Tag: Young

Cornell. Frank Knight’s Cornell Coursework, 1913-1917

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2025-02-05
1 Comment on Cornell. Frank Knight’s Cornell Coursework, 1913-1917

Almost fourteen years ago I was in the University of Chicago archives where I came across three boxes in Frank H. Knight’s papers containing his hand-written, three-by-five inch index card notes that covered presumably most, if not all, of his coursework at Cornell for the academic years 1914-15, 1915-16, and 1916-17. For some reason, I presume a time-constraint for that archival visit was involved, I did not copy the notes from his first year at Cornell (1913-14) to have a complete record of his graduate studies. This post provides an overview of the courses taken by Frank Knight and those professors who taught him. For his first year, we are all quite fortunate to have the story of Knight’s ex ante oeconomica life as told by Ross B. Emmett (2015) in his excellent, Frank H. Knight Before He Entered Economics (1885-1914).

The official Cornell course announcements were published in the Spring before the academic year began. This means there are a few discrepencies between the actual instructors identified by Knight and those found in the printed announcements. For example, Alvin Saunders Johnson left the Cornell faculty and was replaced by Thomas Sewell Adams and Herbert J. Davenport during the academic years 1915-16 and 1916-17.

Hopefully there will be time and energy later to provide summaries of course content from Knight’s detailed notes. Visitors are encouraged to sign up to receive future postings via email (see below).

____________________________

1913-14

Source: Announcement of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1913-14. Official Publications of Cornell University. Volume IV (May 15, 1913) Number 11.

Philosophy 11. Philosophical Results and Applications. First term, credit one hour. Prerequisite at least one course in philosophy. Professor [James Edwin] Creighton. S, 12, Goldwin Smith 225.

The purpose of the course is to show how philosophical ideas enter into other departments of thought and have a bearing on concrete problems of life and society. This will be illustrated by a consideration of certain aspects of the movement of thought and civilization in the nineteenth century.

Philosophy 19. The Development of Modern Philosophical Problems. First term, credit two hours. Prerequisite either course 1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 20, or 21. Professor [James Edwin] Creighton. T Th, 12, Goldwin Smith 225.

A review and an interpretation of the leading philosophical ideas of modern schools and systems, with the purpose of tracing the evolution of philosophical conceptions, especially during the nineteenth century, in the light of the various scientific, social, and religious problems with which they are connected.

Philosophy 20. History of Ethics, Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance. First term, credit two hours. Professor [William Alexander] Hammond. M W, 11, Goldwin Smith 220.

Lectures and assigned readings. A history of moral ideals and reflection in antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance, treated in connection with social and political institutions. Primarily for seniors and graduates.

Philosophy 21. History of Modem Ethics. Second term, credit two hours. Professor [Ernest] Albee. M W, 11, Goldwin Smith 220.

The history of modern ethics with special reference to the development of the commonly recognized methods of ethics. The history of British ethics will receive particular attention, as illustrating the gradual differentiation of ethics as an independent science of philosophical discipline. Primarily for graduates.

Philosophy 30. Empiricism and Rationalism. First term, credit three hours. Professor [Ernest] Albee. T Th S, 11, Goldwin Smith 220.

Lectures, discussions, and essays. The empirical movement as represented by Locke, Berkeley, and Hume, and the rationalistic movement as represented especially by Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, with reference to their distinctive methods. Locke’s Essay (Bohn edition, 2 vols.), Hume’s Treatise of Human Nature (Clarendon Press), and Leibniz’s Philosophical Works (Duncan’s translation, Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, New Haven). Primarily for graduates.

Political Science 87. The History of Economic Theory. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. Professor [Alvin Saunders] Johnson. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 264.

It is the purpose of this course to trace the main currents of economic theory from the mercantilists writers to the present day. Chief emphasis will be laid upon the development of the individualistic economic doctrines in 18th century France and England; the conditions, economic and social, upon which they were based; the consolidation of the doctrines in classical economics; and the modifications they have undergone through the influence of historical and social political criticism.

Political Science 88. Value and Distribution. Throughout the year, credit two hours a term. Professor [Alvin Saunders] Johnson. Th, 2.30, Political Science Seminary.

This course is devoted to a study of the chief problems of current economic theory, including the nature, the value, and the laws of its growth, valuation of capital and capitalization, the interest problem, wages, profits, competition, and monopoly. The works of the chief contemporary authorities will be critically studied with a view to disclosing the basis of existing divergencies in point of view.
It is desirable that students registering for this course should have a reading knowledge of German and French.

“The course description for Value and Distribution dated back several years, to the period when Frank Albert Fetter had taught the course. Fetter had completed his doctorate at the University of Halle, and was deeply engaged with economic ideas emerging from the Austrian School of Economics. Carl Menger, often considered the founder of Austrian economics, had initiated a Methodenstreit with the historicist orientation of the German Historical School, whose work had deeply influenced American economists of the late 19th century (many of whom, like Fetter, had completed Ph.Ds. in Germany). When Fetter joined Cornell’s faculty in 1901, there was an existing course on distribution, but not one on price theory generally. There had been, however, a course in reading German economic literature from the Historical School. The course was designed to enable economics students to meet the foreign language requirements Cornell had established for doctoral candidates. Fetter introduced a course in economic theory (eventually called Value and Distribution) that required students to read significant texts by French, German, and Austrian economists such as Leon Walras, Werner Sombart, Eugene Böhm-Bawerk, and Friedrich Wieser in their original language, thereby satisfying simultaneously the Graduate School’s foreign language requirement. When Alvin Johnson arrived at Cornell in 1913 (at the same time as Frank did), he inherited Fetter’s course. But Johnson, a mid-westerner educated at Columbia by John Bates Clark, was aligned more with the Anglo-American tradition of economic theorizing than he was with either the German Historical School or the Austrian School. Thus, he ignored the language requirement. Frank’s notes from Johnson’s course on the History of Economic Theory (which did not have a foreign language requirement) tell us that, one day in class, Johnson said, ‘American and English books [on economics] may contain logical fallacies, but their facts are reliable. Facts and fiction [are] indistinguishable in books like Sombart’s.’ Johnson then suggested that the doctoral requirements for economics at Cornell (and elsewhere, presumably) should state ‘that student[s] should not read German’ (from the Frank Knight Papers, Box 2, Folder 1, quoted in Howey 1983, 169, emphasis in the original).

Source: Ross B. Emmett,Frank H. Knight Before He Entered Eonomics (1885-1914). 2015.

Not registered, but audited.

Philosophy 26. Advanced Ethics. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. Professor [Frank] Thilly. Lectures, reading, discussion, and essays. M W F, 10, Goldwin Smith 220. Primarily for graduates. [Knight’s notes end in February]

Political Science 54b. State Administration. Second term, credit three hours. Prerequisite courses 53a, 53b. Professor [Samuel Peter Orth]. M W F, 11, Goldwin Smith 256.

A study of the American state; the county and the township; the powers and functions of administrative organs, boards, and commissions; judicial control. Lectures, readings, and reports. Each student will be required to make a detailed study of some particular state. [Ross Emmett believes this course corresponds to Knight’s notes that he examined]

1914-1915

Source: Announcement of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1914-15. Official Publications of Cornell University. Volume V (May 1, 1914) Number 10.

Philosophy 40. Seminary in Logic and Metaphysics. T, 3-5, Goldwin Smith 231. Professor [James Edwin] CREIGHTON and Dr. [William Kelley] WRIGHT.

[Portrait of William Kelley Wright from the 1926 Darmouth yearbook “Aegis”.]

The subject for 1914-15 will be a study of certain leading metaphysical problems in the light of recent investigations.

Philosophy 37. Seminary in Ethics. Investigation of special problems. Throughout the year, credit two hours a term, Professor [Frank] THILLY. Hours and room to be arranged.

Political Science 66a. The Labor Problem. First term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51. Professor [Alvin Saunders] JOHNSON. T Th S, 11. Goldwin Smith 264.

This course will present a systematic view of the progress and present condition of the working class in the United States and in other industrial countries; sketch the history and analyze the aims and methods of labor organizations; study the evolution of institutions designed to improve the condition of the working class; and compare the labor legislation of the United States with that of European countries.

Political Science 66b. Socialism. Second term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51, Professor [Alvin Saunders] JOHNSON. T Th S, 11, Goldwin Smith 264.

Due attention will be given in this course to the various forms of socialistic theory. Its main object, however, is to describe the evolution of the socialist movement and the organization of socialistic parties, to measure the present strength of the movement, and to examine in the concrete its methods and aims.

Political Science 76a. Elementary Statistics. First term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51. Professor [Walter Francis] WILLCOX. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 256. Laboratory, W, 2-4, Goldwin Smith 259.

An introduction to census statistics with especial reference to the federal census of 1910, and to registration statistics with especial reference to those of New York State and its cities. The course gives an introduction to the methods and results of statistics in these, its best developed branches.

Political Science 76b. Economic Statistics. Second term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51. Professor [Walter Francis] WILLCOX. T Th S, 9. Goldwin Smith 256. Laboratory, W, 2-4, Goldwin Smith 259.

A continuation of course 76a, dealing mainly with the agricultural and industrial statistics of the United States. Mature students that have not already had course 76a or its equivalent may be admitted by special permission. The course is an introduction to statistics in its application to more difficult fields, such as production. wages, prices, and index numbers.

Political Science 90. Research in Statistics. Throughout the year, credit to be arranged. Professor [Walter Francis] WILLCOX.

[Knight describes this as “afternoon session for Grad studs.”

Political Science 65a. The Industrial Revolution in England, 1700 to 1850. First term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51, previously or concurrently, or work in European history. Assistant Professor [Abbott Payson] USHER. M W F, 12. Goldwin Smith 264.

The topography and resources of England, the Industrial Revolution, commercial expansion in the 18th century. the history of the Bank of England, the rise of London as a world metropolis.

Political Science 65b. Social and Economic Problems of the 19th Century in England. Second term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51, previously or concurrently. Professor [Abbott Payson] USHER. M W F, 12. Goldwin Smith 264.

The course can be followed most profitably by students who have taken course 65a, but it may be elected independently. The history of English agriculture, 1700 to 1907; the poor laws, 1834 and 1909; the coming of free trade. 1776 to 1846; railroads and rate-making; Germany and the industrial supremacy of England.

1915-1916

Source: Announcement of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1915-16. Official Publications of Cornell University. Volume VI (May 1, 1915) Number 10.

