Figure 1.--The two boys here are dressed in their best dress-up clothes (for a studio portrait apparently) in the common style of boys in the Middle West in the mid 1920s. Sam wears a white shirt with collar and striped tie, black above-the-knee knickers with black long stockings, and high lace-up shoes. His younger brother Bud wears button-on black velvet short pants with a light-colored blouse and black velvet floppy bow that seems to match the short pants. The photograph is reproduced at the Wal-Mart Center, a museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, which has long been the headquarters of the Wal-Mart coporation.

Sam Walton is one of the greatest retailers in American history. Walton is one of several merchandizers that concetualized some important management concepts. Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart. He began learning about retailing when he started working in his father's store. While most associated with Arkansas, he wa born in Kingfish, Oklahoma on March 29, 1918 and raised in Missouri. It was here he worked in his father's store while going to school. Unlike some children who have to work in their father's store, he actually enjoyed it. Sam went ob to the University of Missouri. He then began running Ben Franklin five-and-dime franchises in Arkansas (1940). He opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas (1962). Walton saw an unnder served market, small town America. Walton offered them name-brands at lower prices than oher smaller stores could match. Walton's management style which proved popular with employees was another aspect of his success.Soon Wal-Mart stores spread through rural America and the more it grew, the better deals it could demand from suppliers. The next step was to enter the surban markets of large cities. Here Walton proved as succesful as he did in small towns. We see a portait of Sam with his yonger brother James ("Bud"). The style for boys at the time was knickers.

Parents

Childhood

The Walton boys were born near Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Sam was born in 1918 and James ("Bud") in 1921. They lived at firstv on their parents' farm. But the Walton family moved in 1923 to Missouri where they moved around from one small town to another for several years. This portrit here was taken about 1924 when the boys were 3 and 6 years old rspectively. It was in Missouri that he worked in his father's store while going to school. Unlike some children who have to work in their father's store, he actually enjoyed it.

Childhood Clothing

The two boys here are dressed in their best dress-up clothes (for a studio portrait apparently) in the common style of boys in the Middle West in the mid 1920s. probably about 1924. Sam wears a white shirt with collar and striped tie, black above-the-knee knickers with black long stockings, and high button shoes--a little old fashioned for 1924. His younger brother Bud wears button-on black velvet short pants with a light-colored blouse and black velvet floppy bow that seems to match the short pants. He wears tan ribbed long stockings with supporters (you can see the garter clasp on one leg), and black high shoes with white or light-colored laces. Notice the long underwear under the ribbed stockings. Bud may be wearing a waist union suit with long legs that has pin tubes sewn onto it for attachment of the hose supporters. Alternatively, he would be wearing an underwaist with similar arrangements for the garters. He looks to be wearing brand new lace-up shoes, a little more up to date than Sam's shoes.

Education

Sam went on to the University of Missouri.

Career

Sam Walton is one of the greatest retailers in American history. Walton is one of several merchandizers that concetualized some important management concepts. Walton is the founder of Wal-MartS, the largest retail chain in America. He then began running Ben Franklin five-and-dime franchises in Arkansas (1940). He opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas (1962). Walton saw an unnder served market, small town America. Walton offered them name-brands at lower prices than oher smaller stores could match. Walton's management style which proved popular with employees was another aspect of his success.Soon Wal-Mart stores spread through rural America and the more it grew, the better deals it could demand from suppliers. The next step was to enter the surban markets of large cities. Here Walton proved as succesful as he did in small towns. We some a portait of Sam with his yonger brother James. The stle for boys at the time was knickers.

Final Years

Sam Walton became one of the richest men in the United States. He died in 1992. His brother Bud died in 1995. At the time of his death Sam Walton is said to have left over 100 billion to his wife.

Created: 10:31 PM 8/17/2004
Last updated: 10:31 PM 8/17/2004