For our irregular series “Meet an economics Ph.D. alumnus/a” we introduce you now to the first woman economics Ph.D. (1953!) from the University of California, Los Angeles, Gene Bunning Tipton. I have been unable to find any bibliographic references to her research, probably because she clearly chose a path as college educator. She served as the chair of the department of economics and statistics at California State Los Angeles.
Can anyone find an example of an interview where a male economist is asked what his family’s favorite recipe is? Seventy years ago, Gene Bunning Tipton was asked for hers. Here it is: Bonus Material. To be honest, it looks pretty good.
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Gene Bunning Tipton
- Born September 20 in Bellflower, Los Angeles County, CA to Percy Jay Bunning (1882-1937) and Mattie May Forquer (1883, 1917).
- Married Albert Vern Tipton, Jr. (1912-1996) February 16 in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, CA. Three children.
- California Voter Registration: Registered Democrat. Occupation: Housewife.
- A.B. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Economics major. Transfer from Pasadena J.C.
- M.A. from University of California, Los Angeles. Economics.
- Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. May 11, 1960, p. 6.
“Problems of California government and society will be studied under three research fellowship grants awarded for 1950-51 by the Haynes Foundation of Los Angeles.
Graduate students to whom fellowships have been awarded are…and Gene B. Tipton, UCLA economics student, who will study the labor movement in Los Angeles during the 1940’s.
Each of the students is a candidate for the doctoral degree at his respective institution. The fellowship carries a stipend of $2000 for the academic year.”
- Ph.D. in economics from UCLA, first woman.
“During the 1940’s the number of union members in proportion to the labor force increased nearly 15 per cent in Los Angeles County, according to a doctoral dissertation recently completed by a student in the Department of Economics.
Mrs. Gene B. Tipton of El Monte, the first woman ever to receive a Ph.D. degree from the Department, credits this growth to the past decade’s high prosperity and a favorable governmental climate. Also important were court decisions upholding directives of the National Labor Relations Board limiting the activities of organizations which advocated laws to ban the union shop in California.”
- The Whittier News. September 17, 1953, p. 7
“Officials of Whittier College have announced the appointment of ten faculty members for the 1953-54 school year…
New in the department of economics and business administration will be Dr. Jesse S. Robinson and Dr. Gene B. Tipton…
Dr. Tipton received her degree from UCLA where she was the winner of a fellowship from the John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation.
Her teaching background includes service at UCLA and Pomona College. More recently she has been an investment specialist with the Prudential Life Insurance Co.
- Daily News. October 20, 1954, p. 23
Article with photo. “Woman economist puts theory into practice in her cooking” by Martha Grayson. Includes recipe: Roast Canadian Bacon. To give a free seminar “Family Finance Forum” in the Whittier Woman’s Clubhouse on October 26, 1954 sponsored by the Whittier Savings and Loan Association in commemoration of the 34th anniversary of its founding.
Full-page ad in The Whittier News, October 25, 1954, p. 9.
- East Review. October 26, 1958, p. 3.
“Members of Soroptimist Club of Whittier will hostess a joint dinner meeting Tuesday evening of women’s service clubs in Whittier. Included on the guest list are members of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Quota and Altrusa Clubs. The 6:30 dinner will be held in the Campus Inn at Whittier College.
Speaker for the evening will be Gene B. Tipton, Ph.D., who will speak on the subject, ‘Inflation in Our Time.’ Dr. Tipton is assistant professor of economics at Los Angeles State College. She graduated Summa cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1953. She is the wife of A. Vern Tipton and they have three children.”
- Independent Star News (Pasadena, CA), p. 4.
Elected to the Executive board of the L.A. State chapter of the American Association of University Professors for the coming year.
- Promotion to associate professor of economics, Los Angeles State College.
“Notes.” The American Economic Review, vol. 51, no. 5, 1961, p. 1165. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1813901.
1963-64. August 1963 to April 1964.