Political Science 87. Principles of Economics. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. Professor [Alvin Saunders] JOHNSON [Apparently taught by Thomas Sewall Adams]. M W F, 11, Goldwin Smith 264. Prerequisite course 51 or its equivalent.

[Photo of T. S. Adams from the University of Wisconsin Badger of 1916]

An advanced course in general economics, based upon Marshall’s Principles of Economics as a text. Especial attention will be given in this course to the laws of value and price, of wages, interest, and profit.

Political Science 64. Money and Banking. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. Prerequisite course 51. Professor [Allyn Abbott] Young. T Th S, 10, Goldwin Smith 142.

A discussion of the more important phases of the theory of money and credit is followed by a consideration of selected practical problems, including the revision of the American banking system. Practical work is required in the analysis of the controlling conditions of the money market, of organized speculation in securities, and of foreign exchange.

Political Science 55a. Elementary Social Science. First term, credit three hours. Course 51 should precede or be taken with this course. Professor [Walter Francis] WILLCOX. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 256.

An introductory course upon social science or sociology, its field and methods, with special reference to the human family as a social unit, to be studied by the comparative, the historical, and the statistical methods.

Political Science 55b. Elementary Social Science. Second term, credit three hours. Course 51 should precede or be taken with this course. Professor [Walter Francis] WILLCOX. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 256.

A continuation of the preceding course but with especial reference to the dependent, defective, and delinquent classes. Open to all who have taken 55a and by special permission to others.

Knight’s note cards for lectures on “Valuation” are dated for either Monday or Tuesday meetings, but no more than one meeting per week. Notes for 21 meetings twelve on Mondays, nine on Tuesdays. So presumably his notes on valuation come from the following scheduled seminar courses.

Political Science 92. Research in Finance. Throughout the year, credit two or three hours a term. Professor [Allyn Abbott] YOUNG [and Thomas Sewall Adams]. T, 2.30. Goldwin Smith 269.

Individual or coöperative investigations of selected problems in money, banking, and corporation finance, in connection with lectures upon the sources of information and upon the use of appropriate methods of investigation.

Political Science 99. General Seminary. Throughout the year, credit two hours a term. Conducted by members of the department. M., 2.30-4.30, Political Science Seminary. Open only to graduate students

1916-1917

Source: Announcement of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1916-17. Official Publications of Cornell University. Volume VII (April 15, 1916) Number 10.

[1916-17 announcement] Political Science 51. Elementary Economics. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. One lecture and two recitations each week Lectures, M, 9; repeated M, 11. Barnes Auditorium. Assistant ~~Professor TURNER~~. Recitations, T Th, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; W F, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Assistant Professor [Abbott Payson] USHER, ~~Mr. CAMPBELL, Dr. WOODBURY,~~ Mr. [Charles Roland] HUGINS and Mr. [Clarence Cameron] KOCHENDERFER. Section assignments made at the first lecture.

From the Proceedings of the Cornell Board of Trustees Meeting of May 20, 1916 “J.R. Turner, Assistant Professor of Economics resigned effective June 30”. Also note resignations of Mr. Campbell and Dr. Woodbury. So they are struck out above. Comparing this to the announcement for the staffing of the course in 1917-1918. We see that Davenport was named as lecturers with assistant professor Reed, instructor Knight, and assistant Working appearing as well. Knight’s notes for the 1916-1917 lectures explicitly mention Davenport.

[1917-18 announcement] Political Science 51. Elementary Economics. Throughout the year, credit three hours a term. One lecture and two recitations each week. M, 9; M, 11. Barnes Auditorium. Professor [Herbert Joseph] DAVENPORT. Recitations, T Th, 8, 9, 10,11, 12; W F, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Assistant Professors [Abbott Payson] USHER and [Harold Lyle] REED, Dr. [Frank Hyneman] KNIGHT, Mr. [Charles Roland] HUGINS, Mr. [Clarence Cameron] KOCHENDERFER, and Mr. [Holbrook] WORKING. Section assignments made at the first lecture.

An introduction to economics including a survey of the principles of value, money, banking, and prices; international trade; free trade and protection, wages and labor conditions; the control of railroads and trusts; socialism, principles and problems of taxation.

Political Science 57b. Lectures on Citizenship. Second term, credit two hours. M W, 12, Goldwin Smith B.

A lecture each Monday by a non-resident lecturer and each Wednesday by a member of the Department. The course has been arranged by a committee of Alumni who are actively engaged in civic and social work and who are coöperating in this way with the Department. It will follow the same general plan as last year, but the speakers and most of the subjects treated will be changed.
The course will be under the general charge of Professor Orth. Reading, reports, and essays will be required.

Political Science 88. Value and Distribution. Throughout the year, credit two hours a term. ~~Professor [Alvin Saunders] JOHNSON~~. F, 2.30, Political Science Seminary.
[Johnson had resigned from the faculty, notes indicate that Davenport led the seminary that Knight has notes from October 21, 1916 through February 3, 1917.]

A study of the chief problems of current economic theory. The works of the chief contemporary authorities will be critically studied with a view to disclosing the basis of existing divergencies in point of view. It is desirable that students registering for this course should have a reading knowledge of German and French.

Political Science 89. Mathematical Economics. Throughout the year, credit two hours a term. Professor [Allyn Abbott] YOUNG. Hours to be arranged.

The use of mathematics in economic analysis, with special reference to the work of Cournot, Jevons, Edgeworth, Walras, Pareto, Auspitz and Lieben, and Fisher. Primarily for graduates.

Political Science 63a. Corporation Finance. First term, credit three hours. Prerequisite course 51. Professor [Allyn Abbott] YOUNG. T Th S, 11, Goldwin Smith 256.

A study of the business corporation, with special reference to its economic significance and effects and to the problems of its legal control, including an analysis of the financial operations of railroads, public utilities, and industrial corporations.

History 54. Economic History of the Colonies, 1600 to 1800. First term, credit three hours. Professor [Charles Henry] HULL. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 234.

Colonization and settlement as business enterprises: the agricultural conquest of the coast: the competition between slave, indentured, and free labor; the commerce of the British Empire and its relation to the American Revolution. Textbooks, reading. reports, and lectures.

History 55. Economic History of the United States, since 1800. Second term, credit three hours. Professor [Charles Henry] HULL. T Th S, 9, Goldwin Smith 234.

Commerce during the European wars; the introduction of manufactures; the westward movement; industrial differentiation of the sections; agriculture for export; the amalgamation of railways and the combination of industries. Textbooks, reading, reports, and lectures.

Philosophy ??. Seminary of Professor [James Edwin] Creighton.

[Note cards for eight sessions in April and May 1917]

Image Source: Portrait of Frank Knight (1930 Fellow) at the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation website. Most of the professors’ portraits were found in the Cornell Classbook (various years). Many of the portraits have been digitally enhanced by Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.

Tags AdamsTS, Davenport, HullCH, JohnsonAS, Knight, ReedHL, Usher, Willcox, WorkingH, Young

Brown Economists Harvard

Harvard. Economics Ph.D. alumnus Harry Edward Miller, 1923

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2025-01-02

Today we meet the economics Ph.D. alumnus Harry Edward Miller who was an Allyn A. Young dissertation student awarded a Harvard Ph.D. in 1923. Miller went on to become the Eastman professor of political economy at Brown University. He was only forty years old at the time of his death that resulted from hemorrhaging, a complication from a pancreaticoduodenectomy, probably attempted because of pancreatic cancer (cause of death information from death certificate).

This post provides the entire record for Harry Edward Miller found in the files of the Division of History, Government and Economics at Harvard. Bonus content includes the identification of all his graduate school courses and instructors plus a chronology of Miller’s life and career.

_______________________

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.

Harry Edward Miller, born October 11, 1897 at Boston Mass.

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

Boston University, 1915-19
Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences 1919-21

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

A.B., Boston University, 1919
A.M., Harvard University, 1920

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.)

Full-year courses in Modern & Medieval European History, American History, Comparative Government. Full-year courses in Principles of Economics, and half-year courses in Public Finance, Economic History of the U.S., Socialism, History of Economic Theory.
4 years of high-school Latin and one of college.
3 years of high-school French and one of college.
2 years of high-school German and 3 of college.

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.)

Economic Theory and Its History. (Econ. 11, 14, and 15. Half-year undergraduate course at Boston University in the history, full-year course in the theory.
Economic History since 1750 (Econ. 2 with additional reading and a half-year undergraduate course at Boston Univ.).
Statistical Method and its Application (Econ. 41).
Public finance (Econ 31 and a half-year undergraduate course at Boston University).
History of Political Theory. (Gov’t 6).
Money, Banking and Commercial Crises (Econ. 3 with additional reading, and Econ 38² hf. (to be taken during second semester of this year))

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

Money, Banking and Commercial Crises. (Econ.3)

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

To be determined.
[added by someone else] “Theories of Banking in the United States before the Civil War.” (with Professor Young)

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

I should prefer the general examination in the late spring of this year.

X. Remarks

[left blank]

Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.

[signed] Edmund E. Day

* * * [Last page of application] * * *

[Not to be filled out by the applicant]

Name: Harry E. Miller.

Approved: January 25, 1921.

Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock, March 28, 1921.

Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock, March 28, 1921.

Date of general examination Thursday, 3 November 1921, passed – A.A. Young

Thesis received April 1, 1923

Read by Professors Young, Sprague and

8 October 1921

My dear Sir:

Copy

8 November 1921

Dear Young:

I have your letter of 5 November, notifying me that H. E. Miller passed his general examination.

Could you without inconvenience let me know about the general quality of the examination and whether he had any margin. The Division desires a record of this kind for reference when a candidate comes to the later stages of his work, particularly the special examination, when the Committee may have no personal recollection of the general examination.

Sincerely yours,
[“x” for Haskins]

Professor A. A. Young

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

Supplementary Information for
General Examination of H. E. Miller

6 Hilliard Street, Cambridge, Mass.,
November 21, 1921.

	Grades
1919-20	Course	Half-Course
Economics 2a¹		B plus
Economics 2b²		A minus
Economics 11	A
Economics 31	B plus
Economics 41	A


1920-21	Course	Half-Course
Economics 14	A minus
Economics 15	A
Economics 38²		A
Government 6	A


1921-22	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20 (2 co.)	AA


1922-23	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20	[left blank]

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics, Ph.D. Degrees Conferred 1929-30. (UA V 453.270), Box 09.

