Tag: Foley

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M.I.T. Memo regarding potential hires to interview at AEA Dec meeting, 1965

 

This artifact provides us a glimpse into the demand side of the market for assistant professors of economics in the United States as seen from one of the mid-1960’s peak departments. The chairperson of the M.I.T. economics department at the time, E. Cary Brown, apparently conducted a quick survey of fellow department heads and packed his results into a memo for his colleagues who in one capacity or the other would be attending the annual meeting of the American Economic Association held in New York City in the days following the Christmas holidays of December 1965. The absence of Harvard names in the memo probably only indicates that Brown presumed his colleagues were well aware of any potential candidates coming from farther up the Charles River.

From Brown’s memo, Duncan Foley (Yale) and Miguel Sidrauski (Chicago) ended up on the M.I.T. faculty as assistant professors for the 1966-67 academic year. John Williamson was a visiting assistant professor that year too.

_____________________________

Dating the Memo

The folder label in the M.I.T. archives incorrectly gives the date Dec. 28-30, 1969, where the 1969 has been added in pencil.

Two keys for dating the memo.  Brown’s comment to John Williamson (York): “Wants a semester here, Jan.-June 1967″.  “Solow is hearing paper at meetings” (Conlisk of Stanford) who presented in the invited doctoral dissertation session “The Analysis and Testing of the Asymptotic Behavior of Aggregate Growth Models” (affiliation given as Rice University (Ph.D., Stanford University) where Solow was listed as a discussant. AEA’s 78th Annual Meeting was held in New York City at the end of December 1965.

_____________________________

Memo from E. Cary Brown to M.I.T. faculty going to Dec. 1965 AEA meeting

[Pencil note: “Put in beginning of 1966-7”]

Memorandum Regarding Personnel Interviews in New York

To: Department Members Attending AEA Convention
From: E. C. Brown

University of Chicago

Sidrauski, Miguel (26). International Trade, Monetary Theory, Economic Growth, Mathematical Economics

Thesis—“Studies in the Theory of Growth and Inflation” under Uzawa
References: Harberger, Johnson, Lewis

[He came here a year ago to ask about a short-term appointment before he returned to Argentina. Griliches believes him to be tops. Had him in class myself and he was first rate. Called him on phone last week and he still wants to be had.]

 

Thornber, Edgar H. (24). [H. = Hodson] Econometrics, Mathematical Methods, Computers

Thesis—“A Distributed Lag Model: Bayes vs. Sampling Theory Analyses” under Telser
References: Griliches, Zellner

[Supposed to be equal of Sidrauski. Heavily computer oriented. Doesn’t sound interesting for us, but we should talk to him.]

 

Treadway, Arthur. Mathematical Economist

Thesis on the investment function

[A younger man who, according to Svi [sic], regards himself as the equal of the above. Stronger in mathematics, and very high grades. Wasn’t on market because thesis didn’t appear as completable. Now it seems that it will be and he wants consideration.]

 

Evenson, Robert E. (31). Agricultural Economics and Economic Growth, Public Finance

Thesis—“Contribution of Agricultural Experiment Station Research to Agricultural Production” under Schultz
References: Gale Johnson, Berg

[He is just slightly below the others. Mature and very solid and combines agriculture and economic growth where we need strength.]

 

Gould, John (26).

(Ph.D. in Business School)

[Bud Fackler mentioned him as their best. Uzawa and Griliches are trying to get the Econ. Dept. to hire him. Franco knows him and is after him.]

 

Princeton

Klevorick, Alvin (22). Mathematical Economics, Econometrics, Economic Theory

Thesis: “Mathematical Programming and the Problem of Capital Budgeting under Uncertainty” (Quandt)
References: Baumol, Kuhn

[Apparently the best they have had for some time. Young and very brash.]

 

Monsma, George N. (24). Labor Economics, Economics of Medical Care, Public Finance

Thesis: Supply and Demand for Medical Personnel” (Harbison)
References: Patterson, Machlup

[Dick Lester was high on him. While not a traditional labor economist, he works that field.]

Silber, William L. (23). Monetary Economics, Public Finance, Econometrics

Thesis: “Structure of Interest Rates” (Chandler)
References: Goldfeld, Musgrave, Quandt

[One of their best four. Not sure he sounds like what we want in fields, however.]

