Harvard. Economics PhD alumnus, Douglass Vincent Brown, 1932

The lifespan of the sub-field of labor economics, industrial relations (collective bargaining and arbitration), very neatly coincided with the career of Douglass Vincent Brown (1904-1986). He was educated at Harvard College (A.B., 1925) and trained in the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (A.M., 1926; Ph.D., 1932). After a few years of teaching at the Harvard Medical School, Brown was hired by M.I.T. in 1938 as an assistant professor of industrial relations and there rose through the ranks to become its first Sloan Professor of Management in 1946. He became professor emeritus in 1969.

What makes this post relatively unique is that it provides a complete picture of Brown’s educational progress from his college preparation through Harvard undergraduate years and graduate school as seen in his transcripts. Names of courses and professors have been added. A timeline of Douglass Vincent Brown’s life has also been appended to the post.

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On Industrial Relations

Issues in Labor Policy. Essays in Honor of Douglass Vincent Brown. Edited by Stanley M. Jacks, M.I.T. Press, 1971. Publications and papers listed pp. xii-xiii.

Chapter 7. John G. Turnbull, “Reflections on a Generation of Work in the Field of Labor Economics”, pp. 165-177.

Chapter 1. Douglas Vincent Brown and Charles Myers, “Historical Evolution”,  in Public Policy and Collective Bargaining, ed. by Joseph Shister, Benjamin Aaron, and Clyde W. Summers,  Industrial Relations Research Association, Publication No. 27, 1962, pp. 1-27.

Fun fact: Douglas Vincent Brown was George Shultz’s thesis advisor.

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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.

Douglass Vincent Brown, Wilkes-Barre, Penn. May 16, 1904.

II. Academic Career: (Mention, with dates inclusive, colleges or other higher institutions of learning attended; and teaching positions held.)

Harvard University, 1921-27

III. Degrees already attained. (Mention institutions and dates.)

A.B., Harvard 1925
A.M., Harvard 1926

IV. General Preparation. (Indicate briefly the range and character of your under-graduate 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, Economics B, Economics C, Ec. 6a, Economics 2a, Economics 3, Economics 5, Economics 6b, Economics 8.
History 1,  History 32b, Gov’t 1.
English A, English 31, English 41.
Social Ethics 4, German A, Philosophy 1a, Anthropology 1.

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.)

1. Economic Theory & Its History. Ec. 11, Ec. 14, Ec. 15. Private Reading.
2. Statistics. Ecc. 1a, Ec. 41. Private Reading.
3. Sociology. Ec. 8, Ec. 12a. Private Reading.
4. Money and Banking. Ec. 3, Ec. 38. Private Reading.
5. American History, since 1789. History 32b, History 55. Private Reading.
   
6. (Labor Problems.) Ec. 6a, Ec. 6b, Ec. 34

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

Labor Problems

VIII. Thesis Subject. (State the subject and mention the instructor who knows most about your work upon it.)

Restriction of Output. Family Allowances. Professors Taussig and Ripley.

IX. Examinations. (Indicate any preferences as to the time of the general and special examinations.)

Early in the second half-year, 1926-7. [Added later:] Wednesday, March 2, 1927. Thurs. April. 28/32.

X. Remarks

[Added later:]

Professors
Taussig, chairman
Bullock
Ford (James)
Schlesinger
Persons.

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: Douglass Vincent Brown.

Approved: January 21, 1927.

Ability to use French certified by Professor A. E. Monroe. February 7, 1927.

Ability to use German certified by Professor A. E. Monroe. February 7, 1927.

Date of general examination March 2, 1927, Passed – F.W.T.

Thesis received April 1, 1932

Read by Professors Taussig and Ripley

Approved April 25, 1932

Date of special examination Thursday, April 28. Passed – F.W.T.

Recommended for the Doctorate June 9, 1932

Degree conferred June 23, 1932

Remarks.  [left blank]

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Certification of reading knowledge
of French and German for Ph.D.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Feb. 7, 1927

Mr. D. V. Brown has this day passed a satisfactory examination in the reading of French and German as required of candidates for the doctor’s degree.

[signed]
A. E. Monroe

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Passed General Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 4, 1927

To the Chairman of the
Division of History, Government, and Economics,

As chairman of the committee for the general examination in economics of Mr. Douglass V. Brown, I have to report that the committee unanimously voted to accept the examination as satisfactory. Mr. Brown’s showing was in every respect creditable.