__________________________

Course Names and Instructors

1919-20

Economics 2a ¹hf. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. Dr. E. E. Lincoln.

Economics 2b ²hf. Economic History of the United States. Dr. E. E. Lincoln.

Economics 11. Economic Theory. Professor Taussig.

Economics 31. Public Finance. Professor Bullock.

Economics 41. Statistical Theory and Analysis. Asst. Professor Day

1920-21

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

Economics 15. Modern Schools of Economic Thought. Professor Young.

Economics 38². Selected Monetary Problems. Professor Young.

Government 6. History of Political Theory. Professor McIlwain.

1921-23

Economics 20. Research Seminars.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College for 1919-20, 1920-21.

__________________________

Harry Edward Miller
Timeline of his life and career

1897. Born [Aaron Miller] on October 10 in Boston.

1918. Military service.

1919. A.B. Boston University.

1920. A.M. in economics Harvard University.

1923. Ph.D. in economics, Harvard. (Report of the President of Harvard College, 1922-23, p. 52)

1923-24. Assistant Professor, Clark University. Cf. Holyoke Daily Transcript (18 Aug 1923). [Note: Unable to find mention of Harry Edward Miller in the relevant Clark University catalogues.]

1924. Joins the Brown economics department at the rank of assistant professor.

1927. Banking Theories in the United States before 1860. Harvard University Press. Revision of Ph.D. thesis.

1928. Appointed associate professor on the Eastman Foundation, Brown University.

1930. Appointed Eastman Professor of Political Economy, Brown University.

1931. Chairman of the Rhode Island special commission for liquor legislation.

1935. Married Rosabelle Winer of New York.

1937. Died November 14 at Beth Israel Hospital in Brookline, Mass.

Sources: Obituary published in The New York Times (November 15, 1937) and the article “Harry Edward Miller” at online Encyclopedia Brunoniana.

Image Source: The Third Seal of Brown University (1834). The seal is still in use today.

Tags Bullock, MillerHarry, Taussig, Vanderblue, Young

Economists Harvard

Harvard. Academic record of Vervon Orval Watts, Ph.D. 1932

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2024-12-12

Vervon Orval Watts (1898-1993) was a faithful libertarian disciple of Harvard economics professor Thomas Nixon Carver. One of his course outlines from his time at Antioch College in Ohio has been transcribed and posted earlier.

In this post you will find the paper record of Watts’ march through the Division of History, Government and Economics that was rewarded with the award of a Ph.D. by the department of economics in 1932.

_______________________

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.

Vervon Orval Watts, March 25, 1898, Walkerton, [Ontario] Can.

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

University of Manitoba, 1914-1918; Harvard University, 1921—
Teaching Positions: Brandon College, Jan. 1 – July 1, 1919; Gilbert Plains, high school, 1919-1921; Harvard, Assistant in Economics, 1923-24 (Asst.); 1926-27 (gr.); T + T 1927-29.

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

A.B., University of Manitoba, 1918
A.M., Harvard University, 1923.

History:— Greek + Roman, 1 course; European, 2 1/2 courses; English History, 2 courses; Canadian History 1/2 course.
Economics:— Courses in Theory, Economic History, Public Finance, Money + Banking, Foreign Trade + Finance.
Government:— 1 course, Logic:— 1 course.
Languages:— Greek + Latin.

V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)

Economics.

Economic Theory and Its History.
At Harvard – Ec. 11, Ec. 14; at Manitoba – course in Theory + its History. Private Reading.
Public Finance.
At Harvard, Ec. 31; at Manitoba – 1 course. Private Reading.
International Trade + Tariff Policy.
At Harvard – Ec. 9b, Ec. 39;
At Manitoba – 1 course; Private Reading.
Economics of Agriculture.
At Harvard – Ec. 9a, Ec. 32;
– Assistant in Ec. 9a, 1923,
Private Reading.
Sociology.
At Harvard, Ec. 8,
–Assistant in Ec. 8, 1923
Private Reading.
History of England since the Reign of Henry VII.
At Harvard: Hist. 12; Auditor in Hist. S9 + Hist. 11.
At Manitoba: 1 course
Teaching of English History in high school; Private Reading.

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

Sociology.

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

The Development of the Technological Concepts of Production in Anglo-American Thought.

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

I should prefer the General Examination not before Feb. 1. Middle of March or few days after. [Handwritten note: “May 27/32”]

X. Remarks

Professor Carver.

Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.

[signed] T. N. Carver

* * * [Last page of application] * * *

[Not to be filled out by the applicant]

Name: Vervon Orval Watts

Approved: January 11, 1924

Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock, May 29, 1923.

Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock, May 29, 1923.

Date of general examination Monday, March 31, 1924. Passed. T.N.C.

Thesis received March 28, 1932

Read by Professors Carver and Taussig

My dear Mr. Watts:

This is to remind you that your general examination for the Ph.D. in Economics is to be held on Monday, 31 March, at 4 p.m. in Widener N.

Very truly yours,
Secretary of the Division

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

General Examination, Carver Reminder
[carbon copy]

Secretary of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dear Sir:

I have almost completed my doctoral dissertation in the field of economics, and I wish to be informed if there are any rules concerning the nature of the binding for the volume.

I am writing the thesis in Sociology under Professor Carver. Shall I send it to you or to him when it has been completed?

Very truly yours,
[signed] V. Orval Watts

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

Scheduling Special Examination

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

March 15, 1932

Miss Helen Prescott
772 Widener Memorial Library
Harvard University
Cambridge, Mass.

Dear Miss Prescott:

I should like to have my special examination placed at the end of May or the beginning of June if that will be convenient for Professor Carver.

Sincerely yours,
[signed] V. Orval Watts

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

V. O Watts: Apology for late thesis summary

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

March 31, 1932

Dear Miss Prescott:

I regret that my delay in writing you and in sending the summary of my thesis should have caused you the trouble and annoyance of writing me age in about it. For the past two weeks I have been exceedingly busy finishing the thesis while carrying the work of four courses. We also have an economics seminar which meets every week and I am serving on two faculty committees, one of which meets every week.

At the last moment, moreover, last Tuesday, I decided to have most of the thesis re-typed because the previous typing had been so faint. It may have been that the chemicals which are used on that ripple-finish paper may have caused the ink to fade on the earlier copy. At any rate, the work of supervising the typing and doing the proof-reading in addition to my regular teaching load led me to postpone everything I could as long as possible. I sent the summary off yesterday by special delivery, however, so that you should have received it by April first.

I should very much appreciate it if you could let me know soon whether or not my thesis appears to be acceptable. I am naturally anxious about it, especially since the last half of it has been written without Professor Carver’s supervision. It has certain merits, I believe, but I am very conscious of its short-comings. It would have been better if I had showed the earlier drafts of it to Professor Carver to secure his criticisms and suggestions; but every time I wrote a chapter I saw so many things I knew myself should be corrected that I disliked to show it to him, or to any one whose good opinion I valued, until I had done it as well as I could with it myself. In fact I still wanted to give it another revision before turning it in.

I trust that you and your sister are well. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that you were working with Professor Carver again. I am looking forward to seeing you and him again this spring, and I may bring my family along with me.

Very truly yours
[signed] V. Orval Watts

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

Letter to Carver

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

April 8, 1932

Professor Carver:

Professor Taussig read a short article I wrote in criticism of Stuart Chase’s Tragedy of Waste when I first considered the topic of waste as a thesis subject. At that time my ideas concerning my plan of procedure were vague, and Professor Taussig merely approved the general subject of economic waste as one worthy of further development. I did not return for further conferences with him.

Most of my conferences, other than those with yourself, were with Professor Young, whom I used to consult frequently during the last year he was at Harvard. The distinction between the economic and the engineering point of view and the historical approach which I took are largely the result of those conferences.

I had several conferences with Professor R. B. Perry of the philosophy department, and he read and discussed at some length with me the first chapter. Professor Mason also read a few of my earlier essays, and I had a few talks with him concerning the general subject. I have felt, however, that he never approved
either of me or of my ideas. Professor Black has stated the central idea of my thesis — the distinction between the economic and technological points of view — more clearly than any one else with whose work I am familiar, but I never had any conferences with him.

It seems to me that, all things considered, Professor Taussig is the most logical choice in the Economics Department for the examining board. He is very conscientious and honest in his criticisms and evaluations of students, yet I believe he is just and sympathetic towards new ideas.

I feel more keenly than ever at this time the loss of Professor Young, and I realize now that I may have made a mistake in not seeking the advice of Professor Taussig in writing my thesis after Professor Young left us. I always felt very reluctant to show my work to anyone, however, until I had done all I could with it myself. The distinction I have made in the thesis has not been clearly drawn by any other English writer, as far as I could discover, except by Professor Black, and I therefore felt it all the more necessary to state the idea as well as possible before
seeking criticism for it.

I expect to visit Cambridge and to see you and Professor Sorokin next Thursday or Friday. I am rather concerned about my ignorance of European sociology in view of Professor Sorokin’s interest in that field. I have been reading diligently in the history of sociological theory, but it is a very large field to cover, and I am hoping that Professor Sorokin may have some suggestions which will make my efforts more effective.

Sincerely yours,
[signed] V. Orval Watts

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

V. O Watts: List of Positions

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

May 3, 1932

Dear Miss Prescott:

I have just recalled that you asked me some time ago to send you a list of the positions I have held. If you wanted the list for the pamphlet which was being printed three weeks ago when I was in Cambridge it will be too late to send it now. But in case you may have a further use for it I am giving it herewith. You have my permission, however, to mention any or all of these titles if you wish.

1918-1919. Instructor, Brandon College, Canada
1919-1921. Assist. principal, Gilbert Plains High School, Gilbert Plains Canada.
1922-1923. Thayer Scholar, Harvard University
1924-1926. Instructor in Economics and Sociology, Clark University
1926-1927. Weld Scholar, Harvard University
1917-1929. Tutor in History, Government, and Economics, Harvard University
1929-1930. Lecturer in Economics and Sociology, Wellesley College
1930–. Assoc. Professor of Economics, Antioch College

As you may guess I am very anxious concerning the progress of my thesis through the gauntlet of the readers. I should very much appreciate it if I could obtain a hint of good news from the scene of action, but I suppose that the long list of theses presented this year is delaying the progress of all of them.

