York prices not that cheap 70 years ago
A small article in the March 20, 1948 Gazette and Daily reported that “Printing Industry Editor at the Gazette and Daily for Unique Method Story.” Dr. Russel R. Voorhees, described as a field editor and commercial writer, was in York gathering “material for a picture series and story on a method for assembling display advertising devised by shop foreman [of the Gazette and Daily] Alton L. Parks.” Dr. Voorhees, described as a prolific writer in business and technical fields, had never seen Parks’ method used elsewhere and thought it “unique.”
I don’t know the technicalities of Parks’ display advertising method, but it did make me go back and look at some of the Gazette ads run the same week. The ads did have a nice look, but they also aroused my curiosity about how the seemingly low prices for women’s apparel and a gas range would compare to today.
I used two different online calculators, and the results were similar. I know that inflation hasn’t affected all things equally, but still, the seemingly cheap prices in the ads aren’t nearly low as they look when adjusted.
The Roper Gas Range offered by D.R. West for $189.50, including installation, would equate to around $1,920 today. I did some online pricing and found that’s not out of line for a good quality gas stove, installed.
Prices at Thompson’s, a moderate price women’s clothing store, also were not that cheap. The $3 blouses would be about $30 in today’s dollars and the $2 hats $20. The $15 spring coat would run around $150, not cheap at all. And these are advertised as sale prices. Maybe that is why our closets didn’t seem to be a full as they are now.
(Newspaper microfilm courtesy York County Heritage Trust.)
