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Travis
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4th Avenue Theater Opening Day Souvenir Program 1947
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NATALIE TRAVIS
I studied the 4th Avenue Theater Opening Day Souvenir Program. On May 31, 1947, these programs were passed out to patrons at the grand opening of the Fourth Avenue Theater, a magnificent Art Deco “movie palace” in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. Its pages include a mention of the evening’s movie “Jolson Story”, a list of sponsors, and a drawing of the theater done by its architect. The program is fully colored with an overall theme of gold, and also includes things like illustrations of mountains, animals, and the murals within the theater, depicting things like Alaska’s pioneering industries. The end result is an example of Late Modern Era media as grand and opulent as the theater itself.
Most notable for this study is the program’s dedication from the builder of the theater, Captain Austin E. Lathrop (One of Alaska’s earliest multimillionaires). In the dedication Lathrop says, “We have deeply appreciated the patience you have shown during the war years when we were forced to stop construction.” Construction started in 1941, but the work had to be halted during World War II because of scarce materials and labor (Anchorage Daily Times 1947).
Linguistically, what is most interesting about Lathrop’s dedication is his use of pronouns to relate and connect to the people of Anchorage and the context of the time. The program is important to the history of English in Alaska because it demonstrates the power of language to unite in a territory land. By using pronouns, Lathrop created a deep sense of solidarity with the word “we” and direct address to the people of Anchorage with the word “you”. This would have been particularly effective considering in 1947 Anchorage was a small community on the heels of World War II, hopping for a better future. I believe the theater was a symbol of that hope.
The Anchorage Daily Times sums it up nicely saying, “The greatest significance is one that will touch the daily lives and thinking of all persons who call Alaska home. The Fourth Avenue Theater is more than an expensive and elaborate building; it is more than a place to see motion pictures. The theater is a landmark in the transition of Anchorage from a frontier community to a city of permanence. It is a land mark in the development of a city in which families, live, work, play and die” (1947). “Captain Lathrop by investing his money in the Fourth Avenue Theater, has shown his conviction that Anchorage has a brilliant future” (Anchorage Daily Times 1947).