The graduate school records of Arthur Eli Monroe (A.B., 1908; A.M., 1914; Ph.D., 1918) are reasonably complete, allowing us to follow the course of his graduate studies and learn some details regarding his satisfaction of the Ph.D. requirements at Harvard. He did stay at his alma mater for his entire career, with his academic high-water mark attained at the rank of assistant professor of economics from 1922-28. He was able to occupy an instructional niche as lecturer-tutor, which is pretty good considering he entered graduate school in economics after doing what he could to avoid the subject during his college years.
Tutor, 1915-1923
Instructor in Economics, 1916-22
Assistant Professor of Economics, 1922-28
Lecturer on and tutor (Kirkland House) in economics beginning in 1928 through his retirement sometime in the 1950’s.
For historians of economics Monroe’s 1924 edited volume Early Economic Thought: Selections from Economic Literature Prior to Adam Smith is a useful collection of bite-sized chunks of original texts, though current students of economics might possibly choke on Monroe’s servings.
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From Reports of the Harvard College Class of 1908
ARTHUR ELI MONROE
[1914]
After spending half a year in looking for a job, and four years and a half in working at it, I withdrew from the teaching profession, which had occupied me continuously, and strenuously at Kent School, Kent, Conn., to enter the Harvard Graduate School. Since leaving college, I had become interested in Economics. This has been the subject of my work this year, and I hope to continue it at Harvard next year. Member: Phi Beta Kappa.
Source: Harvard College, Class of 1908. Secretary’s Second Report, Sexennial Celebration, June 1914, p. 233.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ARTHUR ELI MONROE
[1918]
Born: West Brookfield, Mass., Aug. 2, 1885.
Parents: Eli Monroe, Louise Octavia Arsino.
School: High School, Brookfield, Mass.
Degrees: A.B., 1908; A.M., 1914; Ph.D., 1918.
Occupation: Teacher.
Address: 56 Thayer Hall, Cambridge, Mass.
After graduation I taught Latin and German in a boys boarding school (Kent School, Kent, Conn.), until June, 1913, when I returned to Harvard for graduate work in economics, a subject I had carefully avoided in college. The next year I was appointed assistant in economics in Harvard College, to which was later added a tutorship. In January, 1916, I went to Williams College, to substitute for Professor McLaren, remaining until the end of the college year. I have been at Harvard since then, as instructor and tutor.
Source: Harvard College, Class of 1908. Secretary’s Third Report, Decennial Report, April 1920, p. 334.
_______________________
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS
Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.
[Note: Boldface used to indicate printed text of the application; italics used to indicate the handwritten entries]
I. Full Name, with date and place of birth.
Arthur Eli Monroe. West Brookfield, Mass. Aug. 2, 1885.
II. Academic Career: (Mention, with dates inclusive, colleges or other higher institutions of learning attended; and teaching positions held.)
Harvard College, Sept. 1904 – June 1908
Harvard Graduate School. Arts & Sciences, Sept. 1913 –
Teacher, Latin and German, Kent School. 1909 – 1913
III. Degrees already attained. (Mention institutions and dates.)
A.B. [magna cum laude] (Harvard) 1908
A.M. (Harvard) 1914
IV. General Preparation. (Indicate briefly the range and character of your undergraduate studies in History, Economics, Government, and in such other fields as Ancient and Modern Languages, Philosophy, etc.)
French 2c, 6, 9
German A, 1a, 4, 6, H, 32b, 9
Latin B, 1, E
Greek B, E
V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)
Economics
VI. Choice of Subjects for the General Examination. (State briefly the nature of your preparation in each subject, as by Harvard courses, courses taken elsewhere, private reading, teaching the subject, etc., etc.)
- Economic Theory & Its History.
Economics 11, 7, 14, Reading
Assistant in Economics A - Economic History since 1750.
Economics 2a, 2b, Reading - Public Finance.
Economics 31 - Statistical Method & its Application.
Economics 13 - History of Political Theory.
Private Reading - Special field to be a suitable portion of the field of the History of Economic Thought
VII. Special Subject for the special examination.
Some topic in the History of American Economic Thought
VIII. Thesis Subject. (State the subject and mention the instructor who knows most about your work upon it.)
Professor Bullock
IX. Examinations. (Indicate any preferences as to the time of the general and special examinations.)
General Examination, Autumn, 1915
X. Remarks
[Left blank]
Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.
[signed] Charles J. Bullock
* * * [Last page of application] * * *
[Not to be filled out by the applicant]
Name: A. E. Monroe
Approved: May 28, 1915
Ability to use French certified by F. W. Taussig
Ability to use German certified by F. W. Taussig
Date of general examination 13 October 1915. Passed [per W.C.W.]
