After leaving the University of Chicago in 1922, Harold Glen Moulton (1883-1965) went on to head the Brookings Institution for 30 years. The following report comes from the University of Chicago Magazine that provided a biographical sketch along with the announcement of Moulton’s moving on to Washington, D.C.
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Prominent Alumni
Harold G. Moulton, ’07, Ph.D. ’15
This biographical sketch, as may be noted, is in the nature of a farewell. Although but recently elected full professor in political economy, Harold G. Moulton, ’07, Ph.D. ’15, will leave the University in September, to become the head of The Institute of Economics now being created by the Carnegie Corporation and to be established at Washington, D. C. We feel it most fitting, therefore, that, on the “eve of his departure,” we pass on to our readers some details about the life of H. G.
He was born at LeRoy, Michigan, November 7, 1883. After the usual home-town preliminaries, he attended Albion College, Michigan, for two years, distinguishing himself in debating and baseball, and then entered the University of Chicago. At Chicago he continued his debating activity with pronounced success, and, in his senior year, won his “C,” playing left field on the 1907 baseball team. He was a member of Washington House and of Delta Sigma Rho honorary fraternity. Harold Moulton stood out as one of the real leaders of his class and was always popular throughout his college career.
For several years after graduation he taught at University High School and at Evanston Academy, also coaching the high school baseball, football and track teams. He once boasted, “My football team went through an entire season and never once crossed anybody’s goal line.” However plus nevertheless, he always maintained keenest interest in athletics, and today is known as “Dope” Moulton, because nobody, outside of the Old Man, knows as much “dope” about Chicago athletics and athletes. In fact, but recently Tom Eck said, “He can tell the time to within one-fifth of a second simply by feeling his pulse.” He has dispensed interesting information to our alumni clubs on a number of occasions.
In 1911 Harold returned to the University, to complete his graduate work, and obtained his Ph.D. in economics in 1915. During this period he was the debating coach—a task in which he won notable victories for Chicago. On June 17, 1912, he married Frances C. Rawlins. The Moultons have two children, Jack, aged 9, and Barbara, aged 7.
He began teaching political economy at Chicago in 1911, as an instructor, and because of his brilliant lectures and writings rose rapidly in his profession. In 1912 he won the Hart, Schaffner & Marx economic essay prize with a volume on Waterways Versus Railways. He is joint-author of Readings in the Economies of War, author of Principles of Money and Banking, of The Financial Organization of Society, and, this year, co-author with John F. Bass of America and the Balance Sheet of Europe. He has also written numerous pamphlets on economic subjects and articles in scientific, business and literary magazines. He writes the Weekly Analysis of general business conditions for the Chicago Association of Commerce. Moulton represented the Chicago Association at the London Conference last year, is on finance committees of both the Chicago and the United States Chamber of Commerce, and has lectured at Columbia and other universities.
The new Institute of Economics, which he has been appointed to organize and direct, has two aims: (1) Seek the truth; (2) present it so that a layman can understand it. It is not a government bureau, but will cooperate with various departments of the government and with the United States Chamber of Commerce. Its library will accommodate 100,000 volumes, and students, while working there as assistants, will have an opportunity to write and publish pamphlets, monographs and special reports. The University and the alumni regret to see H. G. Moulton leave, but a great honor, a great opportunity has been extended to him, and he leaves with our heartiest best wishes for fullest success; indeed, with our complete confidence that it will require but a very brief time to prove that the right man has been selected.
Source: The University of Chicago Magazine, Vol. XIV, No. 8 (June, 1922), p. 297.
Image Source: The University of Chicago Magazine, Volume V, No. 4 (February 1913), p. 115