Records of individual Harvard economics graduate students are strewn across the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Division of History, Government, and Economics (formerly Division of History and Political Science), and the Department of Economics at Harvard as well as in the archival papers of their professors or themselves. Seek and sometimes ye shall find.
In this post Economics in the Rear-view Mirror presents transcriptions of the items found in the file for Jacob Viner in the papers of the Division of History, Government, and Economics. We see from the application form (then referred to as a “blank”) that the administrative unit responsible for monitoring the satisfaction of the Ph.D. requirements by degree candidates was the Division. Course records and transcripts were issued by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
An interesting anecdote found in the correspondence included below is that Viner committed the indiscretion of announcing in print the completion of his Ph.D. before he had been properly awarded the degree by Harvard. One wonders if his examination committee let him know that they knew and were, like the Dean of the Division, not amused by his presumption.
_______________________
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.
Jacob Viner, Montreal, Canada, May 3rd, 1892.
II. Academic Career: (Mention, with dates inclusive, colleges or other higher institutions of learning attended; and teaching positions held.)
McGill University, Faculty of Arts. Sept. 1911 to May 1914.
III. Degrees already attained. (Mention institutions and dates.)
B.A. McGill University, May 1914.
A.M. Harvard, June 1915.
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.)
History. (1) General Course, (2) History of England, (3) Recent Developments
Government. (1) General Course, (2) Govt of Canada, (3) Social Reform.
Latin. Two college years. — Horace, Tibullus, Caesar, Livy, Cicero.
French. Two college years advanced work.
Philosophy. (1) Logic, (2) History of Ethics, (3) Theory of Ethics.
Economics. (1) Economic History of England, (Canadian Industrial Problems. (3) Money & Banking, and courses listed [below].
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.
Elementary & Advanced Courses at McGill.
11, Ec. 12a (1914-15), Ec. 17, Ec. 7a, Ec 14, at Harvard. - International Trade.
33 (full course.) Harvard. - Public Finance.
Course at McGill.
31, Harvard. - Course at McGill.
Ec. 8, Ec. 18, Harvard. - Economic History since 1770.
2a, Ec. 2b, Harvard. - Theory of Value. (Philosophy.).
Phil 25a
- Economic Theory.
VII. Special Subject for the special examination.
International Trade
VIII. Thesis Subject. (State the subject and mention the instructor who knows most about your work upon it.)
International Balance of Payments
Prof. Taussig
IX. (Indicate any preferences as to the time of the general and special examinations.)
Spring, 1916 (General).
X. Remarks
[Left blank]
Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.
[signed] F. W. Taussig
* * * [Last page of application] * * *
[Not to be filled out by the applicant]
Name: Jacob Viner
Approved: Jan 21, 1916
Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock 7 April 1916 D.H.
Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock 7 April 1916 D.H.
Date of general examination May 19, 1916 Passed
Thesis received February, 1921
Read by Professors Taussig, Persons, and Young
Approved October 29, 1921
Date of special examination Friday, March 18, 1921
Recommended for the Doctorate January, 1922
Degree conferred February, 1922
Remarks. [Left blank]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Record of JACOB VINER in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University
1914-15
| Economics 11. [Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig] |
A |
| Economics 121 [Scope and Methods of Economic Investigation, Prof. Carver] |
A- |
| Economics 17 [Economic Theory: Value and Related Problems, Asst. Prof. Anderson] |
A |
| Economics 33 (full co. [full course]) [International Trade, with special reference to Tariff Problems in the United States, Prof. Taussig] |
A |
| Economics 34 [Problems of Labor, Prof. Ripley] |
B- |
| German A [Elementary Course] |
B+ |
| University Scholar | |
| A.M. at Commencement. | |
1915-16
| Economics 2a1 [European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century, Prof. Gay] |
A- |
| Economics 2b2 [Economic and Financial History of the United States, Prof. Gay] |
abs. |
| Economics 7a1 [Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig] [Note: this course not included in GSAS record for Viner] |
abs. |
| Economics 81 [Principles of Sociology, Prof. Carver] |
A |
| Economics 14 [History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848, Prof. Bullock] |
(A)…mid-year grade, excused from final |
| Economics 18a2 [Analytical Sociology, Asst. Prof. Anderson]] |
credit for residence |
| Economics 31 [Public Finance, Prof. Bullock] |
(A-)…mid-year grade, excused from final |
| Philosophy 182 [Present Philosophical Tendencies. Materialism, Pragmatism, Idealism, and Realism. Prof. R. B. Perry] |
abs. |
| Philosophy 25a1 [Theory of Value, Prof. R. B. Perry] |
A- |
| Henry Lee Memorial Fellow. | |
Note: Original record found in Harvard University Archives. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Record Cards of Students, 1895-1930, Sun—Walls (UAV 161.2722.5). File I, Box 14, Record Card of Jacob Viner.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