Yours sincerely,
[signed]
V. Orval Watts

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

Passed Special Examination

The committee appointed to conduct the special examination of Mr. V. Orval Watts on Friday, May 27, 1932, voted unanimously to accept the examination. It was agreed by all three examiners that it was a brilliant examination..

Signed: T. N. Carver

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

Antioch College informed
that Watts completed his Ph.D.

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Office of the President

June 6, 1932

Dr. T. N. Carver
Department of Economics,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dear Dr. Carver:

I thank you for your note about Mr. V. O. Watts. It is good to know that he did so well. His interest and enthusiasm in his work with us make his scholarly qualifications all the more productive.

Sincerely yours,
[signed] Arthur E. Morgan,
President.

AEM:HG

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

Ohio State Not Hiring

the ohio state university
George W. Wrightmeyer, President
Columbus

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
M. B. Hammond	Alma Herbst
A. B. Wolfe	R. H. Rowntree
H. G. Hayes	J. D. Blanchard
H. F. Walradt	J. M. Whitsett
Grace S. M. Zorbaugh	H. J. Bittermann
F. E. Held	C. J. Botte
L. Edwin Smart	R. T. Stevens
E. L. Bowers	Louis Levine
R. L. Dewey	Maurice A. Freeman
C. L. James	R. L. Horne
R. D. Patton	Wm. H. Mautz
Louise Stitt	J. H. Sloan
Virgil Willit

June 6, 1932

Professor T. N. Carver
Department of Economics
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dear Professor Carver:

I thank you for calling to my attention Mr. V. O. Watts, now teaching Economics at Antioch College. With your recommendation I do not doubt his ability to satisfy. However, the situation is about the same with us as it is at other western
institutions. We are not likely to make additions to the staff during the coming year. Those who are already employed are fighting hard to hold their jobs and there is a steady pressure on the part of graduate students to secure employment as assistants, readers, or in any other capacity, so that I do not anticipate any chance for Mr. Watts to find employment here. However, I will pass your letter to Dr. Bowers, who is acting chairman of the department, so that he can make use of it if there should be any change in the situation which calls for a new man.

I am, with best wishes,

Cordially yours,
[signed] M. B. Hammond

MBH:KU

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

Record of V. O. Watts in the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

1921-22	Course	Half-Course
Economics 9a		A
Economics 9b¹		A
Economics 11	B plus
Economics 32²		A
Economics 39²		A
German A	A minus


1922-23	Course	Half-Course
Economics 8	A
Economics 14	A minus
Economics 31	A
History 12	A minus

1923-24	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20

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

__________________________

Course Names and Instructors

1921-22

Economics 9a ¹hf. Economics of Agriculture [primarily for undergraduates]. Professor Carver.

Economics 9b ¹hf. International Trade and Tariff Policies. Professor Taussig.

Economics 11. Economic Theory. Professors Taussig and Young.

Economics 32 ²hf. Economics of Agriculture [primarily for graduates]. Professor Carver.

Economics 39 ²hf. International Finance. Asst. Professor Williams.

German A. Elementary Course. Professor Bierwirth et al.

1922-23

Economics 8. Principles of Sociology. Professor Carver.

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

Economics 41. Statistical Theory and Analysis. Professors Young and Day.

History 12. The History of England from 1688 to the Present Time. Professor Abbott.

1923-24

Economics 20. Course of Research in Economics.

Image Source: Portrait of Vervon Orval Watts in the Harvard Class Album, 1932.

Tags Carver, Taussig, Watts, Young

Economists Harvard

Harvard. Economics Ph.D. alumnus, Seymour Edwin Harris. 1926

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2024-08-25

While this post still needs the course transcript from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard to be complete, there is enough information about the 1926 Harvard economics Ph.D. Seymour Edwin Harris for it to be added to our series “Meet an economics Ph.D. alumnus/alumna”.

_______________________

Biographical/Historical Note

Seymour Edwin Harris was born September 8, 1897 in New York City. He received an A.B. in 1920 and a Ph.D. in 1926 from Harvard University. From 1922 to 1964, Dr. Harris taught economics at Harvard University, where he received a full professorship in 1954, and served as the chairman of the department of economics from 1955 to 1959. During World War II, Dr. Harris was involved in several wartime planning projects. From 1954 to 1956, Dr. Harris became chief economic advisor to Adlai Stevenson. He then served Senator John F. Kennedy in the same capacity and was chosen as a member of President Kennedy’s task force on the economy. In 1961, Dr. Harris was named as chief economic consultant to Douglas Dillon, Secretary of the Treasury. During the Kennedy administration. Dr. Harris, a proponent of Keynesian economics, was a member of Walter W. Heller’s New Frontiersmen, which persuaded President Kennedy that the stimulation of the economy was more important than a balanced budget and tax cuts and government spending could counter threats of a recession. In 1963, Dr. Harris became the chairman of the department of economics at the University of California at La Jolla. At the same time, he served as a chief economic advisor to the Johnson administration.

Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Archives. Guide to the Seymour E. Harris Personal Papers.

_______________________

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.

Seymour Edwin Harris. Sept. 8, 1897; Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

C.C.N.Y. – 1916-18. Harvard A.B. 1918-20.
Princeton – Instructor of Economics 1920-2.
Harvard – Tutor 1922-4.

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

A.B. Harvard. 1920.

IV. General Preparation. (Indicate briefly the range and character of your undergraduate 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, 3, 5, 11, 33
History 1, 12, 32b
Government 1, 17B.
Latin – 2 years at college. Greek – 1 year. French – 2 years (college). German – 1 year.

V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)

Economics.

Economic Theory & History.
Economics A, 11 – as undergraduate – 14, 15
Money and Banking.
Economics 38
Two half courses at Princeton Grad. School. (Currency Reform & Monetary Histor of the U.S.)
Statistics.
Economics 41
Public Finance
Economics 31
American History.
History 32b (as Undergraduate)
& Private reading
[Left blank]

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

Money and Banking with International Trade as a substitute field [committee: Professors Young (chairman), Taussig, Gay, and Monroe]

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

Subject? [The Assignat]
Professor Young.

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

May 15, 1924
[March (early), 1926]

X. Remarks

I have not decided on any subject. At present, I expect to write in Theory, and I hope under Professor Young.

Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.

Allyn A. Young

* * * [Last page of application] * * *

[Not to be filled out by the applicant]

Name: S. E. Harris

Approved: April 2, 1924

Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock, 10 May 1923.

Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock, 10 May 1923.

Date of general examination April 29, 1924. Passed A.A.Y.

Thesis received March 5, 1926

Read by [left blank]

Approved [left blank]

Date of special examination [left blank]

Recommended for the Doctorate [left blank]

Degree conferred [left blank]

Remarks. [left blank]

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

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 10, 1923

This is to certify that I have examined Mr. S.E. Harris and have found that he has such a knowledge of French and German as we require of candidates for the Ph.D. degree.

Very truly yours
[signed]
C. J. Bullock [K]

Dean D. H. Haskins

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

Passed General Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 30, 1924

Dear Dean Haskins:

As Chairman of the Committee to conduct the general examination of S. E. Harris for the degree of Ph.D., I beg to report that Mr. Harris passed the examination. It was the opinion of the Committee that Mr. Harris’ showing was distinctly good, “better than the average”.

Yours sincerely,
[signed]
Allyn A. Young

Dean C. H. Haskins

[Note: The exam was held Tuesday, 29 April at 4 p.m. in Widener D. Committee: Professors Young, Crum, Bullock, Williams and Dr. Merk with Professor Persons substituting for Professor Crum at the examination.]

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

Passed Special Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 12, 1926

To the Division of History, Government and Economics:

As chairman of the committee appointed to conduct the special examination of Mr. S. E. Harris for the degree of Ph.D. in Economics I beg to report that Mr. Harris passed a very creditable examination.

[signed]
Allyn A. Young

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics, Ph.D. Degrees Conferred 1929-30. (UA V 453.270), Box 6.

Image Source: This particular portrait of Seymour E. Harris has been cropped from the 1934 Harvard Album. The identical portrait can be found already in the 1925 Harvard Album.

Tags Bullock, Gay, Harris, Monroe, Persons, Taussig, WilliamsJH, Young

Economists Harvard

Harvard. Application for PhD candidacy. Edward S. Mason, 1923

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2024-05-30

Below you will find a transcription of the paper trail of Edward Sagendorph Mason that documents the satisfaction of the requirements for his Ph.D. in economics (Harvard, 1925).

Understatement is almost an art form in the hands of the chairman (Professor Frank W. Taussig) of Mason’s final doctoral examination that followed acceptance of his dissertation: “His showing was highly creditable, even brilliant”.

_______________________

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.

Edward Sagendorph Mason, Clinton, Iowa. Feb. 22, 1899.

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

University of Kansas 1916-’19
Harvard (graduate school) one year 1919-’20
Oxford University (Lincoln College) 1920-’23

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

A.B. Kansas 1919
M.A. Harvard 1920
B. Litt. Oxford 1923

30-40 hours in Economics (Theory – Econ. Hist. – Banking – Hist. of Theory)
Political theory – American government.
English History – Modern French History.
French – 3 years.
English literature – 20-30 hours.

V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)

Economics

Economic Theory. – Econ 11 at Harvard. Elementary and advanced courses at Kansas. – Reading and lectures in England and Germany.
History of Theory (from Plato & Aristotle). Elementary course at Kansas – Reading and lectures at Oxford
Statistics. – Graduate course at Harvard. Additional Reading.
Public Finance. – Graduate course at Harvard.
Economic History of England and the United States. – Elementary course in U.S. Econ. History at Kansas. Lectures and reading at Oxford.
American Government and Constitutional Law. – Elementary course in Am. Gov. at Kansas. Graduate course in Const. Law at Harvard. Additional reading.
International Trade.

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

International Trade

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

Dumping – A Study of Certain International Trade Practices. ~~England, Germany and the United States (B. Litt. Dissertation at Oxford in this subject. May submit same at Harvard.)~~
Professor Taussig.

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

General Examination. June 10th or after.
Special Examination. Next year.

X. Remarks

Attendance at Oxford makes it impossible for me to present myself before June 10th at the earliest.

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: Edward S. Mason

Approved: May 28, 1923

Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock. Oct 3, 1923.

Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock. Oct. 3, 1923.

Date of general examination November 27, 1923. Passed. F.W. Taussig, ch[airman]

Thesis received 22 December 1924.

Read by Professors Taussig, Young, Williams.

Approved 14 January 1925.