Very truly yours,
[signed]
F. W. Taussig

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Passed Special Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 30, 1932

Dear Professor Carver,

As chairman of the committee appointed for the examination in the special field of Douglass V. Brown, candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, I have to report that Mr. Brown passed the examination to the entire satisfaction of the committee. His showing was excellent. The committee also agreed that his thesis was of high quality.

Very truly yours,
[signed]
F. W. Taussig

Professor T. N. Carver
772 Widener Library
Cambridge, Massachusetts

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Undergraduate Transcript
of Douglass V. Brown

HARVARD COLLEGE

Record of Douglas V. Brown
for the years 1921-25

(Date) February 28, 1927

ADMISSION RECORD
SUBJECT	Elementary		Advanced
	Grade	Units	Grade	Units
English. Part A, II	90 85	3
Greek
Latin (1.2.4)	90	3
German
French	80	2	74	1
History (anc.)	68	1
Algebra	100	2	92	½
Plane Geometry	93	1
Solid Geometry Plane Trig.			72 98	½ ½
Physics	A 97	1
Chemistry
Geography	70	½
Admission Conditions:— [left blank]

YEAR 1921-22
Freshman	Grade
Subject	Course	Half-course
English A	B
Chemistry A	B
German A	B
History 1	B
Mathematics C	A
YEAR 1922-23
Sophomore	Grade
Subject	Course	Half-course
Anthropology 1	B
Economics A	B
English 31	B
Government 1	B
Mathematics 2	A
YEAR 1923-24
Junior		Grade
Subject	Course	Half-course
Economics 3	B
Economics 8	A
Economics 6a1		B
Economics 6b2		A
English 41	A
Philosophy 1a2		A
Social Ethics 4a1		A
YEAR 1924-25
Senior		Grade
Subject	Course	Half-course
Economics B1		A
Economics C hf		B
Economics 2a1		B
Economics 52		Exc(C)
Economics 12a1		A
History 32b2		Exc(B)

Concentration Subject:— Economics

Passed General Examinations in:— History, Government, and Economics

[…]

Received A.B. Degree:— magna cum laude at Commencement 1925

[…]

The standing of every student in each of his courses is expressed, on the completion of the course, by one of five grades, designated respectively by the letters A,B,C,D, and E; A and B are honor grades; C is passing; D passing but unsatisfactory; E failure. “Abs” indicates failure to obtain credit for the course, owing to absence from the final examination.

[…]

(   ) indicates the quality of the work in the course up to the time of the final examination, from which the student was excused.

Sixteen full courses, in addition to the prescribed English Composition, are required for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science. From four to six full courses (or their equivalent in half-courses) constitute a full year’s work. An average of nine hours each week (normally three hours of classroom work and six hours of preparation) for thirty-six weeks is the approved amount of work for the ordinary student in a single full course.

C. N. GREENOUGH, Dean
By [signed] G. G. Benedict

Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics, Ph.D. Degrees Conferred 1929-30. (UA V 453.270), Box 12.

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Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Record of Douglass Vincent Brown

First Registration: 25 September 1925

1925-26	Grades
First Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 1a		A
Economics 11	A
Economics 38	A
Economics 412		A
History 55	A minus

 

1926-27	Grades
Second Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 14	cr.
Economics 151		A
Economics 20 (F.W.T.)(2 co.)	AA
Economics 34 (1st half)		A

Henry Lee Memorial Fellowship

1927-28	Grades
Third Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20 (F.W.T.)	A

Inst. in Economics and Tutor in the Div. of H., G & E.
$1500

1928-29. Sheldon Fellow.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Record Cards of Students 1895-1930. (UA V 161.272.5), Box 2, Belding-Burton.

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Harvard Course Names and Instructors

1921-22

English A. Rhetoric and English Composition, Oral and Written. Professor Murray, general direction of Course A.

Chemistry A. Elementary Chemistry. Professor Lamb and others.

German A.Elementary Course. Professor Bierwirth and others.

History 1. European History from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Present Time. Professor Haskins and others.

Mathematics C. Analytic Geometry; Introduction to the Calculus. Section I: Associate Professor Bouton and Mr. LaPaz; Section II: Associate Professor Kellogg and Dr. Walsh.

1922-23

Economics A. Principles of Economics. Asst. Professor Burbank, and Messrs. Masson, Blackett, Fagg, Heath, and Chamberlin, with lectures on selected subjects by Professor Taussig.