 

Grabowski, Henry G. (25). Research and Development, Econometrics, Mathematical Economics

Thesis: “Determinants and Profitability of Industrial Research and Development” (Quandt)
References: Morgenstern, Baumol

[Lester says he is good all around man. His field makes him especially interesting.]

 

Stanford

Conlisk [John]— Economic growth and development

[Arrow has written about him, recommending him highly. His field should be interesting. Solow is hearing paper at meetings.]

 

Bradford [David Frantz]— Public finance

[Has been interviewed up here, but more should see him who wish to.]

 

Yale

Foley [Duncan Karl] (Probably not at meetings. Best Tobin’s had.]

Bryant [Ralph Clement] (Now at Federal Reserve Board. Number 2 for Tobin]

 

York

Williamson, John

[Wants a semester here, Jan.-June 1967. Alan Peacock at meetings.]

 

Johns Hopkins

[Ask Bill Oakland]

 

University of California, Berkeley

[Ask Aaron Gordon or Tibor Scitovsky.]

 

Cornell

Bridge [John L.] — Econometrics, Foreign Trade

Lindert [Peter]— International Economics

[Their two best as indicated in their letter to Department Chairman.]

 

Buffalo

Mathis, E.J. [Ask Mitch Horwitz if it’s worth pursuing.]

 

Columbia U.

[Ask Bill Vickrey]

 

Pittsburgh

Miller, Norman C. (26). International Economics; Money, Macro, Micro and Math Economics

Thesis: “Capital Flows and International Trade Theory” (Whitman)
References: Marina Whitman, Jacob Cohen, Peter Kenen, Graeme Dorrance

[Letter to Evsey Domar from Mark Perlman (Chm.) recommending him to us for further training.]

 

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute Archives and Special Collections. MIT Department of Economics records, Box 1, Folder “AEA Chairmen MEETING—Dec. 28-30, 1969 (sic)”.

Image Sources:  Duncan Foley (left) from his home page. Miguel Sidrauski (right) from the History of Economic Thought website.

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Funny Business M.I.T.

M.I.T. Economics Faculty Skit à la Rowan and Martin’s “Laugh-In”, December 1968

 

This post continues our series “Funny Business” that features successful and less-than-successful attempts at humor by economists. Reading one of these historical skits demands the reader to concede that the defense, “It seemed funny at the time,” might actually be valid for fifty year old jokes.  At the December 1968 Graduate Economics Association party the M.I.T. economics faculty offered its version of the wildly popular, frenetic comedy series “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” (like “Sit-in”, get it? As I just said, “it seemed funny at the time”). 

For young and non-U.S. historians of economics, remote learning of the original Laugh-In content is easy:

Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In information at IMDb.
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In highlights on YouTube.

The tag-line “Sock it to me” was a creation of the 1960s and made a meme by Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. Paul Samuelson closing the skit with that line is almost up there with 1968 Presidential candidate Richard Nixon’s saying it in his cameo appearance on Laugh-In.

The skit transcript below includes some square-bracketed comments to help the reader. Of course, nothing says “joke” more than a good footnote.

______________________

Reminder/Invitation

December 11, 1968

Graduate Students, Faculty Members
and Secretaries

DON’T FORGET!!

            A week from today is the GEA Christmas Party—Tuesday, December 17th. The festivities will begin at 8:00 pm in the Campus Room of Ashdown House. Admission is only $1.00 and the entertainment is free.

______________________

GEA CHRISTMAS SKIT 1968
[Faculty]

 

Music
[Franklin M.] Fisher: It’s the Faculty Laugh-In.

Music

(Enter [E. Cary] Brown, [Paul A.] Samuelson and [Robert L.] Bishop,
Brown and Samuelson sit.)
Samuelson: For the first question on your advanced theory oral:
Who was the greatest economist of all time?
Bishop (After much thought) Pigou…

Music
[Morris] Adelman: It is written: when offer curve bend backwards, then is time to send [Walt] Rostow to Texas.
[For background to Rostow Affair, see Appendix below]

Music—through
[Matthew D.] Edel (carries sign) “Economics is a dismal science”

([Peter] Temin and [Duncan] Foley enter as Rowan and Martin)
Foley: It certainly was a swell idea to put on a faculty laugh-in.
Temin: It’s so much easier than thinking up a connected skit.
Foley: Well, what cute laugh-in type feature do we have coming up next?
Temin: I see by my script here that we’re going to have a “Laugh-in looks at…” next.
Foley: Yes, it says: Faculty laugh-in looks at the new [Nixon] administration.

