THANK YOU, MR. EDISON   Lesson One: The Impact of Electricity On People's Lives

Part 1:

According to the archivists at the Edison National Historic Site, Thomas Edison received many letters such as the one sent by Mrs. W. C. Lathrop of Norton, Kansas. Working in teacher-assigned groups or individually:

1. Construct a profile of Mrs. Lathrop and develop historical judgments about the values and beliefs evident in her letter. (Note that the handwritten "Thank her very much etc . . ." in the upper right hand corner was written by Edison.) Cite examples from the letter to support your responses.

   Use the following to develop your profile:

   1. List all of the appliances and devices Mrs. Lathrop had at her disposal. Identify those that use electricity.
   2. Using only the letter, identify Mrs. Lathrop's:
      • class,
      • level of education,
      domestic responsibilities,
      • leisure activities,
      • beliefs about the relationship of men and women-- specifically her role as a wife and mother, and
      • values about such things as work, leisure, and education.

2. Based on statements by Mrs. Lathrop, how does electrification affect the world beyond her home, including that of her husband?

3. Mrs. Lathrop wishes to thank personally the inventor of articles which "make life livable [sic] for her sex." Yet, not all of the "articles" she mentions were invented or were produced by Edison's company, e.g., Westinghouse and Victrola were competitors. Identify those inventions Mrs. Lathrop mentions that were not invented by Edison. Why does she associate Thomas Edison with all of these products?

4. Using the letter and other sources of information, assess the validity of the following: "The electrification and the use of electrical appliances in the home produced technological and social changes."

Part 2:

Mrs. Lathrop was not the only person to sing the praises of Thomas Edison. President Calvin Coolidge presented a medal to Edison in 1928, saying:
"[T]here is scarcely an electrical process or instrument of to-day which does not reflect in some way changes wrought by his researches."

Go to the Coolidge Speech marking the presentation of the medal, and answer the following questions:

1. According to Coolidge, what makes Edison a leader?

2. What do people call Edison? Why do Edison and Coolidge disagree with such labels?

3. "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration." What does Coolidge say is important about such a belief? In particular how is the value of "work", a significant component of American values, important in explaining Edison's success?

4. One of the important beliefs about success in America is that you can rise to the top from the lowest level. Identify Coolidge's remarks about Edison's rise to success.