’s family was from the Island of Jura in the Inner HebridesInner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which enjoy a mild oceanic climate. There are 36 inhabited islands and a further 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than...
; his mother's family was from the Isle of Lewis, one of the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. Shaw was educated at the Willow Bank School in Glasgow.
Neil Shaw emigrated to America in 1910, and in April of 1911 John Shaw, his mother, and sisters Margaret and Anna followed. The Shaw family settled in Philadelphia. Feeling that he was too advanced for the grade level in which he was placed in the public schools, John Shaw departed from formal schooling and took the initiative in educating himself in various libraries, taking his cue from the institutions established by Scotsman Andrew Carnegie.
Shaw’s involvement in business began at age sixteen when he enrolled in a program of business training organized by John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in...
. This involved a summer camp and also experience working in Wanamaker’s Philadelphia store, where, among other responsibilities, he sorted and delivered mail. His activities with Wanamaker extended from 1911 to 1913. During this period Shaw taught himself stenography, in part by transcribing Sunday sermons into shorthand. He was soon working in the steno pool at Union Casualty Company and afterwards at Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company is an anthracite coal mining company headquartered in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., with operations in the areas of Tamaqua, Coaldale, and Lansford...
.
With the coming of World War I, John Shaw enlisted in the Army. He served in Europe from 1917 to 1919. As an ambulance driver in France, he took part in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meusse-Argon Offensive. He was in Paris on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918.
On his return from Europe, he worked with Mitten Management, serving first as private secretary to Thomas Mitten (1865-1929) and afterwards as vice-president of the company. Mitten Management operated the Philadelphia street railway through Philadelphia Rapid Transit. Shaw was associated with the firm from 1925 until Mitten’s death in 1929. Shaw’s specialty was in the field of public relations and advertising.
Although remaining on the board of Mitten Management, Shaw next accepted an appointment with American Telephone & Telegraph
American Telephone & Telegraph
AT&T Corp., originally American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American telecommunications company that provides voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to businesses, consumers, and government agencies. AT&T is the oldest telecommunications company...
in 1930 and remained with the Bell Telephone system until his retirement in 1959. He served as assistant vice-president for public relations and marketing from 1944 to 1959. He played a key role in the introduction of the dial telephone, testifying before Congress in its behalf. As head of public relations at AT&T’s headquarters at 195 Broadway in New York, he was in charge of the Bell Telephone Hour broadcasts and the preparation of the Bell system’s telephone directories. In the latter endeavor, he worked with Chauncey Hawley Griffith in the development of the Bell Gothic typeface.
John Shaw founded the Public Relations Society of New York in 1945. He was active in various charities including Community Chest (1940-1950), National Council, Boy Scouts of America (1947-1966), and the Joint Council of Economic Education (1948-1955). He was active in the St. Andrews Society of New York and in 1976 served as first president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Tallahassee, Florida.
On 19 June 1926 John M. Shaw married Lillian Reamer. Shaw soon began writing witty poems to amuse their son and daughter, and this interest led to his broad search for the treatment of childhood in the works of the British and American poets.
The Childhood in Poetry Collection
In 1929 John MacKay Shaw began in earnest in collecting British and American poetry. Although his interest was in identifying passages relating to the theme of childhood, his collection extended far beyond the confines of children’s literature. In 1959, at the time of his retirement from Bell, he had assembled over 5,000 first and rare editions as well as manuscripts which he related to the subject of childhood in poetry. Included were virtually all of the major poets in English as well as a great number of minor authors, represented in their own books, in anthologies, Victorian gift books, children’s periodicals, biographies, and criticism. Many of the books were first editions, many were association copies, or otherwise distinguished for their, illustrations, bindings, or other features.Upon his retirement, Shaw placed his library at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
in Tallahassee, Florida. Here he continued to build on his holdings, and to speak and write about the collection and its research potential. He received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1972. He served as voluntary curator of his collection until 1980.
External links
- Shaw Collection: Special Collections, Florida State University Libraries, retrieved 13 March 2011;
- Childhood in poetry catalogue: Shaw, John MacKay; Florida State University Libraries; 1967; ISBN-10: 0810304805; ISBN-13: 978-0810304802; retrieved 13 March 2011.