Music
[Jerome] Rothenberg: Washington: James Reston has expressed outrage at news reports that the University of Maryland has no plans to hire Spiro T. Agnew.
[Motivation for James Reston mention here see, Appendix “Rostow Affair” below]
Temin: Meanwhile at the Council of Economic Advisers, Republicans begin to grapple with the unaccustomed complexities of the Federal budget.

(enter Bishop and Foley)
Bishop: They always said Art Okun could do it with a pencil on the back of an envelope.
[See Appendix below]
Foley: I still think we’d better wait for the computer printout.
Bishop: No, look, its easy. Let’s see, how does it go? Is it Y = C + the deficit, or does the deficit = Y + C?

Music
Temin: At the same time we hear the swan song of liberals seeking sanctuary on college campuses.
Fisher: Song “Hey Dick [Nixon]”
[presumably to the tune of “Hey Jude”, lyrics to parody not in the file]
Rothenberg: Washington: the M.I.T. economics department has again startled Washington circles by announcing that it will not hire Henry Kissinger in 1972.
[cf. Appendix below on “Rostow Affair”]
Foley: Why don’t we just use their budget?
Bishop: And give up on the job? It can’t be that hard.
Foley: We don’t even have the computer printout yet.
Bishop: Doesn’t investment come in here someplace?

Music
Rothenberg: Washington: It has just been learned that the M.I.T. economics department, responding to the furor over the Rostow affair has abolished its economic history requirement.
[see Appendix below]

Music

(Man seated, knock on door: goes to answer, returns)
Adelman: Dear, Mr. Brower is here to fix the point (calling).
[Punny reference to Brower’s fixed-point theorem  that is a building block for the proof of the existence of a general equilibrium.]

Music—through
Edel (carries sign) “Pigou Power”

(Enter Bishop, Brown, Samuelson)
Brown: Describe an Edgeworth-Bowley Box.
Bishop: (gesturing) It’s about so wide…

Music

(Enter Foley and Temin)
Foley: What movie did you see last night?
Temin: “Thoroughly Modern Miltie”
[clearly “Milton Friedman”, the film’s title was “Thoroughly Modern Miltie”]

Music—through
Fisher (carries sign) “Nest principal minors”
[Linear algebra joke, written like a creepy, even pedophilic, command here, “nested principal minors” or “nest of principal minors” would be proper.]
Rothenberg: The negative definite is equivalent to the lie direct.
[Shakespeare As You Like It, V:iv in Appendix below]

Music
Foley: The computer printout is here!

(enter tons of printout)
Bishop: I think I’ve got it!
Foley: What?
Bishop: One of Okun’s envelopes. How old do you think this is anyway?

Music
Samuelson:

A Poem
by Paul A. Samuelson

Some people cover lots more ground
But no one handles the New York Times like Carey Brown.

[Likely another reference to the Rostow Affair, see Appendix Below]

Music

(Adelman seated, door knock)
Adelman: Dear, Mr. [Evsey] Domar is here to compare the systems.
[One of Evsey Domar signature courses was “Comparative Economic Systems”]

Music
Foley: What movie did you see last night?
Temin: Ride the high Pontry
[“Ride the High Country”, 1962 Western film by Sam Peckinpah]
Foley: What Pontry again?
[A punny reference to Pontryagin’s maximum principle in optimal control theory.]

Music

(Enter Bishop, Samuelson, Brown)
Brown: What was Marshall’s greatest contribution?
Bishop: In 1903, Marshall gave £1500 to King’s College.

Music

(Enter Fisher and Temin with box)

“2 squares least stage”
(sign)
[“2-stage least squares” is the name of statistical procedure, here Fisher and Temin are the two “squares“.]

