While this post still needs the course transcript from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard to be complete, there is enough information about the 1926 Harvard economics Ph.D. Seymour Edwin Harris for it to be added to our series “Meet an economics Ph.D. alumnus/alumna”.
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Biographical/Historical Note
Seymour Edwin Harris was born September 8, 1897 in New York City. He received an A.B. in 1920 and a Ph.D. in 1926 from Harvard University. From 1922 to 1964, Dr. Harris taught economics at Harvard University, where he received a full professorship in 1954, and served as the chairman of the department of economics from 1955 to 1959. During World War II, Dr. Harris was involved in several wartime planning projects. From 1954 to 1956, Dr. Harris became chief economic advisor to Adlai Stevenson. He then served Senator John F. Kennedy in the same capacity and was chosen as a member of President Kennedy’s task force on the economy. In 1961, Dr. Harris was named as chief economic consultant to Douglas Dillon, Secretary of the Treasury. During the Kennedy administration. Dr. Harris, a proponent of Keynesian economics, was a member of Walter W. Heller’s New Frontiersmen, which persuaded President Kennedy that the stimulation of the economy was more important than a balanced budget and tax cuts and government spending could counter threats of a recession. In 1963, Dr. Harris became the chairman of the department of economics at the University of California at La Jolla. At the same time, he served as a chief economic advisor to the Johnson administration.
Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Archives. Guide to the Seymour E. Harris Personal Papers.
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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.
Seymour Edwin Harris. Sept. 8, 1897; Brooklyn, N.Y.
II. Academic Career: (Mention, with dates inclusive, colleges or other higher institutions of learning attended; and teaching positions held.)
C.C.N.Y. – 1916-18. Harvard A.B. 1918-20.
Princeton – Instructor of Economics 1920-2.
Harvard – Tutor 1922-4.
III. Degrees already attained. (Mention institutions and dates.)
A.B. Harvard. 1920.
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. In case you are a candidate for the degree in History, state the number of years you have studied preparatory and college Latin.)
Economics A, 3, 5, 11, 33
History 1, 12, 32b
Government 1, 17B.
Latin – 2 years at college. Greek – 1 year. French – 2 years (college). German – 1 year.
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 & History.
Economics A, 11 – as undergraduate – 14, 15 - Money and Banking.
Economics 38
Two half courses at Princeton Grad. School. (Currency Reform & Monetary Histor of the U.S.) - Statistics.
Economics 41 - Public Finance
Economics 31 - American History.
History 32b (as Undergraduate)
& Private reading - [Left blank]
VII. Special Subject for the special examination.
Money and Banking with International Trade as a substitute field [committee: Professors Young (chairman), Taussig, Gay, and Monroe]
VIII. Thesis Subject. (State the subject and mention the instructor who knows most about your work upon it.)
Subject? [The Assignat]
Professor Young.
IX. Examinations. (Indicate any preferences as to the time of the general and special examinations.)
May 15, 1924
[March (early), 1926]
X. Remarks
I have not decided on any subject. At present, I expect to write in Theory, and I hope under Professor Young.
Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.
Allyn A. Young
* * * [Last page of application] * * *
[Not to be filled out by the applicant]
Name: S. E. Harris
Approved: April 2, 1924
Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock, 10 May 1923.
Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock, 10 May 1923.
Date of general examination April 29, 1924. Passed A.A.Y.
Thesis received March 5, 1926
Read by [left blank]
Approved [left blank]
Date of special examination [left blank]
Recommended for the Doctorate [left blank]
Degree conferred [left blank]
Remarks. [left blank]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Certification of reading knowledge
of French and German for Ph.D.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 10, 1923
This is to certify that I have examined Mr. S.E. Harris and have found that he has such a knowledge of French and German as we require of candidates for the Ph.D. degree.
Very truly yours
[signed]
C. J. Bullock [K]
Dean D. H. Haskins
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Passed General Examination
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 30, 1924
Dear Dean Haskins:
As Chairman of the Committee to conduct the general examination of S. E. Harris for the degree of Ph.D., I beg to report that Mr. Harris passed the examination. It was the opinion of the Committee that Mr. Harris’ showing was distinctly good, “better than the average”.
Yours sincerely,
[signed]
Allyn A. Young
Dean C. H. Haskins
[Note: The exam was held Tuesday, 29 April at 4 p.m. in Widener D. Committee: Professors Young, Crum, Bullock, Williams and Dr. Merk with Professor Persons substituting for Professor Crum at the examination.]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Passed Special Examination
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 12, 1926
To the Division of History, Government and Economics:
As chairman of the committee appointed to conduct the special examination of Mr. S. E. Harris for the degree of Ph.D. in Economics I beg to report that Mr. Harris passed a very creditable examination.
[signed]
Allyn A. Young
Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics, Ph.D. Degrees Conferred 1929-30. (UA V 453.270), Box 6.
Image Source: This particular portrait of Seymour E. Harris has been cropped from the 1934 Harvard Album. The identical portrait can be found already in the 1925 Harvard Album.