Not a terribly lot to say about these statistics examinations, other than it is hard for the modern trained applied economist to imagine filling much more than a week of lectures on the material covered. So yes there has been been an enormous change in methodological sophistication. And not just fancy-pants stuff.
________________________
Statistics (Econ 4),
previous years
1901-02.
1902-03.
1903-04.
1904-05.
1905-06 [omitted]
1906-07. [offered but no printed exam found]
1907-08.
________________________
Course Enrollment
1908-09
Economics 4. Professor Ripley. — Statistics. Theory, method, and practice.
Total 24: 5 Graduates, 9 Seniors, 5 Juniors, 4 Freshmen, 1 Other.
Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1908-1909, p. 67.
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HARVARD UNIVERSITY
ECONOMICS 4
Mid-year Examination, 1908-09
- What is the nature of Hoffman’s statistical data on negro mortality? Does the census of 1900 throw any light upon it? Criticise the evidence.
- Criticise the statement, “the average age at death is discussed at greater length than it would seem proper to give to a practically discarded subject per vital statistics.”
- —
|
Conjugal condition. |
Color. |
|||
| White. |
Colored. |
|||
|
Males |
Females. | Males. |
Females. |
|
| Registration area: | ||||
| Single |
16.6 |
13.7 | 32.7 |
29.6 |
| Married |
16.4 |
13.1 | 23.8 |
20.3 |
| Widowed |
62.6 |
43.6 | 49.1 |
34.4 |
The above figures give death rates per thousand. What do they show and what do they not show?
- Discuss the inter-relation between birth, marriage, and death rates. Show how they affect one another.
- Comment upon the following figures showing the average number of children born in certain places: —
|
Native born mothers |
Foreign born mothers |
|
| Persons included |
19,478 |
26,544 |
| Average age of mothers |
42.23 |
42.98 |
| Child bearing period (years) |
5.41 |
8.39 |
| Years married |
17.64 |
19.08 |
| Average children born |
2.77 |
4.83 |
| Average children born by mothers of preceding generation |
6.47 |
7.75 |
- State the main statistical laws relating to the phenomena of marriage and divorce.
- Compare conditions in the United States respecting registration of births and deaths.
- What are the principal difficulties and defects in statistics of pauperism?
- Compare the arithmetical and geometrical methods of estimating populations as applied to the United States in 1800 and at the present time.
Source: Harvard University Archives. Harvard University. Mid-year Examinations, 1852-1943. Box 8, Bound Volume: Examination Papers, Mid-Years 1908-09.
_______________________
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
ECONOMICS 4
Year-end Examination, 1908-09
- Explain and illustrate the following proposition concerning the tendency toward concentration of wealth: “by imagining a group of persons having incomes represented by 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc., in the first epoch, and by 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, etc., in the second epoch. Of course, as the income of each individual has doubled, the distribution of wealth is the same in both epochs. Yet if we arrange these ten individuals in fixed classes, and reason about the ‘concentration of wealth’ from the rate of increase in the higher and lower classes, we should probably conclude that some great change had taken place.” Can you suggest any better way to show the real facts than by the use of such “fixed classes”?
- What is available officially as to statistics of strikes and lockouts? Point out the limitations upon the value.
- Indicate the special field of statistics of as many as possible of the following authorities, viz.: Engel, Dewey, Rowley, Quetelet, Jevons, North, Wright, Hoffman, Willcox, Newsholme.
- What is the principal source of weakness in all statistics of the U. S. Department of Agriculture as to crop conditions? How have they met it?
- In what manner are statistics of profits in manufactures commonly computed? Point out sources of error in the process.
- What is the principal argument in favor of weighted averages in price statistics? How may this be best controverted?
- Set forth the main criticisms against the Aldrich Committee Report on Wages.
- What does a logarithmic curve show, which may not be properly shown otherwise?
- Define the following terms used in statistics, viz.: “improvement trade,” “quet,” decile, mode, fecundity.
Source: Harvard University Archives. Harvard University, Examination Papers, 1873-1915. Box 8, Bound vol. Examination Papers 1908-09; Papers Set for Final Examinations in History, Government, Economics,…,Music in Harvard College (June, 1909), pp. 34-35.
Image Source: Harvard University Archives. William Zebina Ripley [photographic portrait, ca. 1910], J. E. Purdy & Co., J. E. P. & C. (1910). Colorized by Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.