Fulbright scholar at the Indian Institute of Economic Research. Associate Professor of Economics at Los Angeles City College.
- South Pasadena Review, March 24, 1965, p. 1.
Dr. Gene B. Tipton, Associate Professor of Economics, 12116 Magnolia, El Monte elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Cal State L. A. alumni chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Star-News (Pasadena, CA). May 6, p. 7.
“Dr. Gene B. Tipton of 12116 Magnolia St., El Monte, has been promoted from assistant [sic] professor to professor of economics at Cal State Los Angeles. She earned her B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at UCLA and was on the faculty of Whittier College before joining Cal State.
- 26 full-time faculty members under leadership of department chairman Donald A. Moore and associate chairman Gene Tipton. Cf. In 1960 the department of economics was 11 full-time, 5 part-time members.
- September. Becomes chairman of the department of economics and statistics.
“Notes.” The Journal of Business, vol. 46, no. 2, 1973, pp. 331–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2351382.
- Star-News (Pasadena, CA). June 15, p. A-6.
Dr. Gene B. Tipton, chairman of the department of economics and statistics at Cal. State L.A.
1984-85. Vice-President of the State Association of Emeriti Professors.
1985-86. President of the State Association of Emeriti Professors.
- Died in March 20 in Arcadia, Los Angeles County, CA.
Obituary
Gene B. Tipton, Emeritus Professor of Economics who was serving as the 1985/86 president of the Emeriti Association, died on March 20. Gene served on the University faculty as a teacher and administrator for 26 years (1957-83). Prior to coming to Cal State L.A., she taught at Whittier College and UC Riverside. A native of El Monte, Gene prepared for her career in economics by earning her BA, MA, and PhD degrees at UCLA, graduating summa cum laude. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In addition to her academic achievement, Gene also was an outstanding tennis player, winning state titles in her collegiate days. A highlight of her tennis career was defeating Alice Marble, an international star in her day. In addition to her teaching, Gene was in demand as a consultant. She served as a special economic consultant to the Federal Reserve Board in San Francisco for 17 years. A Gene Tipton Memorial Lecture, under the joint sponsorship of the Emeriti Association and the Department of Economics in the School of Business and Economics, is being arranged for the Fall Quarter at the University. Gene is survived by her husband, Vern, three children and six grandchildren.
Source: The Emeritimes. Vol. VII, No. 3 (September 1986)
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Bonus Material
From: Woman economist puts theory into practice in her cooking
By Martha Grayson (Daily News food editor)
As a noted economist and busy instructor at Whittier College and Los Angels State College in subjects ranging from consumer economics and family investments to public finance, it’s a miracle that Dr. Gene Tipton has had time to develop a favorite recipe.
But this she has done. And her Roast Canadian Bacon, hot from the oven, is a great favorite with her husband and her three teen-age children, as well as with the Tipton’s many friends who dine from time to time at their home in El Monte….
Roast Canadian Bacon
2½ Ibs. Canadian bacon
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground clovesPut bacon in water to cover, bring to boil and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from water and place in a greased baking dish with one-fourth water in bottom. Mix mustard, sugar and cloves thoroughly; press mixture into meat, covering it thoroughly. Bake without cover at 350 degrees for 1½ hours. (Start in cold oven.)
With this tasty roast Doctor Tipton likes to serve sweet-sour green beans cooked with a little finely chopped onion, baked potatoes, a tossed green salad, cornbread squares and apple sauce.
For dessert she serves an assortment of fresh fruits frequently. A frozen berry pie and ice cream, obtained from the freezer cabinet at her market, also are favorite desserts in the Tipton household, since admittedly there is not too much time for baking.
When the family has a special yen for cake, however, Doctor Tipton obliges with either an angel food or a devil’s food, which she makes from a prepared mix.
Source: Daily News (Los Angeles, CA), October 20, 1954, p. 23.
Image Source: Daily News (Los Angeles, CA), October 20, 1954, p. 23.