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UNC completes a 100-year-old challenge

John Bauman, CEO of County Brands and Montgomery Ward poses outside of Wilson Library after the closing ceremony of the 100-year-old Montgomery Ward Catalog Challenge on Tuesday evening.
John Bauman, CEO of County Brands and Montgomery Ward poses outside of Wilson Library after the closing ceremony of the 100-year-old Montgomery Ward Catalog Challenge on Tuesday evening.

One hundred years ago, former UNC President Kemp Battle charged UNC with a mission. 

His instructions were to use the mail order company Montgomery Ward's catalog to reflect on societal changes — 50 years later, in 1965, and 100 years later, in 2015. 

“(Battle) was very directive and specific in the letter that every fifty and hundred years later we revisit the information,” said Judy Panitch, director of library communications. 

In 1965, former Chancellor Robert House accepted Battle’s challenge and wrote an essay, titled “Great and Important Changes,” which explained what was changing in society at that time.

But now, instead of writing an essay, UNC decided to hold two lectures, one in April and one Tuesday, describing the impact of the Montgomery Ward catalog on today’s economic market. 

“We felt a public lecture would be more spontaneous,” said Fitz Brundage, chairman of the history department. “If we asked people to write an essay, some might read it ... but we wanted to reach as many people as possible.”

Lee Craig, a professor at the Poole College of Management at N.C. State University, and Peter Coclanis, director of UNC's Global Research Institute, led Tuesday's lecture. They explained their views on the economic impact of the Montgomery Ward catalog.

“The catalog was the original version of the internet,” Craig said.

Coclanis talked about the influential economic and business aspects of the catalog, including Montgomery Ward introducing the statement “100 percent satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.”

John Baumann, the current president and CEO of Colony Brands, the parent company of Montgomery Ward, said the catalog is sticking to its roots, but understands modern competition. 

“Thirty-five years from now, Amazon won’t be the exclusive website, it will be absorbed into something else, or evolved into something else, or a competitor will bypass it,” he said. “You don’t compete with Amazon by trying to be exactly like it.”

Several of Battle’s descendants were also present at the lecture. 

His great-great grandson, David Battle, traveled from Connecticut to witness the impact of his great-great grandfather’s letter. 

“We are proud of our history and heritage,” he said. “It gives me a chance to experience someone who lived far away but was a direct descendant and connect to their heritage, and that makes me very happy.”

university@dailytarheel.com

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