Music
Adelman: Mark Hopkins said the ideal education is a professor and a student sitting on a log, with the professor talking to the student. I sometimes think I would get the same results sitting on the student and talking to the log.

Music
Bishop: Sock it to me

Music

(Enter Temin and Foley)
Temin: Here we are out here again imitating Rowan and Martin.
Foley: Shouldn’t you be standing on the other side? What now?
Temin: Now we’re giving the “Flying Fickle Finger of Fat Award” just like on TV.
Foley: And who gets the “Flying Fickle Finger of Fat Award”?
Temin: Fate. The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award goes to…

(Music cue—fanfare)
Temin: Kenneth Boulding for receiving a vote of confidence from…himself.
[Boulding gave his Presidential address to the American Economic Association a few weeks later on “Economics as a Moral Science”. For likely background to the joke see the Appendix below.]

Music
Fisher: A Bordered hessian is a German mercenary surrounded by continentals.

Music
Samuelson:

(carries sign) “I am an external economist.”

Music
Foley: What movie did you see last night?
Temin: “Closely watched brains”
[“Closely watched trains”, 1966 Czech film directed by Jiří Menzel]

Music
Foley: (Poring over computer printout). I think the whole idea of the budget is a stupid, dumb, stupid idea. Why do we even need a budget?
Bishop: Look, we’ve got to have something to send down to the Congress tomorrow.
Foley: I’m going to hold my breath until the stupid deficit comes out right.
Bishop: Just try to remember whether capital gains are part of income or not.

Music cue

(Enter Fisher, Temin, Edel)
“3 squares least stage”
(sign)
[“3-stage least squares” is a statistical procedure, and Fisher, Temin and Edel are the three “squares“.]

Music
Brown: The students are revolting.
Bishop: Yes, I’ve though so for a long time.

Enter Everybody
Rothenberg: SDS Sam
[SDS=Students for a Democratic Society…
(wild guess) impression of Bogart saying “Play it Again Sam”?]
Foley: Well, here we are out here again, and it’s time to say…
Temin: Long joke.
Foley: Say goodnite, Peter.
Temin: Goodnite, Peter.
Samuelson: Sock it to me.

Source: M.I.T. Archives.  Folder “GEA 1967-68”.

_________________________

Appendix

 

Rostow Affair

Source: Howard Wesley Johnson, Holding the Center: Memoirs of a Life in Higher Education. From Chapter 8, pp. 189-90.

*   *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Art Okun’s Reputation as an economic forecaster “on the back of an envelope”

Source: Joseph A. Pechman contribution for In Memoriam: Arthur M. Okun. November 28, 128–March 23, 1980 (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 1980), p. 14.

*   *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

From Shakespeare’s As You Like It
Act V, Scene 4.

JAQUES

Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie?

TOUCHSTONE

O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; as you have
books for good manners: I will name you the degrees.
The first, the Retort Courteous; the second, the
Quip Modest; the third, the Reply Churlish; the
fourth, the Reproof Valiant; the fifth, the
Countercheque Quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with
Circumstance; the seventh, the Lie Direct. All
these you may avoid but the Lie Direct; and you may
avoid that too, with an If. I knew when seven
justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the
parties were met themselves, one of them thought but
of an If, as, ‘If you said so, then I said so;’ and
they shook hands and swore brothers. Your If is the
only peacemaker; much virtue in If.

Source: From the Shakespeare homepage at M.I.T.

*   *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Kenneth Boulding’s Vote for AEA to Meet in Chicago in 1968

 

Source:  Robert Scott, Kenneth Boulding: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).

 

 

Categories
Courses Curriculum M.I.T.

M.I.T. Student evaluations of second term core macroeconomics. Solow, Foley. 1967-70

 

The economic theory core courses at M.I.T. during the four academic years 1966/67 through 1969/70 consisted of two terms of microeconomic theory (“Economic Analysis”, 14.121 and 14.122) and two terms of macroeconomic theory (“Theory of Income and Employment”, 14.451, and “Economic Growth and Fluctuations”, 14.452). The instructors for the course by academic year were: 

 14.121 (Term 1) 14.122 (Term 2) 14.451 (Term 1) 14.452 (Term 2)
1966/67 Bishop Samuelson Eckaus

Solow

1967/68

 Bishop Samuelson Domar Solow
1968/69 Bishop Samuelson Domar

Foley

1969/70

 Bishop Samuelson Domar

Foley

A retrospective evaluation survey of these four courses was conducted (probably) sometime in late-1970. The original student responses wound up in Evsey Domar’s files and can be found today in his papers in the Economists’ Papers Archive at Duke University.