Thesis received [Left blank]
Read by [Left blank]
Approved [Left blank]
Date of special examination 20 May 1918. Passed
Recommended for the Doctorate[left blank]
Degree conferred [left blank]
Remarks. [left blank]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Record of ARTHUR ELI MONROE in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University
1913-14
| Economics 2a1 [half course] [European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century, Prof. Gay] |
B |
| Economics 2b2 [half course] [Economic and Financial History of the United States, Prof. Gay] |
B minus |
| Economics 7 [Theories of Distribution and Distributive Justice, Asst. Prof. Anderson] |
A |
| Economics 11 [Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig] |
A |
| Economics 31 [Public Finance, Prof. Bullock] |
A |
1914-15
| Economics 13 [Statistics: Theory, Method, and Practice, Asst. Prof. Day] |
A |
| Economics 14 [History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848, Prof. Bullock] |
A |
1915-16
| Economics 20e (2 co. [courses?]) [Economic Research (American Taxation and Finance; History of Economic Thought, Prof. Bullock] |
AA |
1916-17
| Economics 20e (2 co.) [courses?]) [Economic Research (American Taxation and Finance; History of Economic Thought, Prof. Bullock] |
AA |
1917-18
| Economics 20 [Economic Research (for Ph.D. candidates)] |
A |
Note: A transcript can also be found in Harvard University Archives, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Record Cards of Students, 1895-1930, Marks—Neville (UAV 161.2722.5). File I, Box 10, Record Card of Arthur Eli Monroe.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Certification of reading knowledge of French and German
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics
|
F. W. Taussig |
Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Dear Haskins:
I hereby certify that A. E. Monroe has reading knowledge of French and German such as is required for the Ph.D. degree.
Sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig
Dean C. H. Haskins
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Approval of Ph.D. Plan of Study
[Carbon copy]
4 June 1915
Dear Mr. Monroe:
At a meeting on May 28 the Division of History, Government, and Economics voted to approve your plan of study for your degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Very truly yours,
[unsigned]
Mr. A. E. Monroe
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Committee named for the General Exam
[Carbon copy]
[Note: identical copies were sent to Professors Gay, Taussig, Day, Holcombe]
4 October 1915.
Dear Professor Bullock:
Will you kindly serve as one of the committee for the General Examination in Economics of Arthur E. Munroe, Wednesday, October 13, at 4 P. M.? The committee consists of Professors Bullock (Chairman), Taussig, Gay, Day, and Holcombe.
Mr. Muroe’s subjects are: Economic Theory and Its History, Economic History since 1750, Public Finance, Statistical Method and its Application, History of Political Theory, and a special field to be a suitable portion of the field of the History of Economic Thought.
Mr. Munroe has decided upon Public Finance and Statistics. Will you kindly see that the papers are set and the written examination held a reasonable time in advance of the oral?
Very sincerely yours,
[unsigned]
Professor C. J. Bullock.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Time and Place of General Exam
[Carbon copy]
9 October 1915
My dear Mr. Monroe:
Your examination, Wednesday, October 13, will be held in Widener U at 4 P.M.
Yours very truly,
[initials of Dean Haskins added]
C. H. H.
Mr. A. E. Monroe
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Passed General Exam
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics
|
F. W. Taussig |
Cambridge, Massachusetts |
My dear Haskins:
Mr. A. E. Monroe passed his general examination for the doctor’s degree in Economics on October 18th. He passed creditably in all subjects except History of Political Theory, in which his examination was not satisfactory; but the instructor thought should not stand in his way if the other subjects were good.
His written examinations in Public Finance and Statistics were of A quality, and his oral examination in the other economic subjects was thoroly satisfactory.
Sincerely yours,
[signed] Charles J. Bullock
Dean C. H. Haskins.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Special Exam Field
[carbon copy]
25 January 1917
Dear Mr. Monroe:
At its meeting last Tuesday the Division of History, Government, and Economics voted to approve, as your special field, the History of Economic Thought to 1776, with special reference to the period subsequent to 1500.
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned copy]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Passed Special Exam
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics
|
F. W. Taussig |
Cambridge, Massachusetts |
My dear Haskins:
I wish to report that yesterday Mr. A. E. Monroe passed his special examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Mr. Monroe passed an unusually good examination which was from every point of view thoroly satisfactory.
Sincerely yours,
[signed] Charles J. Bullock
Dean C. H. Haskins
Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government, and Economics. Ph.D. exams and records of candidates, study plans, lists, etc. pre-1911-1942. Box 3. Folder “Ph.D. Applications.”
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Ph.D. Dissertation
Arthur Eli Monroe’s 1918 Ph.D. thesis “The Theory of Money before 1776” was revised and published as Monetary theory before Adam Smith as number 25 of the Harvard Economic Studies (1923).
Image Source: At least as early as 1923, this portrait of Arthur Eli Monroe is found in the Harvard Class Albums. This portrait clipped from the 1925 Class Album and colorized by Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.