The popularity of the introductory course in economics at Harvard led Frank Taussig to establish a structure of two one-hour lectures per week with ca. 15 sections (of about 25 students) taught by four teaching assistants who administered (and presumably then graded) a 20 minute quiz on a week’s reading assignment that would be followed up with a 35-40 minute class discussion.
Apparently Taussig’s Columbia University colleague, E.R.A. Seligman, asked Taussig how Harvard ran its principles of economics course. Maybe he was just curious to hear whether Harvard was about to adopt his Principles of Economics With Special Reference to American Conditions. In his answer, Taussig clearly stakes his claim to have invented the large lecture with small recitation sections format.
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[Copy of letter from Frank W. Taussig (Harvard)
to E.R.A. Seligman (Columbia)]
Cotuit, Mass.
Aug. 8, 1906
Dear Seligman:-
Our present system in Economics 1, is as follows. There are three exercises a week, of which two are lectures, and the third is for section work, something like what you call a quiz. The lectures are given to all the men in a large lecture hall. During the first half year I give all the lectures; during the second half year it will be given (1906-7) by Andrew and Bullock. For the section work the men are divided into sections of about 30 men each, and meet weekly in separate rooms, and at various hours, in the charge of younger instructors. Each instructor has three to four sections, there are four or five instructors. The first thing at the section meetings is a sort of examination. The question is put on the board and answered in writing during the first twenty minutes; these papers are read and a record kept of the results. The rest of the hour, thirty-five or forty minutes, is given to oral discussion.
Last year we used three text-books, Mill, Walker, and Seager. Specific assignments of reading are made for each week. The lectures cover the same topics as the reading, and the question of the week is on both reading and lectures.
To ensure consistency, the lecturer in charge (for instance myself) meets the younger instructors weekly at a stated hour. Then the questions to be asked by the instructors are submitted for approval, and the work of the week talked over.
This system is of my devising, and has worked better than anything we have tried. It has now been adopted into other large courses, History 1, and Government 1. Any other information I can give you are very welcome to.
I was extremely sorry to hear of your bereavement, and sympathize with you very fully [Seligman’s daughter, Mabel Henrietta died October 30, 1905 at age eleven]. Ripley has returned from Europe. His present address is New London, N. H. I have written a review of your book for our Journal, in which I have said some things that may not please you. But I take it you agree with me that the only object of reviews is to elicit frank statement of opinion. [Taussig’s review of Seligman’s Principles of Economics, Seligman’s Reply and Taussig’s Rejoinder]
Sincerely yours,
F. W. Taussig.
Prof. E.R.A. Seligman,
Lake Placid, N.Y.
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Course Announcement 1906 (no description)
ECONOMICS
Primarily for Undergraduates
- Principles of Economics. Tu., Th., Sat. at 11. Professor Taussig, Asst. Professors Bullock and Andrew, assisted by Messrs. Howland, Lewis, Huse, and Mason.
Source: “Announcement of the Course of Instruction offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences 1906-07, 2nd edition”. Official Register of Harvard University, Vol. III, No. 15, Aug. 1, 1906. P. 47.
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Course Announcement 1910-11 with Description
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
Primarily for Undergraduates
- Principles of Economics. Tu., Th., Sat., at 11. Professor Taussig, assisted by Drs. Huse, Day, and Foerster, and Messrs. Sharfman and Balcom.
Course 1 gives a general introduction to economic study, and a general view of Economics for those who have not further time to give to the subject. It undertakes a consideration of the principles of production, distribution, exchange, money, banking, international trade, and taxation. The relations of labor and capital, the present organization of industry, and the recent currency legislation of the United States will be treated in outline.
The course will be conducted partly by lectures, partly by oral discussion in sections. A course of reading will be laid down, and weekly written exercises will test the work of students in following systematically and continuously the lectures and the prescribed reading.
Source: History and Political Science, Comprising the Departments of History and Government and Economics, 1910-11. Official Register of Harvard University, Vol. VII, No. 23, June 21, 1910, p. 52.
Note: The course description is almost a verbatim copy of that for 1902-03, so we can presume the same description for 1906-07.
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Course Enrollment 1906-07
- Professor Taussig and Asst. Professors Bullock and Andrew, assisted by Messrs. Martin, Mason, G.R. Lewis, Huse, and Holcombe,–Principles of Economics.
Total 392: 1 Graduate, 15 Seniors, 43 Juniors, 252 Sophomores, 50 Freshmen, 31 Other.
Source: Harvard University. Reports of the President and the Treasurer of Harvard College, 1906-07, p. 70.
Image Source: Harvard Class Album, 1906.