[INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES (IBM) AT THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1939 & 1964]

[Music] Simon meta pyman going to the Fair Simon could also have met many IBM salesmen among millions of people during 1939 and 40 as they sped to the New York World's Fair the trilon and perisphere symbols of the fair towered over the entertainment areas you could be spun or dropped [Music] watch colorful pageants you could join the parade of curious and wonderful [Music] floats hoopla like this could make you thirst for Coke or milk take your pick but watch out for the horse cars IBM's own float was prominent in the parade capping the momentous opening of the [Music] fair patriotism and peace were constant themes people responded enthusiastically planes invoked the air AG art ageless culture and art went hand inand with industrial [Music] craftsmanship there was something for everybody here the railroad buff could Sho the Iron Horse the court of Nations was the setting for the buildings of the many exhibiting [Music] countries a growing sense of internationalism was fostered here it was almost like taking a world tour while staying at home the Blue Chips of American industry showed their Wares here was the first television Tower [Music] the buildings and Exhibits reflected a new Industrial Age if you wanted to test the latest model there were tracks and cars for the purpose a relative newcomer joined the ranks of important exhibitors I BM was winning attention through product excellence and good taste rather than mere size here were products that look primitive now but were Marvels then here were the electric typewriters that IBM was then pioneering and [Music] multipliers sorters [Music] and punches were seen by many of the public for the first time more important here an image was being created coincident with the fair IBM salesman convened at 100% club meetings they spoke of sales contributions which won them a trip to the fair representatives of the typewriter division told of their magic with that old black model the accounting machine division was well represented by three young men who moved from the field to rather different jobs later on [Music] and here are some other familiar faces as they address the convention all these men are now in the Eastern region [Music] these are present midwestern region champions [Music] the western region was well represented by these stwart [Music] the convention was Climax by brilliant fireworks glowing testimony to top sales performance [Music] our plane is flying us over flush ing Meadows just outside of New York City this was the site of the 19394 fair now a city park the landscape is already making way for the new Fair these architectural models show how the completed buildings will look here is the Festival of gas a pure white structure featuring walls of air The Better Living exhibits will show us how to enrich our home lives here the Port Authority will provide a heliport 120 ft above the ground right above the top of the fair restaurant which will accommodate a thousand people The Pavilion of American Interiors will feature a gallery of prize-winning [Music] rooms spectacular fountains will dot the [Music] fairgrounds their lights and Sparkling Waters will integrate with industrial exhibits this is Eastman Kodak the 80ft tower will show giant transparencies which will be illuminated day and night here General Motors will house a global Futurama and a striking product [Music] display Sinclair will dramatically recreate the age of dinosaurs the stunning Cathedral of light will surround a shaft of high-intensity beams which will be visible for miles and here is the site of the IBM exhibition the open Pavilion is like a great Grove of trees with luminous Sheltering tops [Music] the principal attraction of the Pavilion takes place in an ooid theater this has been raised high in the air to maintain an open feeling of space the treel likee structure covers a garden studded with devices displays and events that support the main show [Music] the spirit of the Pavilion is impressed on the visitor long before he enters many will head directly for the main display others will elect to roam or rest there are open spaces like the probability Court in which Lively demonstrations dramatize the intimate connection between probability Theory and the [Music] computer there are secluded spaces like Scholars walk where there is a chance to study at leisure some of the material collected during the research for the exhibition a rich lore of computer technology and there is a monument to those whose dreams and efforts made today's computer systems possible in the center of of the garden is a pentagon at its points are five small theaters each theater houses a performance much in the manner of an elaborate Punch and Judy show and each performance touches on a different aspect of the computer the largest is a theater in the round which presents an animated entertainment about computer systems treating the people and the machines as the players in a Repertory Theater [Music] ad joining these theatrical displays in its own pavilion is a demonstration of computer techniques here actual equipment is used with several provocative and revealing applications finally the main event the approach to this is in effect a three-dimensional maze walkways are elevated above a large reflecting pool the people on the maze provide a living Marquee for the big theater and as they wait they are entertained by performers who appear on catwalks winding through the trees above those who are waiting in the maze have earlier seen a great wall of people move upward into the theater above now it returns to view and comes to rest its audience disembarks another is ready to take its place as it does the host of the show descends from high in the trees he greets his new guests and by the time the last is settled in his place both host and audience rise into the information machine theater inside an impressive array of visual projection devices will be used to deliver experiences and information the aim of this show is to demonstrate that the methods used to solve even our most complex problems are only elaborations of the simple techniques we all use daily we will show the visitor that the role of the computer in this process is not only less mysterious but closer to his own life experience than he had thought far beyond what IBM will show at the fair the visitor will gain a sense of the world as a whole its progress its aspirations truly world peace through understanding which the unisphere symbolizes is the great aspiration of our times