Anthropology 1. General Anthropology. Professors Dixon and Tozzer, and Asst. Professor Hooton, assisted by Mr. Ghua.

English 31. English Composition. Professor Hurlbut.

Government 1. Constitutional Government. Professors Munro and Holcombe, assisted by Messrs. Wells, McClintock, McKaughan, and Pollock.

Mathematics 2. Differential and Integral Calculus; Analytic Geometry. Professors Huntington, Birkhoff, and Asst. Professor Graustein..

1923-24

Economics 3. Money, Banking, and Commercial Crises. Professor Young.

Economics 8. Principles of Sociology. Professor Carver.

Economics 6a¹. Trade-Unionism and Allied Problems. Professor Ripley.

Economics 6b². The Labor Movement in Europe. Dr. Meriam.

English 41. English Literature from the Elizabethan times to the present. Professor Bliss Perry, assisted by Mr. Bacon and Taeusch.

Philosophy 1a². Introduction to Philosophy. Asst. Professor Lewis.

Social Ethics 4a¹. Problems of Race and Immigration in America: Americanisation. Dr. Carpenter.

1924-25

Economics B¹. Economic Thought and Institutions. Asst. Professor A. E. Monroe.

Economics C hf. Theses for Distinction. Members of the Department.

Economics 2a¹. European Industry and Commerce since 1750. Professor Gay, assisted by Mr. Gilbert.

Economics 5². Public Finance. Associate Professor Bullock.

Economics 12a¹. Problems in Sociology and Social Reform. Professor Carver.

History 32b². American History: The Development of the Nation, 1840 to the Present Time. Professor Schlesinger (University of Iowa).

1925-26

Economics 1a. Statistics. Asst. Professor Crum.

Economics 11. Economic Theory. Professor Taussig.

Economics 38. Principles of Money and Banking. Professor Young.

Economics 41². Statistical Theory and Analysis. Asst. Professor Crum.

History 55. Social and Intellectual History of the United States. Professor Schlesinger.

1926-27

Economics 14. History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848. Professor Bullock.

Economics 15¹. Modern Schools of Economic Thought. Professor Young.

Economics 20. Two Research Seminars with Frank William Taussig.

Economics 34. (First half) Problems of Labor. Professor Ripley.

1927-28

Economics 20. Research Seminar with Frank William Taussig.

Source: Harvard University. Courses of Instruction of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, 1921-22 and Report of the President of Harvard College for 1922-23 through 1926-27.

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Douglass Vincent Brown
Timeline of his education and career

1904. Born May 16 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

1918-21. Wyoming Seminary college preparatory school, Kingston, Pennsylvania.

1925. A.B. magna cum laude, Harvard.

1926. A.M. in economics, Harvard.

1926-27. Henry Lee Memorial Fellow, Harvard.

1927-33. Instructor and tutor of economics, Harvard University.

1932. Ph.D. in economics, Harvard University. Thesis: “Family Allowances.”

1933-38. Assistant professor of medical economics, Harvard Medical School.

1938-40. Assistant professor of industrial relations, M.I.T.

1940-43. Associate professor of industrial relations, M.I.T.

1941. Member of presidential mission sent to Moscow under W. Averell Harriman to organise Lend-Lease deliveries.

1942-45. Consultant to Departments of Labor and War. Advisory posts for the Council of National Defence and Office of  Production Management.

1943-46. Professor of industrial relations, M.I.T.

1944-45. Public member of the New England Regional War Board.

1944. Named as Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

1946-. Named first Albert P. Sloan Professor of Management at M.I.T. Switched from “Economics and Social Science” to “Business and Engineering Administration.”

1947. Member of the Slichter Commission that issued a report leading to the 1948 “Slichter Law” which had the goal of reducing industrial disputes. It would have allowed the governor of Massachusetts to seize an industry if after 15 days there was ­“a menace to public health or safety” due to a strike.

1947. Charter member of National Academy of Arbitrators.

1948. Appointed by the governor of Massachusetts as a moderator to resolve a major trucking strike in New England. Application of the “Slichter Law” was avoided when the truckers agreed to continue moving food and fuel.

1959-60. Ford Foundation visiting professorship of industrial relations at the University of Chicago School of Business.

1969-. Professor emeritus, M.I.T.

1970. President of the Industrial Relations Research Association.

1986. Died March 21 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Obituary in The Boston Globe, 23 March 1986, p. 87.

Image Source: MIT Museum. Portrait photo of Douglass Vincent Brown from  1946.