Previous posts provided the responses for Robert Bishop’s Economic Analysis (14.121), Paul Samuelson’s term of Economic Analysis (14.122) and Evsey Domar’s National Income and Employment (14.451).

In this post we’ll have a look at Robert M. Solow and Duncan Foley’s course, Economic Growth and Fluctuations (14.452) covering the topics:

Growth theory
Empirical Aspects of growth
Cycle theory
Empirical aspects of cycles
Monetary aspects of growth.

First I provide the information about the course found in the announcement in the MIT course catalogues that essentially remained unchanged for the years from which the evaluations were solicited. From the departmental course staffing reports in the M.I.T. archives, we discover that the course announcements for 1968/69 and 1969/1970 incorrectly listed Miguel Sidrauski and Solow as instructors of 14.45. Duncan Foley replaced Solow as instructor of this course in those two years. Here is an example where having the ex post staffing reports allows us to identify some inaccuracies found in the catalogues.

 Next I include the cover letter for the questionnaire sent out along with a tabulation of responses to the qualitative questions regarding the amount of economics presumed, the amount of mathematics and the balance of the course among the topics nominally covered.

 Finally, and very much worth reading!, the interested visitor will find transcriptions of the written student comments concerning the course. Of the four courses that together made up the economic theory core at M.I.T. in the late 1960’s, students were clearly the most satisfied with their Economic Growth and Fluctuations  course.

____________________

Announcement in the Course Catalogues

14.452T Economic Growth and Fluctuations (A)

[Solow]
Prereq.: 14.451
Year: G (2) 4-0-8

Application of theory of income and employment to analysis and measurement of changes in level of economic activity over time, and to study of inflation. Solow

MIT. Catalogue 1966-67: p. 292.

page 219:

“ ‘T’ at the end of a subject number indicates that (1) a change has been made in the content or units of the subject or (2) the number was previously assigned to a different subject.
‘(A)’ following the name of a subject indicates that it is an approved subject for a graduate degree…
‘G’ is a graduate subject.
The time distribution of the subject, showing in sequence the units allotted to: recitation and lecture; laboratory, design, or field work; and preparation. Each unit represents 15 hours of work. The total unit credit for a subject is obtained by adding together all the units shown. One unit of recitation or lecture credit, and two units of laboratory or design credit, are each equivalent to one semester hour.”

Catalogue 1967-68: Course number drops T, p. 307

Catalogue 1968-69: course instructor listed as Sidrauski [Note: Duncan Foley actually taught the course, see below], p. 312

Catalogue 1969-70:  course instructor listed as Solow [Note: Duncan Foley actually taught the course, see below],p. 294.

____________________

Course staffing and enrollments 14.452
Second terms of 1966/67 through 1969/70

1967: Term II. 3 hours/week. 39 regular students, 1 Listeners.

Professor R. M. Solow with Instructor M. Sidrauski

1968: Term II. 3 hours/week 52 regular students, 2 Listeners.

Professor R. M. Solow with Instructor M. Sidrauski

1969: Term II.  3½ hours/week, 49 regular students, 1 Listeners

Assistant Professor D. K. Foley with Michael Rothschild

1970: Term II. 3 Hours/week. 43 regular students, 0 Listeners.

Associate Professor D. K. Foley with Instructor S. Kennedy (grader)

Source:M.I.T. Archives. Department of Economics Records. Box 3, Folder “Teaching Assignments”

____________________

THEORY QUESTIONNAIRE

There are two problems that the theory sequence must continually face if it is going to be as useful as possible. The first of these is adjusting to the changing background of the incoming students. The second is adjusting to the changing needs of students who will use the theory course as background for other courses and research. This questionnaire is an attempt to gather information of the current state of the theory sequence relative to these two questions. The enclosed forms contain an outline of each of the theory courses and asks three questions.