Date of special examination 22 January 1925. Passed F.W.T.

Recommended for the Doctorate [left blank]

Degree conferred 24 February 1925

Remarks. [left blank]

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

Record of E. S. Mason in the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

1919-20

Economics 11 [Economic Theory. Prof. Taussig]	A
Economics 31 [Public Finance, Prof. Bullock]	A minus
Economics 41 [Statistics: Theory and Analysis, Asst. Prof. Day]	B plus
Government 19 [American Constitutional Law, Mr. MacLeish]	A
A.M. 1920

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

Dean not amused by late application

28 April 1923

My dear Mr. Mason:

Your application requesting for arrangements for a general examination this year has just been received. I am rather surprised that you should hand it in at such a late date and expect us to meke such arrangements. The list of examinations has been scheduled and printed for some weeks, and we cannot guarantee examinations for anyone after the first of June as it is exceedingly difficult to secure the presence of all the members of the examining comittee in Cambridge on the same day after the close of the lecture period. If you will indicate definitely the date of your return, which you mention vaguely in your letter, we shall try, however to arrange a committee for you at that time. Nothing can be promised, but we shall try to do what we can. I appreciate the convenience to you of taking the general examination this year, but I beg to remind you that due notice should be given of your plan of study and of your application for a general examination.

Very truly yours,
[unsigned carbon copy]

Edward S. Mason

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

Mason responds to the Dean regarding an early date for his general examination

Lincoln College,
Oxford.

May 9, 1923.

Dean C. H. Haskins,
Harvard University.

My dear Sir –

If it is convenient for you and for the examiners I should like to take the Ph.D. general examination (Economics) on June 12th. I am writing to Professor Bullock, my examiner in French and German, asking to be allowed to present myself June 11th for the language examinations.

May I emphasize again that if it causes the slightest inconvenience to yourself or the examiners, I should very much like to have the examination postponed till October or November, since I intend to be at Harvard next year in any case.

Thanking you for the trouble you have taken.

I am,

Very Truly Yours,
[signed] Edward S. Mason

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

Division Memo Regarding Planned General Examination (undated)

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
(INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE SHEET)

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Edward S. Mason

June 10, or after.

[Taussig] Economic Theory
[Bullock] History of Theory (from Plato to Aristotle)
[Crum] Statistics
[Burbank] Public Finance
[Usher] Economic History of England and the United States
[Holcombe] American Government and Constitutional Law.

Special field: International Trade

Thesis being done with Professor Taussig.
Professor Taussig has signed the application.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Cambridge, Massachusetts
January 27, 1925.

Dear Haskins:

I have to report that Edward S. Mason passed his special examination for the Ph.D. degree on Thursday, January 22, by unanimous vote of the Committee. His showing was highly creditable, even brilliant.

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

Dean C. H. Haskins

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

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics. PhD. Examinations, Box 6: 1924-26.

Image Source: Portrait of Edward S. Mason included in the Harvard Class Album 1932.

Tags Mason, Persons, Taussig, WilliamsJH, Young

Economists Harvard Transcript

Harvard. Application for PhD candidacy. James Waterhouse Angell, 1921

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2024-01-18

The empirical questions behind most of the collection of archival artifacts found here at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror can be reduced to i) what was being taught ii) who was teaching it, and iii) what was the pattern of the courses actually taken by young economists. These artifacts can be thought of as occupying cell(s) in a matrix of year by academic institution, e.g. this post deals with question (iii) and will be filed in the Harvard, early 1920’s cell.

James Waterhouse Angell (1898-1986) was a Harvard and Chicago trained economist who joined the Columbia faculty upon receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1924. He was a member of Columbia’s faculty for over forty years, interrupted by government service during World War II at the War Production Board and the Foreign Economics Administration. More about his life and career can be read in his New York Times obituary (April 1, 1986)

With this post we have the record for Angell in Harvard’s Division of History, Government, and Economics. It provides us with a wealth of information about his academic training. There will be a flow of such records for other graduate students that promises to match the flow of syllabi and exams, the stock of which constitute the core of archival material.

You should subscribe to Economics in the Rear-view Mirror if you are working on the history of economics. To do so scroll down (or search “Subscribe” on this page from your web browser).

_______________________

Autobiographical snippet

Angell’s personal statement in the 25th year anniversary report of the Harvard Class of 1918

_______________________

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.

James Waterhouse Angell. May 20, 1898. Chicago.

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

Undergraduate: Harvard 1914-18. Graduate: University of Chicago, March 1919-June 1920; Harvard, September 1920-date. Teaching: Assistant in Economics, Univ. of Chicago, October 1919-June 1920.

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

A.B. Harvard, 1918. [magna cum laude]

IV. General Preparation. (Indicate briefly the range and character of your undergraduate 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.)

History. Harvard: Hist. A, 30a. Government. Univ. of Chicago: Elementary Comp. Govt. Economics. Harvard: Economics A, 2a, 2b, 4b, 5a, 5b. Univ. of Chicago: Labor Problems, Money and Banking, Statistics.

Greek: Harvard: Greek G, A, 2, 8. Latin. Harvard: Latin B, 8. French. Harvard: French 2. Philosophy. Univ. of Chicago: Social and Political Philosophy. Psychology. Harvard: Psychology A, Univ. of Chicago: Social Psychology.

V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)

Economics

Economic Theory and Its History. Harvard: Economics A, 11, 14; Univ. of Chicago: History of Econ. Thought. Teaching: Univ. of Chicago: 2 quarters of elementary theory, 1920.
Economic History since 1750. Harvard: Economics 2a and 2b.
Public Finance. Harvard: Economics 5a, 5b, 31
Money and Banking. Harvard: Economics 38. Univ. of Chicago: Elementary Money & Banking. Also private reading.
International Trade and Tariff Policy. Harvard: Economics 33; and private reading.
[Constitutional] History of the U.S., 1789-1914. Univ. of Chicago. 3 quarters of graduate study. (A. D. Mr. Laughlin)

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

~~Special subject either Economic Theory or Public Finance; to be specified later.~~ Money and Banking

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

International Price Levels (With Professors Taussig and Young)

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

General: Last week in October, 1921.

X. Remarks

[Left blank]

Signature of a member of the Division certifying approval of the above outline of subjects.

[signed] Edmund E. Day

* * * [Last page of application] * * *

[Not to be filled out by the applicant]

Name: James W. Angell

Approved: April 29, 1921

Ability to use French certified by Charles J. Bullock. 10 March, 1922 B.S.M.

Ability to use German certified by Charles J. Bullock, 10 March, 1922 B.S.M.

Date of general examination June 2, 1922 Passed A.A.Y.

Thesis received Oct. 15, 1923

Read by Professors Taussig, Young, and Persons

Approved October 29, 1921

Date of special examination Thursday, March 6, 1924. Passed A.A. Young

Recommended for the Doctorate[left blank]

Degree conferred [left blank]

Remarks. [left blank]

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

Record of James Waterhouse Angell in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University

1920-21

Economics 11. [Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig]	A
Economics 14[History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848, Prof. Bullock]	A minus
Economics 31 [Public Finance, Prof. Bullock]	A
Economics 33¹ [half course] [International Trade and Tariff Problems, Prof. Taussig]	A
Economics 38² [half course] [Selected Monetary Problems, Prof. Young]	A

Attained the degree of Master of Arts.

Annotated Typescript for
Division of History, Government, and Economics
Examinations for the Degree of Ph.D. 1923-1924

JAMES WATERHOUSE ANGELL.

SPECIAL EXAMINATION in Economics, passed. Thursday, March 6, 1924.

GENERAL EXAMINATION passed June 2, 1922.

ACADEMIC HISTORY: Harvard College, 1914-18; University of Chicago, March, 1919, to June, 1920; Harvard Graduate School, 1920-23. A.B., 1918; A.M., 1921. Assistant in Economics, University of Chicago, 1919-20; Tutor in the Division of History, Government, and Economics, Harvard, 1921-22; Frederick Sheldon Travelling Fellow, Harvard, 1922-23; Instructor in Economics and Tutor in the Division of History, Government, and Economics, Harvard, 1923-4.

GENERAL SUBJECTS: 1. Economic Theory and Its History. 2. Economic History since 1750. 3. Public Finance. 4. Money and Banking. 5. International Trade and Tariff Policy. 6. American History since 1789.

SPECIAL SUBJECT: Money and Banking.

COMMITTEE: Professors Young (chairman), Taussig, Williams,
and Sprague.

THESIS SUBJECT: The Theory of International Prices and its History.

COMMITTEE ON THESIS: Professors Taussig, Young, and Persons.

_______________________

Image Source: James Waterhouse Angell’s July 18, 1922 U.S. passport application. National Archives.

Tags AngelJW, Bullock, Day, Persons, Taussig, Young

Economists Harvard

Harvard. Economics Graduate School Records of Jacob Viner. 1914-1922

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2023-11-11

Records of individual Harvard economics graduate students are strewn across the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Division of History, Government, and Economics (formerly Division of History and Political Science), and the Department of Economics at Harvard as well as in the archival papers of their professors or themselves. Seek and sometimes ye shall find.

In this post Economics in the Rear-view Mirror presents transcriptions of the items found in the file for Jacob Viner in the papers of the Division of History, Government, and Economics. We see from the application form (then referred to as a “blank”) that the administrative unit responsible for monitoring the satisfaction of the Ph.D. requirements by degree candidates was the Division. Course records and transcripts were issued by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

An interesting anecdote found in the correspondence included below is that Viner committed the indiscretion of announcing in print the completion of his Ph.D. before he had been properly awarded the degree by Harvard. One wonders if his examination committee let him know that they knew and were, like the Dean of the Division, not amused by his presumption.

_______________________

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.

Jacob Viner, Montreal, Canada, May 3^rd, 1892.

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

McGill University, Faculty of Arts. Sept. 1911 to May 1914.

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

B.A. McGill University, May 1914.
A.M. Harvard, June 1915.

History. (1) General Course, (2) History of England, (3) Recent Developments

Government. (1) General Course, (2) Govt of Canada, (3) Social Reform.

Latin. Two college years. — Horace, Tibullus, Caesar, Livy, Cicero.

French. Two college years advanced work.

Philosophy. (1) Logic, (2) History of Ethics, (3) Theory of Ethics.

Economics. (1) Economic History of England, (Canadian Industrial Problems. (3) Money & Banking, and courses listed [below].