E. F. Gay
W. M. Cole
O. M. W. Sprague
E. E. Day
B. M. Anderson, Jr.
H. L. Gray
Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 7, 1916.
This is to certify that I have examined Mr. J. Viner, and find that he has a good reading knowledge of French and German.
[signed] Charles J. Bullock
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
7 April 1916
Dear Perry:
Could you serve as one of the committee for the General Examination of Jacob Viner on Friday, May 19, at 4 p.m.?
Sincerely yours,
[copy unsigned]
Professor R. B. Perry.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cambridge April 8-‘16
I shall be glad to help out with Viner’s General Exam on May 19.
[signed] R B Perry
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
E. F. Gay
W. M. Cole
O. M. W. Sprague
E. E. Day
B. M. Anderson, Jr.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 20, 1916.
Dear Haskins:
I beg to certify that Jacob Viner passed satisfactorily his general examination for the degree of Ph. D. in Economics. I enclose his application for your files.
Very truly yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig
Dean C. H. Haskins.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
7 February 1921
Dear Mr. Viner,
Your letter of 22 January gives this office its first information that you plan to be a candidate for the Doctor’s degree this year. Will you kindly fill out and return at once the enclosed blank, which was due 15 January?
If you plan to have your Special Examination arranged in the middle of March, you will have to give a wider margin for an examination of your thesis than you indicate in your letter.
At least a month will be necessary between the receipt of the thesis and the time provisionally set for the examination. In arranging the examinations of non-resident students we try to consider their convenience; but there must be due notice in advance, and due opportunity for reading the thesis in its final form with deliberation.
You raise the question of the subject on which you are to be examined. Does that mean that you desire to change the special field, which on your plan is indicated an International Trade?
If your thesis does not reach us until the first of March, we could doubtless arrange to examine you some Saturday after 1 April; or possibly early in June, at the conclusion of your instruction for the spring quarter.
Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Mr. Jacob Viner.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
17 February 1921
My dear Professor Persons:
Dean Haskins would be glad if you would serve on the committee to read the thesis of Mr. Jacob Viner, entitled “The Canadian Balance of International Indebtedness, 1900-13.” The thesis will reach you within a few days.
Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor W. M. Persons.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
17 February 1921
My dear Professor Young:
Dean Haskins would be glad if you would serve on the committee to read the thesis of Mr. Jacob Viner, entitled “The Canadian Balance of International Indebtedness, 1900-13.” The thesis will reach you within a few days.
Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor A. A. Young
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
17 February 1921
My dear Professor Taussig:
Dean Haskins will be very glad if you will read Mr. Jacob Viner’s Ph.D. thesis, which is now in your hands, and he has included Professor Persons among the members of the Committee, as you suggested. Professor Day would appreciate it, however, if he could be relieved from serving on the Committee on account of pressure of work, and Mr. Haskins has appointed Professor Young to read the thesis in his place, provided that the change meets with your approval. I enclose an acceptance slip to be included with the thesis.
Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor F. W. Taussig
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
J. S. Davis
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
E. E. Lincoln
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole
Cambridge, Massachusetts
February 20, 1921.
Dear Haskins:
Viner is sending me his thesis by instalments.