These pertain to each heading in the course outline:

Does the course assume too much or too little economics background in this area?
Does the course use too much or too little mathematics in this area?
Given the overall constraint of time, is this area gone into too deeply or not deeply enough?

For each of the questions there is room to check too much or too little, no check at all to be given if the course is about right. Please put the year in which you took the theory courses at the top of each page. There is also room in each area for more detailed comment. Use this space to be specific on the changes in the given areas which you feel would be improvements—particularly in answer to question 3. Use the space at the bottom of each page to comment on topics that are not on the list, but should appear in the course; or to make other comments we haven’t thought to ask for.

Please return to 52-380 (Miss Pope) before Tuesday, October 21.

 

[Summary for Robert Solow from 10 student responses:
of which 2 from 1966-67; 8 from 1967-68]

Ec 452:

 Economic background Math

Coverage

Growth theory

 Too little: 1

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 1

Not deep enough: 1

Empirical Aspects of growth

 Too little: 1

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 0

Cycle theory

 Too little: 1

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 0

Empirical aspects of cycles

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 0

Monetary aspects of growth

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 2

From the student comments on Solow’s course
Each bullet point from a different student

YEAR TAKEN: 1966-67

  • Cycle theory: Should be dropped.
    Monetary aspects of growth: Needs to be intensified.

 

YEAR TAKEN: 1967-68

  • An excellent course.
  • This course is very adequate—except more could be done perhaps by going faster with no loss of comprehension.
  • Well-done course.
  • As these courses were taught two years ago there was too little integration of the two terms. Partly this reflects a real gap in macro theory itself; I would like to see an integration of the Patinkin-type of analysis into growth theory.

 

[Summary for Duncan Foley from 12 student responses:
of which 10 from 1968-69; 2 from 1969-70]

Ec 452:

 Economic background Math

Coverage

Growth theory

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 1

 Too deep: 3

Not deep enough: 1

Empirical Aspects of growth

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 4

Cycle theory

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 4

Empirical aspects of cycles

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too little: 0

Too much: 0

 Too deep: 0

Not deep enough: 5

Monetary aspects of growth

 Too little: 0

Too much: 1

 Too little: 0

Too much: 2

 Too deep: 1

Not deep enough: 3

 

From the student comments on Foley’s course
Each bullet point from a different student

YEAR TAKEN: 1968-69

  • Cycle theory and Empirical aspects of cycles: little done but that’s probably a good think.
  • 452 is, by and large, a very good course
    Growth theory: very good
    Empirical aspects of growth:  good
    Cycle theory: We covered difference eq. cycle models in one day which is what they deserve. Some other approach might be worthwhile.
    Empirical aspects of cycles: Not covered at all
    Monetary aspects of growth: very good
  • Growth theory: course devoted almost solely to this topic.
    Difference equations ought to be specifically covered, with some applications [noted for both 14.451 “multiplier and accelerator” topic and 14.452 “Cycle theory”.
  • General comment: Heuristic “proofs” and extensive examples to tie in reality would have been most useful.
    The course was not as satisfying as it undoubtedly could have been. This was an obvious case of the teacher trying too hard in a new course. Too much of the Socratic method was employed.
  • Foley let students ask irrelevant questions.
  • Empirical aspects of growth: data was almost nonexistent!
    Cycle theory: difference equations in 2 days! Monetary aspects of growth: This was covered but a little more would have suited my personal taste only.
  • In general 452 was good; 451 seemed weak.

 

YEAR TAKEN: 1969-70

  • I do not like the Socratic method, especially when applied to solving differential equations.
    Monetary aspects of growth: good.

Source:  Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Economists’ Papers Archive. Evsey D. Domar Papers.Box 16, Folder “Student Evaluations (1 of 2)”.

Image Sources: Duncan Foley  from his homepage. Robert Solow from the website MIT Museum.

 

 

Categories
Economists Funny Business M.I.T.

M.I.T. Faculty Skit with Peter Diamond as Sir Lancelot, 1967

____________

Today’s post is an excerpt from a script for a department faculty skit performed at the MIT Graduate Economics Association’s “Shawmut Follies” of 1967. The “skitwrights” were Duncan Foley and Peter Temin who adapted the lyrics from tunes taken from the popular musical Camelot (based on the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round-Table) to departmental happenings.