V. Department of Study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?)

Economics

1. Economic Theory.
  Elementary & Advanced Courses at McGill.
  11, Ec. 12a (1914-15), Ec. 17, Ec. 7a, Ec 14, at Harvard.
2. International Trade.
  33 (full course.) Harvard.
3. Public Finance.
  Course at McGill.
  31, Harvard.
4. Course at McGill.
  Ec. 8, Ec. 18, Harvard.
5. Economic History since 1770.
  2a, Ec. 2b, Harvard.
6. Theory of Value. (Philosophy.).
  Phil 25a

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

International Trade

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

International Balance of Payments
Prof. Taussig

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

Spring, 1916 (General).

X. Remarks

[Left blank]

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: Jacob Viner

Approved: Jan 21, 1916

Ability to use French certified by C. J. Bullock 7 April 1916 D.H.

Ability to use German certified by C. J. Bullock 7 April 1916 D.H.

Date of general examination May 19, 1916 Passed

Thesis received February, 1921

Read by Professors Taussig, Persons, and Young

Approved October 29, 1921

Date of special examination Friday, March 18, 1921

Recommended for the Doctorate January, 1922

Degree conferred February, 1922

Remarks. [Left blank]

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

Record of JACOB VINER in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University

1914-15

Economics 11. [Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig]	A
Economics 12¹[Scope and Methods of Economic Investigation, Prof. Carver]	A-
Economics 17 [Economic Theory: Value and Related Problems, Asst. Prof. Anderson]	A
Economics 33 (full co. [full course]) [International Trade, with special reference to Tariff Problems in the United States, Prof. Taussig]	A
Economics 34 [Problems of Labor, Prof. Ripley]	B-
German A [Elementary Course]	B+
University Scholar
A.M. at Commencement.

1915-16

Economics 2a¹[European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century, Prof. Gay]	A-
Economics 2b²[Economic and Financial History of the United States, Prof. Gay]	abs.
Economics 7a¹[Economic Theory, Prof. Taussig] [Note: this course not included in GSAS record for Viner]	abs.
Economics 8¹[Principles of Sociology, Prof. Carver]	A
Economics 14 [History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848, Prof. Bullock]	(A)…mid-year grade, excused from final
Economics 18a²[Analytical Sociology, Asst. Prof. Anderson]]	credit for residence
Economics 31 [Public Finance, Prof. Bullock]	(A-)…mid-year grade, excused from final
Philosophy 18²[Present Philosophical Tendencies. Materialism, Pragmatism, Idealism, and Realism. Prof. R. B. Perry]	abs.
Philosophy 25a¹[Theory of Value, Prof. R. B. Perry]	A-
Henry Lee Memorial Fellow.

Note: Original record found in Harvard University Archives. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Record Cards of Students, 1895-1930, Sun—Walls (UAV 161.2722.5). File I, Box 14, Record Card of Jacob Viner.

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
E. F. Gay
W. M. Cole
O. M. W. Sprague
E. E. Day
B. M. Anderson, Jr.
H. L. Gray

Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 7, 1916.

This is to certify that I have examined Mr. J. Viner, and find that he has a good reading knowledge of French and German.

[signed] Charles J. Bullock

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

7 April 1916

Dear Perry:

Could you serve as one of the committee for the General Examination of Jacob Viner on Friday, May 19, at 4 p.m.?

Sincerely yours,
[copy unsigned]

Professor R. B. Perry.

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

Cambridge April 8-‘16

I shall be glad to help out with Viner’s General Exam on May 19.

[signed] R B Perry

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
E. F. Gay
W. M. Cole
O. M. W. Sprague
E. E. Day
B. M. Anderson, Jr.

Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 20, 1916.

Dear Haskins:

I beg to certify that Jacob Viner passed satisfactorily his general examination for the degree of Ph. D. in Economics. I enclose his application for your files.

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

Dean C. H. Haskins.

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

7 February 1921

Dear Mr. Viner,

Your letter of 22 January gives this office its first information that you plan to be a candidate for the Doctor’s degree this year. Will you kindly fill out and return at once the enclosed blank, which was due 15 January?

If you plan to have your Special Examination arranged in the middle of March, you will have to give a wider margin for an examination of your thesis than you indicate in your letter.

At least a month will be necessary between the receipt of the thesis and the time provisionally set for the examination. In arranging the examinations of non-resident students we try to consider their convenience; but there must be due notice in advance, and due opportunity for reading the thesis in its final form with deliberation.

You raise the question of the subject on which you are to be examined. Does that mean that you desire to change the special field, which on your plan is indicated an International Trade?

If your thesis does not reach us until the first of March, we could doubtless arrange to examine you some Saturday after 1 April; or possibly early in June, at the conclusion of your instruction for the spring quarter.

Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]

Mr. Jacob Viner.

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

17 February 1921

My dear Professor Persons:

Dean Haskins would be glad if you would serve on the committee to read the thesis of Mr. Jacob Viner, entitled “The Canadian Balance of International Indebtedness, 1900-13.” The thesis will reach you within a few days.

Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor W. M. Persons.

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

17 February 1921

My dear Professor Young:

Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor A. A. Young

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

17 February 1921

My dear Professor Taussig:

Dean Haskins will be very glad if you will read Mr. Jacob Viner’s Ph.D. thesis, which is now in your hands, and he has included Professor Persons among the members of the Committee, as you suggested. Professor Day would appreciate it, however, if he could be relieved from serving on the Committee on account of pressure of work, and Mr. Haskins has appointed Professor Young to read the thesis in his place, provided that the change meets with your approval. I enclose an acceptance slip to be included with the thesis.

Very truly yours,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor F. W. Taussig

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
J. S. Davis
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
E. E. Lincoln
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole

Cambridge, Massachusetts
February 20, 1921.

Dear Haskins:

Viner is sending me his thesis by instalments.

A previous instalment of considerable size, sent in some time ago, has already been read by Bullock and Day, as well as by myself. Probably we should avoid some waste of energy if these two were put on the thesis committee with myself. Needless to say, this suggestion is to be considered in the light of your apportionment of the general work of thesis reading.

Yesterday over the telephone I suggested on the spur of the moment that Persons might be on the committee. He is thoroly [sic] conversant with the subject, and would be a good member; certainly if Bullock should find it inconvenient to serve.

Sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig

Dean C. H. Haskins

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

10 March 1921

My dear Dr. Dewing:

Dean Haskins is arranging the Special Examination of Mr. Jacob Viner for the Ph.D. in Economics for March 18 (Friday) at 4 P.M. Mr. Viner’s field is International Trade.

Would you be able to serve on his Examining Committee? The other members consist of Professors Taussig, (chairman), Young, and Persons.

Since the time before the examination is very short, are to the fact that Mr. Viner’s thesis was in the hands of the Committee until very recently, and had not been approved, we should be glad If you would either return the enclosed card with your signature, or let us know by telephone whether you can serve.

I shall notify you later of the place.

Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor A. S. Dewing.

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

I can serve on the Committee for the Special Examination of Mr. Viner on Friday, March 18, at 4 P. M.

[Signed] Arthur S. Dewing

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

11 March 1921

My dear Professor Taussig:

I am sending formal notice to the members of Mr. Viner’s examination committee that the examination will be held on Friday, 18 March, as you suggested. Professor Dewing will serve as the fourth member of the committee, the other three being the members of the thesis committee — yourself, Professor Young, and Professor Persons. I am assuming that the hour will be 4 P.M. as usual.

Very truly yours,
[unsigned]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor F. W. Taussig.

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

11 March 1921

My dear Professor Persons:

I am writing you in order to confirm the arrangements for Mr. Viner’s Special Examination, about which I believe Professor Taussig has already spoken to you. Dean Haskins has set the date as Friday, March 18, and the time will be 4 P. M. Mr. Viner’s special field is International Trade. The Committee consists of Professors Taussig (chairman), Young, Persons, and yourself.

Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor W. M, Persons.

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

11 March 1921

My dear Professor Young:

I am writing you in order to confirm the arrangements for Mr, Viner’s Special Examination, of which I believe Professor Taussig has already told you. Dean Haskins has set the date as March 18 (Friday), and the time will be 4 P. M. His special field is International Trade.

The Committee consists of Professors Taussig (chairman), Young, Persons, and Dewing.

Yours very truly,
[unsigned copy]
Secretary of the Division.

Professor A. A. Young.

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

15 March 1921

Dear Taussig:

I am enclosing Jacob Viner’s papers for your use at his examination on Friday, 18 March. Viner seems to be very optimistic about his success in his examination, as I notice in the last circular of the University of Chicago he was already listed as a Ph.D. I trust that his attention may be called to the impropriety of his using the degree not only until he has passed the examination but until it is actually conferred.

Sincerely yours,
[unsigned copy]

Professor F. W. Taussig

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
J. S. Davis
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
E. E. Lincoln
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole

Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 22, 1921.

Dear Haskins:

I find there is no chance of Viner’s fixing up the thesis before April 1. His commitments for the coming week are many, and moreover his time will be absorbed by teaching upon his return. He will not present himself as a candidate again this year. What may be the status of the examination which he took, and on which the report would be favorable, remains to be seen. I take it this question need not be considered until it is presented.

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

Dean C. H. Haskins

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

F. W. Taussig
T. N. Carver
W. Z. Ripley
C. J. Bullock
A. A. Young
W. M. Persons
E. E. Day
H. H. Burbank
A. S. Dewing
J. H. Williams
A. E. Monroe
A. H. Cole
R. S. Tucker
R. S. Meriam

Cambridge, Massachusetts
October 29, 1921.

Dear Haskins:

Viner’s thesis has been approved, and the only question that remains is about the acceptance of his Special Examination last June. Young will present the matter for the consideration of the Administrative Board at its next meeting. Will you kindly see that it is on the docket for the meeting?

Sincerely yours,
[signed] F. W. Taussig

Dean C. H. Haskins

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

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics. Ph.D. Examinations 1921-22 to 1922-23. Box 4. Folder “Jacob Viner”.

Image Source: University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-08489, Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Tags Bullock, Persons, Taussig, Viner, Young

Exam Questions Harvard

Harvard. Final exam questions for statistics and insurance/speculation. Allyn Young, 1911

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2022-04-22

If you were an important enough economist in your time, even shards of your course content are worthy of transcription and preservation as artifacts at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.

