Research

• Full Finding Aid
• Overview
• Arrangement
• Administrative History
• Scope and Contents
• Other Finding Aids
• Access Restrictions
• Custodial History
• Access Terms
• Detailed Description

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New York State Consumer Counsel to the Governor Subject Files for the New York State Fair

Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources

Overview of the Records

Arrangement

Chronological.

Administrative History

Dr. Persia Campbell, a former professor of economics at Queens College, was appointed Consumer Counsel by Governor W. Averell Harriman on January 19, 1955. For many years, Dr. Campbell had been supporting the interests of consumers as an advisor for New York City and the Federal Government and in her association with non-governmental consumer organizations and activities. Her many activities included the directorship of Consumer Services for the New York Civil Defense Voluntary Organization during the early part of World War II and later membership on the Consumers' Advisory Committee of the President's Council on Economic Advisors.

The primary function of the Consumer Counsel was to advise the Governor on matters affecting the consumer interest from a consumer point of view; to support and coordinate the consumer services being carried out by various state departments and agencies and to define and represent the consumer interest before these state departments and agencies; to assist all efforts to increase the competence of the public as consumers; and to protect consumers from fraud and misrepresentation through cooperation with mass media and communication and cooperation with private groups and organizations.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence, memoranda, notes, flyers, press releases, minutes, booklets, schedules, lists, and other records relating to the New York State Fair. From 1955 to 1958, the Consumer Counsel was an "Ex Officio" member of the State Fair Advisory Board and also a consultant to the Women's Division of the Fair. Many of these records relate to the booths, exhibits, and demonstrations put on by the Office of the Consumer Counsel at the Fair and other exhibits and demonstrations at the Fair which were of interest to the consumer. Among the records are flyers relating to consumer affairs which were released by the Office of the Consumer Counsel, skits, pamphlets relating to the reading of labels and "labels and the law," scattered minutes of the meetings of the State Fair Advisory Board and the Women's Division of the Fair, radio and T.V. scripts of "There Oughta Be a Law," and schedules and lists of demonstrations.

There is a large amount of correspondence between Dr. Harold Wattel, Consultant to the Consumer Counsel, and Marion R. Devine, of the Consumer Counsel's staff, and correspondence between the Consumer Counsel and Dr. Wattel. There is also a large amount of Consumer Counsel's correspondence with women's and consumers' groups as well as with New York State government departments and agencies.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Folder list.

Custodial History

This series was transferred to Syracuse University from Governor Harriman in 1959, and was transferred to the New York State Archives in 2006. It was accessioned in August 2011.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Access Terms

Detailed Description