The backstory of this scene is that the future 2010 Nobel prize winner Peter Diamond left the University of California (Berkeley) to join the M.I.T. economics faculty in 1966. I suppose one could imagine the scene opening with the two long-haired peasants as West coast hippies speaking in a Greenwich Village beatnik-ese dialect. The casting problem for having a “chick” in a faculty solely made up of men was solved by employing the departmental administrator Del Tapley rather than by an Elizabethan substitution of male actors in female roles (We are talking Cambridge Massachusetts in the 1960’s and not Berlin in the early 1930’s!).

For those not familiar with the show-tune “C’est moi!” from Camelot, here the Robert Goulet version in the original Broadway Cast Recording at YouTube.

 

 

Dramatis Personae of Scene 2

Herald: Richard Eckaus

First Peasant: E. Cary Brown

Second Peasant: Del Tapley

Lancelot: Peter Diamond

Scene 2
(A provincial city named after an English philosopher)

A Herald: Hear ye, hear ye. Come one, come all to hearken to the Grand Proclamation of King Arthur.

First Peasant: Man, what’s his bag?

Second Peasant: Something about King Arthur.

First Peasant: Who’s this King Arthur cat?

Second Peasant: It’s some weird kick they got out East.

First Peasant: Do you know I hear there aren’t any chicks at all out there?

Second Peasant: Groovy.

First Peasant: Groovy? What’s your bag, man?

Second Peasant: I am a chick, man. No shut up and listen to the proclamation.

Herald: If you’re ready.

First Peasant: Oh, we’re ready. Don’t stand on your fancy Eastern ways out here.

Herald: King Arthur of M.I.T. offers to all young knights of intellectual errantry the opportunity to join the select long Corridor of economists sworn to uphold true theory, to rescue theorems from rape and pillage at the brutal hands of Midwestern Ph.D.’s, to form a fellowship of intellectual excellence and as much good cheer as can coexist with it.

Second Peasant: “With it” is a pretty weak way to end a sentence, if you ask me.

Herald: Admission to the Long Corridor will be by open combat in a faculty seminar, jousting with mathematical, graphical, and verbal reasoning. Come one, come all. That’s it. Break it up.

First Peasant: Gee whiz.

Second Peasant: What’s that slang jargon you’re talking, man?

First Peasant: Who’s going to go and compete with those fierce Eastern minds?

Second Peasant: Not me, man.

First Peasant: I hope somebody goes out here.

Lancelot: I will.

Second Peasant: You? Who are you?

Lancelot: I am Lancelot du Bay, academic fencer par excellence. I will go.

First Peasant: To M.I.T.? Think twice, man.

Lancelot: (sings)

M.I.T….
M.I.T….
On the West Coast I heard your call.
M.I.T….
M.I.T….
And here am I to give my all.
I know in my soul
What you expect of me
And all that and more I shall be.

A prof of the Corridor Long should be unstoppable
A mind on which less fantastic minds can lean:
Teach a class no one else can teach
Prove a theorem that’s out of reach
Run regressions without the help of a machine.

His logic and argument should be unstoppable
His papers of course always beyond compare.
But where in the world
Is there in the world
A man so extraordinaire?

C’est moi, c’est moi
I’m forced to admit
‘Tis I, I humbly reply
That Ph.D. who
These marvels can do
C’est moi, c’est moi, ‘tis I.

The students say
My lectures are keen
My proofs are fit for a king.
I’ll show a way
Through Pontryagin
To prove most any thing.
C’est moi, c’est moi
My colleagues have fits
Because I never am wrong.
Where will they find brains better than mine
Theoretically wise
Empirically fine
To serve in the Corridor Long? C’est moi.

 

Source: MIT Libraries, Institute Archives and Special Collections, Department of Economics Records, Box 2, Folder “GEA 1961-67”.

Image Source: Robert Goulet as Lancelot in the 1960 Broadway Musical Camelot at Fanpix.net. [A google search did not find an image of Peter Diamond in chain mail and a tunic]