Allyn Young was a visiting professor of economics at Harvard from Stanford during the academic year 1910-11. According to the course announcements for the year, he was to teach a two-term statistics course and two one-term courses, mathematical economics (fall term) and insurance and speculation (spring term). It doesn’t look like the mathematical economics course was actually held (no enrollment figures were reported nor could I find a final exam for that course). Maybe the course was still unofficially still taught to auditors anyway, or maybe it was withdrawn due to lack of student interest, who knows?

The jewel of the post is the final exam for Young’s course on insurance and speculation. It appears to have been a one-off offering, but nonetheless an early attempt to bring risk/uncertainty into the finance curriculum. The year-end examination in Statistics has been transcribed and included below.

____________________________

Economics 4. Statistics.

Course Announcement

[Economics] 4. Statistics. Tu., Th., at 11. Professor Young (Leland Stanford Jr. University).

Source: Harvard University. Announcement of the Courses of Instruction offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the Academic Year 1910-11, p. 63.

Course Enrollment

[Economics] 4. Professor Young (Leland Stanford Jr. University. — Statistics. Theory, method, and practice.

Total 26: 5 Graduates, 8 Seniors, 9 Juniors, 1 Sophomore, 2 Freshmen, 1 Other.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1910-11, p. 49.

Economics 4
[Mid-Year Examination, 1911]

[Note: no printed copy was found in the Harvard Archives collection of Mid-Year Examinations.]

Economics 4
[Year-End Examination, 1911]

Answer eight questions.

In what ways did (1) “German university statistics” and (2) “political arithmetic” differ from modern “statistics”?
What errors are found in age statistics?
In what ways may the death rates of two or more cities be accurately compared?
What are the best methods of measuring the change in the length of human life? What different things may be meant by the “length of human life”?
Discuss census statistics of manufactures, with special reference to the definitions of (1) “manufactures,” and (2) “capital.”
What are the chief uses of price statistics? How are the problems of (1) choosing quotations, and (2) weighting, affected by the intended use?
What different methods of “smoothing” a statistical diagram can you suggest? When should diagrams be “smoothed” and when not?
What refinements of method should be observed in making comparisons of the birth rate at different periods or for different classes of the population?
May it be expected that most frequency curves will approximate the normal curve of error? Why?

Source: Harvard University Archives. Harvard University Examination Papers, 1873-1915. Box 9, Papers set for Final Examinations in History, Government, Economics,… in Harvard College, June 1911 (in the bound volume Examination Papers 1910-11), p. 42.

____________________________

Economics 27. Mathematical Economics.

Course Announcement

[Economics] 27 ¹hf. Mathematical Economics. Half-course (first half-year). Tu., Th., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Sat., at 12. Professor Young (Leland Stanford Jr. University).

Source: Harvard University. Announcement of the Courses of Instruction offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the Academic Year 1910-11, p. 64.

[No enrollment data were reported in the Report of the President of Harvard College 1910-11. A printed copy of the semester final examination was not included in the Mid-Year Examinations 1911 volume in the Harvard Archives. It appears that the course was in fact not offered during the first term of 1910-11 as originally planned.]

____________________________

Economics 28. Insurance and Speculation.

Course Announcement

[Economics] 28 ²hf. Insurance and Speculation. Half-course (second half-year). Tu., Th., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Sat., at 12. Professor Young (Leland Stanford Jr. University).

Source: Harvard University. Announcement of the Courses of Instruction offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the Academic Year 1910-11, p. 65.

Course Enrollment

[Economics] 28 ²hf. Professor Young (Leland Stanford Jr. University. — Insurance and Speculation.

Total 84: 3 Graduates, 27 Seniors, 35 Juniors, 12 Sophomores, 1 Freshman, 6 Others.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1910-11, p. 50.

* * * * * * * *

Note: Allyn A. Young published an article “Insurance and Speculation” in the Grolier series The Book of Popular Science (1924 edition, vol. 12) which was reprinted in the valuable collection edited by Perry G. Mehrling and Roger J. Sandilands, Money and Growth: Selected Papers of Allyn Abbott Young. Routledge, 1999.

* * * * * * * *

Economics 28
[Final Examination, 1911]

Answer eight questions.

What is self-insurance? What are its possibilities and its limitations?
Discuss briefly the advisability and the possibility of federal control of insurance.
What are “deferred dividend policies”? In what ways were they found to be objectionable?
Explain briefly the effects of speculation upon price fluctuations.
Describe the methods of a typical “hedging” operation on the part of the seller or buyer of an actual commodity.
What are “options”? Why are they discountenanced by the American exchanges?
What would be the probably economic effects of a prohibition of short-selling?
What do you consider to be the real evils of speculation? Suggest remedies.
Explain briefly the essential features of the methods of the New York Stock Exchange clearing house.

Image Source: The 1918 Cornell yearbook, The Cornellian (vol. 50), p. 18.

Tags Young

Economics Programs Economists Harvard Teaching Undergraduate

Harvard. Promotion for Harold H. Burbank, Job Offer for Allyn Young 1919

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2022-03-20

This provides some back-story to the rise of Harold Hitchings Burbank in the Harvard economics department. Coincidentally, some light is cast on the salary negotiations involved in the hire of Allyn Young, as well as the hopes the department of economics held in the prospect of Young joining the economics department.

Chairman Bullock’s characterization of Burbank “He does everything willingly, but we are already in danger of driving the willing horse to death” is not exactly the language a chairman today would use today to justify a promotion for an assistant professorship…I hope.

___________________________

Harvard University
Department of Economics

F.W. Taussig
T.N. Carver
W.Z. Ripley
C.J. Bullock
E.F. Gay
W.M. Cole
O.M.W. Sprague
E.E. Day
B.M. Anderson, Jr.
J.S. Davis
H.H. Burbank
E.E. Lincoln

Cambridge, Massachusetts
12 o’clock. January 28, 1919.

Dear Mr. Lovell:

I have failed thus far to get in touch with Dr. Burbank, but will leave word at his house, and he will doubtless come to see you tomorrow.

I wish to express the hope that you will not propose any arrangement to him by which he will have to do any more work or make any more labor-consuming adjustment in connection with his work this year. He does everything willingly, but we are already in danger of driving the willing horse to death. Your suggestion that recent graduates now studying in the Law School be put in to do section work in Economics A. involves, even tho these new men are placed in charge of sections which began work in September, an amount of labor, responsibility, and worry on Burbank’s part which I feel strongly It would be unfair to ask of him.

I have not myself been one of the real sufferers from the war, so far as University work is concerned. Such extra work as I have had to do for the men in Washington has been comparatively limited in amount, and some of my ordinary work has been decreased so that I have not suffered greatly. But the younger men who have stood by us have had a bad time, and I feel so keenly that it is unjust not to give them relief as soon as we can do it that I hate to think of Burbank’s being asked to make any further readjustments in Economics A.

You will recall, if you will review the last two years, that I have not found difficulties in the way of doing the things which it was necessary to ask the Department to do, and have been ready to disorganize, or readjust and adapt, to any necessary extent. I have further found the ways of doing this; and only last fall, in spite of the fact that I felt it was hardly right for Day to be taken from us, I went to a deal of trouble to fix up an arrangement under which he might be released. If I saw any arrangement now, I would surely make it, as I have done in the past. If Burbank can think of any arrangement that I have not been able to think of, I shall be glad to have it put into effect; but I wish to represent to you that it will not only be bad for the course, but very unfair for Burbank to ask him to take young and inexperienced instructors whose heart is in the Law School work anyway, and fit them into section work in Economics A at this time. Moreover, this arrangement involves delay of at least ten days or a fortnight, and our men need relief at the earliest moment. There are certainly no suitable men in the Law School now; and if any register next week, it will take time to find them out, to make arrangement, and to have them get up their work so that they are fit to take charge of a section. should think that under this plan it would be more rather than less than a fortnight before our men would get any relief. If you could know from actual contact with conditions what I have been compelled to know about the work of our young men during the war, I believe you would feel as strongly as I do that what they need now is immediate relief and not a plan by which they will have to spend the next month breaking in green, and possibly inefficient, substitutes. By the time that Burbank gets Economics A running smoothly again, if, indeed, that can be done at all, the term will be most over and the acute need of relief will be almost at an end.

Sincerely yours,
[Signed] Charles J. Bullock

President A. Lawrence Lowell

___________________________

Harvard University
Department of Economics

F.W. Taussig
T.N. Carver
C.J. Bullock
E.F. Gay
W.M. Cole
O.M.W. Sprague
E.E. Day
J.S. Davis
H.H. Burbank
E.E. Lincoln

Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 8, 1919.

My dear Mr. Lovell:

Dr Burbank informs me that he has received from Dartmouth College the offer of a full professorship, and this makes it necessary for the Corporation to consider whether it desires to retain him at Harvard. You will recall that two years ago the Department of Economics recommended that Burbank be advanced to an assistant professorship. This was at the time when he received from Chicago University the offer of an assistant professorship with full charge of their instruction in Public Finance. A year ago I brought the matter to your attention, but you desired to postpone action until Burbank’s book had been published. Last June I asked whether you would be willing to waive the question of publication of Burbank’s book, which was nearly, but not quite, completed. in order that he might accept employment from a committee of the American Economic Association, which would both be remunerative and give him an unusual opportunity to investigate a subject in which he is greatly interested, namely, the practical operation of the Federal income and excess profits taxes. You sent me word through Mr. Pierce that you would waive the requirement, and that you would be glad to have Mr. Burbank accept this employment.

Mr. Burbank made a distinct success of his work for the Economic Association, and such success as the Committee achieved was largely due to him. This year he has been conducting Economics A, and has demonstrated his ability to handle that course in a satisfactory manner. It seems to me that he is an invaluable man for the Department, and I hope that the Corporation will be able nor to advance him to an assistant professorship.

You also asked me this morning to write you concerning Allyn A. Young, whom we have had under consideration for a number of years.

In the winter of 1916-17 the full professors of the Department of Economics, after carefully looking over the field, recommended to you that Mr. Young be called to a full professorship at Harvard University.

You authorized me to write to Young and inquire whether he could be secured, and if so, at what salary; and I was able to report to you that Young would come to Harvard if he were offered a full professorship at a salary of $4500. At this juncture the United States entered the war, and the matter was necessarily dropped.

Last December Professors Gay and Haskins called my attention to the fact that Young was likely to receive an offer from Columbia University, and I held a hurried conference with them, and they later conferred with you. Action was postponed, inasmuch as Mr. Young was going to the Peace Conference as exert on economic resources; and it appeared probable that, if we could offer him a professorship at $5000, we could secure him for Harvard, even tho another offer developed elsewhere.