A previous instalment of considerable size, sent in some time ago, has already been read by Bullock and Day, as well as by myself. Probably we should avoid some waste of energy if these two were put on the thesis committee with myself. Needless to say, this suggestion is to be considered in the light of your apportionment of the general work of thesis reading.
Yesterday over the telephone I suggested on the spur of the moment that Persons might be on the committee. He is thoroly [sic] conversant with the subject, and would be a good member; certainly if Bullock should find it inconvenient to serve.
Sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig
Dean C. H. Haskins
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
10 March 1921
My dear Dr. Dewing:
Dean Haskins is arranging the Special Examination of Mr. Jacob Viner for the Ph.D. in Economics for March 18 (Friday) at 4 P.M. Mr. Viner’s field is International Trade.
Would you be able to serve on his Examining Committee? The other members consist of Professors Taussig, (chairman), Young, and Persons.
Since the time before the examination is very short, are to the fact that Mr. Viner’s thesis was in the hands of the Committee until very recently, and had not been approved, we should be glad If you would either return the enclosed card with your signature, or let us know by telephone whether you can serve.
I shall notify you later of the place.
Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor A. S. Dewing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I can serve on the Committee for the Special Examination of Mr. Viner on Friday, March 18, at 4 P. M.
[Signed] Arthur S. Dewing
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
11 March 1921
My dear Professor Taussig:
I am sending formal notice to the members of Mr. Viner’s examination committee that the examination will be held on Friday, 18 March, as you suggested. Professor Dewing will serve as the fourth member of the committee, the other three being the members of the thesis committee — yourself, Professor Young, and Professor Persons. I am assuming that the hour will be 4 P.M. as usual.
Very truly yours,
[unsigned]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor F. W. Taussig.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
11 March 1921
My dear Professor Persons:
I am writing you in order to confirm the arrangements for Mr. Viner’s Special Examination, about which I believe Professor Taussig has already spoken to you. Dean Haskins has set the date as Friday, March 18, and the time will be 4 P. M. Mr. Viner’s special field is International Trade. The Committee consists of Professors Taussig (chairman), Young, Persons, and yourself.
Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor W. M, Persons.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
11 March 1921
My dear Professor Young:
I am writing you in order to confirm the arrangements for Mr, Viner’s Special Examination, of which I believe Professor Taussig has already told you. Dean Haskins has set the date as March 18 (Friday), and the time will be 4 P. M. His special field is International Trade.
The Committee consists of Professors Taussig (chairman), Young, Persons, and Dewing.
Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.
Professor A. A. Young.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
15 March 1921
Dear Taussig:
I am enclosing Jacob Viner’s papers for your use at his examination on Friday, 18 March. Viner seems to be very optimistic about his success in his examination, as I notice in the last circular of the University of Chicago he was already listed as a Ph.D. I trust that his attention may be called to the impropriety of his using the degree not only until he has passed the examination but until it is actually conferred.
Sincerely yours,
[unsigned copy]
Professor F. W. Taussig
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
J. S. Davis
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
E. E. Lincoln
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole
Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 22, 1921.
Dear Haskins:
I find there is no chance of Viner’s fixing up the thesis before April 1. His commitments for the coming week are many, and moreover his time will be absorbed by teaching upon his return. He will not present himself as a candidate again this year. What may be the status of the examination which he took, and on which the report would be favorable, remains to be seen. I take it this question need not be considered until it is presented.
Very sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig
Dean C. H. Haskins
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
J. H. Williams
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole
R. S. Tucker
R. S. Meriam
Cambridge, Massachusetts
October 29, 1921.
Dear Haskins:
Viner’s thesis has been approved, and the only question that remains is about the acceptance of his Special Examination last June. Young will present the matter for the consideration of the Administrative Board at its next meeting. Will you kindly see that it is on the docket for the meeting?
Sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig
Dean C. H. Haskins
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics. Ph.D. Examinations 1921-22 to 1922-23. Box 4. Folder “Jacob Viner”.
Image Source: University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-08489, Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library