In this 1960 memo to the executive committee of Harvard’s economics department, the polyglot economic historian, Alexander Gerschenkron, provided his written blessing for, indeed he initiated, the abolishment of a foreign language requirement for the graduate study of economics. Since the copy of the mimeographed memo was found in John Kenneth Galbraith’s papers, it is fitting to add his brief assent together with his comment on Gerschenkron’s obiter dicta with respect to math requirements.
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Memo to the Executive Committee
from Alexander Gerschenkron
(March 19, 1959)
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics
Littauer Center
Cambridge 38, Mass.
CONFIDENTIAL
March 19, 1959
TO: Members of the Executive Committee
I should like to give you an advance warning of my intention to propose, at the next regular meeting of the department, a radical change in our language requirements.
I have administered our language examinations for about ten years. You may recall that in the first year of operation I proposed, and the department accepted, a considerable reform of the way in which language examinations were given. The duration of the examination was extended from one hour to two hours, and the length of the material to be translated was more than doubled. At the same time much more difficult passages began to be selected; and finally, the examination was graded much more rigorously than it had been before. At that time I had the hope that it would be possible to stimulate through the language examination an increased interest in, and a fuller mastery of, foreign languages. It is perfectly clear to me now that this hope has not materialized. It is true that the students had to work harder in order to pass the examination, but it is equally true that whatever knowledge was acquired was allowed to fall into disrepair following the examination. The long run effect, which after all is the only thing that matters, has been zero point zero.
At the same time it is perfectly clear that the opportunity cost of preparing for the language examination is extremely high. Our students are a hard-working lot and we keep them very busy. I wonder very seriously whether it can be justified to force our students to cut out of a working day of some 10 or 11 hours and hour or two in order to master a language which in all likelihood will never be used by the student in his professional career. To some extent our language requirements are in the nature of an anachronism and we might do well to admit the fact frankly. At the turn of the century reading knowledge of French and German may have been the necessary prerequisite of any well rounded economics education. This is certainly not so now. The center of gravity shifted and at the same time the interest in the history of doctrines has greatly diminished. I am fully aware of the general benefit inherent in the study of languages. But I believe that we have to think in terms of professional proficiency. I doubt that the foreign language requirement could be justified under any circumstances, least of all if one consider how negligible its effect has been.
I plan therefore to make the following motion: All foreign language requirements for Ph.D. as well as for M.A. are abolished beginning with the class entering in September 1959. An examination in mathematics becomes an absolute requirement from which there is no dispensation and to which accordingly every candidate is subject. The Chairman should appoint a committee to discuss in which way, if any, the standards for the examination in mathematics should be improved.
Sincerely yours,
[signed]
Alexander Gerschenkron
Chairman, Language Requirements
AG/jw
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John Kenneth Galbraith’s Reply to the Memo
March 23, 1959
Professor Alexander Gerschenkron
Littauer M-7
Dear Alex:
I approve your proposal on languages with some reservations about the mathematics examination. I do not question your goal. But would it not be better — and better for secondary and college preparation — to put the mathematics requirement firmly in the requirements for admission?
Yours faithfully,
J.K. Galbraith
Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Papers of John Kenneth Galbraith. Series 5. Harvard University File, 1949-1990. Box 526, Folder “Department of Economics, Executive Committee 5/22/56-11/29/60”.
Image Source: Alexander Gerschenkron in the Harvard Class Album, 1952.