I hope that the Corporation will feel able to extend a call to Professor Young at this time. Since I talked with you this morning, I have met Professors Carver and Ripley, and they both concur in the recommendation which I make. Professor Gay gave you his opinion in December; and since that time I have heard from Taussig, who still is of the opinion that we ought to call Young.

I have no further knowledge as to the amount of salary that it would be necessary to offer. I assume that we should have to offer at least $4500, which was the figure that would have been necessary in 1916; and in view of Young’s increased experience and enhanced reputation, I should think that a salary of $5000 would be justified.

It is, I believe, important for the Department to secure Young at this time. We had in 1917 a Department of Economics which was recognized as one of the strongest in the country; but we needed Young at that time, and shall need him still more now in order to develop our work during the next decade. With him, I believe we should have a department that would be recognized as very clearly the strongest department in the country.

There is one further consideration to be taken into account in connection with extending a call to Young. If our economic research enterprise proves permanent, Young would be absolutely the best man in the country to coöperate with Professor Persons in carrying through the work we have undertaken. With Young and Persons in the economic research undertaking, we should have almost a monopoly of high class statistical brains. Young’s appointment was recommended by the Department in the winter of 1916-17, before the Committee on Economic Research was established, and without any reference to the development of that Committee’s work. The Department recommended him because they thought he was the one man whom the Department needed. The point I am now making is that Young is the one man whom our economic research undertaking needs, so that it seems upon every account desirable to add him to our staff next fall. Under the arrangement that I have in mind, if our economic research enterprise proves permanent, Professor Persons could give two-thirds of his time to the Committee on Economic Research and one-third to teaching, and Professor Young could give two-thirds of his time to teaching and one-third to the Committee on Economic Research. By this arrangement the Department of Economics would gain two teachers of the very highest reputation at an expense amounting only to the salary of one full professor, while the Committee on Economic Research would secure the services of the two minds in the country which are best adapted for the immediate work it has in hand.

Sincerely yours,
[signed] Charles J. Bullock

President A. Lawrence Lowell

___________________________

Carbon Copy of Letter from President Lowell to Professor Bullock

March 8, 1919

Dear Mr Bullock:

I understand that Mr Burbank is feeling uneasy about his promotion, and has been made valuable offers from elsewhere. Mr Pierce, at my request, wrote you last May that the completion of his book was not essential to his promotion to an assistant professorship. He is as near as possible the soul of the body of tutors; and I think it is important that we should make it clear that good work as a tutor will receive as much recognition as an equally good conduct of lecture courses. Would it not be well, therefore, if Mr Burbank were appointed an assistant professor now? There is a Corporation meeting on Monday, and I should be very glad if you could communicate with me before it takes place, if you come home in time.

Very truly yours,
[stamp] A. Lawrence Lowell

Professor Charles J. Bullock
6 Channing Street
Cambridge, Mass.

Source: Harvard University Archives. President Lowell’s Papers 1917-1919. Box 124. Folder 1689.

Tags Bullock, Burbank, Young

Economists Harvard

Harvard. Economics Transcript for Edward Hastings Chamberlin, 1922-1927

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2021-11-13

In the previous post we have the academic backstory found in Edward Hastings Chamberlin’s application to the economics graduate program at Harvard. This post provides the academic record of Chamberlin while a graduate student at Harvard. He entered Harvard with an M.A. degree in economics from the University of Michigan which probably is sufficient explanation for his seemingly light graduate coursework at Harvard.

Edward Hastings Chamberlin’s papers can be consulted at Duke University’s David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library’s Economists’ Papers Archive. It is interesting to note that he seems to have audited Allyn Young’s Ec 15 course (which does not appear on his graduate transcript) since notes to that course are included in Chamberlin’s papers.

___________________________

Ph.D. in Economics Awarded 1927

Edward Hastings Chamberlin, S.B. (State Univ. of Iowa) 1920, A.M. (Univ. of Michigan) 1922, A.M. (Harvard Univ.) 1924.
Subject, Economics. Special Field, Economic Theory. Thesis, “The Theory of Monopolistic Competition.”
Instructor in Economics and Tutor in the Division of History, Government, and Economics, Harvard University.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1926-1927, p. 102.

___________________________

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Record of Edward Hastings Chamberlin

Years: 1922-23, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27

[Previous] Degrees received. Where? When?

S.B. State Univ. of Iowa 1920
A.M. Univ. of Michigan 1922

First Registration: 25 Sept. 1922

1922-23	Grades
First Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 11	A
Economics 41	A-

Division: Economics
Scholarship, Fellowship:
Assistantship:
Austin Teaching Fellowship:
Instructorship:
Proctorship:
Degree attained at close of year:

1923-24	Grades
Second Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 14	inc./exc.
Economics 23	exc.
Government 6	exc.
Marketing Problems	85%
Passed General Exam. in Economics, 22 May 1924

Division:
Scholarship, Fellowship: Henry Lee Mem’l Fellow
Assistantship:
Austin Teaching Fellowship:
Instructorship:
Proctorship:
Degree attained at close of year: A.M.

1924-25	Grades
Third Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20 (A.A.Y.)	—

Division:
Scholarship, Fellowship:
Assistantship:
Austin Teaching Fellowship:
Instructorship: in Economics
Proctorship:
Degree attained at close of year:

1925-26	Grades
Fourth Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20 (A.A.Y.)	A

Division:
Scholarship, Fellowship:
Assistantship:
Austin Teaching Fellowship:
Instructorship: in Economics. Tutor in the Div. of History, Government, and Economics
Proctorship:
Degree attained at close of year:

1926-27	Grades
Fifth Year	Course	Half-Course
Economics 20 (A.A.Y.)	A

Division:
Scholarship, Fellowship:
Assistantship:
Austin Teaching Fellowship: $1500
Instructorship: in Economics. Tutor in the Div. of History, Government, and Economics $1200.
Proctorship:
Degree attained at close of year: Ph.D.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Record Cards of Students, 1895-1930, Burtt—Cook. Record Card of Edward Hastings Chamberlin.

___________________________

Course Names and Instructors

Pro-tip for linking course numbers to course names and instructors.

Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Course of instruction. 1879-2009.

1922-23

Economics 11. Economic Theory. Professor Frank W. Taussig

Economics 41. Statistical Theory and Analysis. Professors Allyn Abbott Young and Edmund Ezra Day

1923-24

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

Economics 23. Modern Economic History since 1750. Assistant Professor Abbott Payson Usher

Government 6. History of Political Theory. Professor Charles Howard McIlwain.

Marketing Problems. [First Year, First Half course at the Graduate School of Business Administration]

1924-27.

Economic Research. Graduate students pursuing research may register in the following course, which has the same status as any of the other graduate courses in Economics. Such research will be under the direction of members of the Department, and may lie within any of the fields recognized as appropriate for candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Economics 20. Professors Taussig, Carver, Ripley, Gay, Bullock, Young, and Persons. Members of the Faculty of the Graduate School of Business Administration will also guide research lying within their respective fields

___________________________

Image Source: Faculty picture of Edward H. Chamberlin from the Harvard Class Album, 1932.

Tags Chamberlin, Day, Taussig, Usher, Young

1913-14

1914-1915

1915-1916

1916-1917

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY Department of Economics

Miller provides title of his dissertation

General Exam Postponed

COPY

Request to Professors to join general examination committee

Copy

Bullock declares willingness to serve on the general exam committee

HARVARD UNIVERSITY Committee on Economic Research Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Usher declares willingness to serve on the general exam committee

THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY

525 Boylston Street Boston

Young available for the proposed dates of the general exams

Miller informed of date for his general examination

Copy

Passed General Examination

Dean Haskins asking Young about the general quality of Miller’s general exam

Copy

Supplementary Information for General Examination of H. E. Miller

Request to Prof. Vanderblue to join special examination committee

Copy

Request to Prof. Vanderblue to join special examination committee

Copy

Reminder to Young: special examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY Division of history, Government, and Economics

Reminder to Miller: special examination

Copy

Passed Special Examination

Record of Harry Edward Miller

Course Names and Instructors

1919-20

1920-21

1921-23

Harry Edward Miller Timeline of his life and career

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY Department of Economics

General Examination, date and examiners [carbon copy]

General Examination Information Sent to Examiners [carbon copy]

General Examination, Watts Reminder [carbon copy]

General Examination, Carver Reminder [carbon copy]

Passed General Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY Department of Economics

Thesis summary still needed [carbon copy]

Last-minute thesis preparation

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

Scheduling Special Examination

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

V. O Watts: Apology for late thesis summary

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

Letter to Carver

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

V. O Watts: List of Positions

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

Passed Special Examination

Antioch College informed that Watts completed his Ph.D.

Antioch college Yellow Springs Ohio

Ohio State Not Hiring

the ohio state university George W. Wrightmeyer, President Columbus

Record of V. O. Watts in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Course Names and Instructors

1921-22

1922-23

1923-24

Biographical/Historical Note

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Passed General Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Passed Special Examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Committee on Economic Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
OF
BOSTON UNIVERSITY

525 Boylston Street
Boston

Miller informed of date
for his general examination

Supplementary Information for
General Examination of H. E. Miller

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Division of history, Government, and Economics

Harry Edward Miller
Timeline of his life and career

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

General Examination, date and
examiners
[carbon copy]

General Examination
Information Sent to Examiners
[carbon copy]

General Examination, Watts Reminder
[carbon copy]

General Examination, Carver Reminder
[carbon copy]

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Thesis summary still needed
[carbon copy]

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

Antioch College informed
that Watts completed his Ph.D.

Antioch college
Yellow Springs
Ohio

the ohio state university
George W. Wrightmeyer, President
Columbus

Record of V. O. Watts in the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

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

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Record of E. S. Mason in the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Certification of reading knowledge
of French and German

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

Papers in order, so special examination
can take place

Date and committee
for special examination

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Committee on Economic Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Annotated Typescript for
Division of History, Government, and Economics
Examinations for the Degree of Ph.D. 1923-1924

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMICS

Economics 4
[Mid-Year Examination, 1911]

Economics 4
[Year-End Examination, 1911]

Economics 28
[Final Examination, 1911]

Harvard University
Department of Economics

Harvard University
Department of Economics

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Record of Edward Hastings Chamberlin