A few years before there was an Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) to provide a research grant that allowed me to begin my archival project, I happened to visit my sister’s family living in Cary, North Carolina. I had somehow stumbled across a reference to the Patinkin papers archived at the Economists’ Papers Project at Duke University and figured it would might be worth a “look-see” and so I took a day trip to Duke with no specific plan. I probably saw Patinkin’s personally annotated undergraduate and graduate transcripts and then (mistakenly) presumed that many archives would have such a complete documentation of the actual coursework taken by individual economists. What I did not appreciate was that the university records with respect to student transcripts except for early in the 20th century and before are not easily accessible for research because of privacy concerns. This means the historian needs to stumble upon copies of transcripts in random collections as was the case here. Thank you serendipity.
From Patinkin’s annotated transcripts at the University of Chicago (he added the names of course instructors as well as identified other courses that he presumably audited), we can see just how many different economists were involved in the economics education of one Don Patinkin. His student notes for most of these economics courses are also to be found in his papers and deserve to be transcribed.
On a minor note: As a pupil, I never thought twice about why a “Report Card” happened to be called a “Report Card”. From this University of Chicago transcript we can see that report is used as short-hand for “reported grade”. The instructor is clearly seen to report to the university registrar’s office.
_____________________________________________
The University of Chicago
Office of the Registrar
UNDERGRADUATE RECORD
Social Sciences
[Copy of transcript dated Jan 25, 1979]
Name: Don Patinkin
Home Address: 1426 S. Hamlin Ave., Chicago
Matriculation No.: 202316
Date of Birth: 1-8-22
Place: Chicago
Entered: October 7, 1941
Attendance at other institutions: Central Y.M.C.A. Coll., Chicago, 1939-41
_____________________________________________
Entrance Units: From Marshall H.S., Chicago, 1939
| English | 3 ½ |
| Latin | |
| French | 4 |
| German | |
| Spanish | |
| History | 2 |
| Economics | |
| Sociology | |
| Civics | ½ |
| Drawing | ½ |
| Journalism | 1½ |
| Algebra | 1½ |
| Pl. Geom. | 1 |
| Sol. Geom. | ½ |
| Trigonometry | |
| Gen. Biol. | 1 |
| Physics | |
| Chemistry | |
| Botany | |
| Zoölogy | |
| Gen Science | 1½ |
| Physiol. | ½ |
| TOTAL | 18 |
_____________________________________________
REQUIRED WORK
Econ. (L.W.M. & J.D.R.) 10.28.41
ECON. 209, 210, 2[illegible], 220 or 222, 230, 2 from 240, 260
DIVISIONAL FIELD FIVE 201 COURSES TO BE CHOSEN FROM
ANTH, ECON, EDUC., GEOG., HIST., POL.SCI., PSYCH., SOC.
Elect
1½ C’s by adv. stg. + 4½ at Divis’l Level
Econ. 311, 301, 360, Stat. 330, Bus. 323
_____________________________________________
Advanced Standing Oct. 30 1941
Central Y.M.C.A. College
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Zool. 101
Biol. Sci. Surv. (1)
HUMANITIES
Eng. 101, 103, Adv. Writing (1/2)
Philos.- Introd. (1), 203,
Hist of Philos. (1)
Hist of Europ. Civil. (1)
Apprec. Art & Music (1)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Math. 101, 102, 103, 218, 219, 220
Phy. Sci. Surv. (1).
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Econ.-Elem. (1 ½)
Soc. Sci. Surv. (1)
OTHER FIELDS
Bus.-Bus. Law (1/2)
Total: 19 ½ courses
_____________________________________________
| [University of Chicago] Course | Report |
| AUTUMN QR. 1941 | |
| ECON. 211 INTROD. TO STATISTICS | inc. A |
| P.SCI. 201 INTR. TO POLITICAL SCI. | inc. B |
| PSYCH. 201 INTROD. PSYCHOLOGY Exam by Home Study 1-12-42 |
[illegible] A |
| WINTER QR. 1942 | |
| ECON. 209-INTERMED.ECON.THEORY [Simons] |
B |
| ECON. 240. LABOR PROBLEMS [Douglas] |
A |
| ECON. 311-STATISTICS/CORRELATION [Lewis] |
B |
| SPRING QR. 1942 | |
| BUS. 323-PROB’Y,SAMPL’G & CURVE-FITTING [illegible, “Yntema” according to course catalogue for 1942] |
A |
| ECON. 210-INTROD.TO ACCOUNTING [Rovetta] |
A |
| ECON. 260-ELEM.OF GOV’T FINANCE [Simons] |
B |
|
EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHLOR’S DEGREE. DIVISIONAL FIELD 8-24&25-42 |
B |
|
Honor Scholar in the Division |
|
| Autumn Qr. 1942 | |
| ECON. 301-PRICE & DISTRIBUTION THEORY [Knight] |
B |
| ECON. 360-GOVERNMENT FINANCE [Leland] |
A |
| STAT. 330-THEORY OF PROBABILITY [Bartky] |
C |
| PHYS.EDUC. (non-credit) ½ c. | B |
|
WINTER QR. 1943 |
|
| ECON 230-INTR. TO MONEY & BANKING [Mints] |
R |
| ECON 331-BANKING TH. & MONETARY POL. [Mints] |
R |
| ECON. 220-ECON.HIST. OF U.S. [Wright] Pro-Forma |
R |
| EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE. DEPARTMENTAL FIELD 3-4,5-43 Economics |
A |
| Elected to Phi Beta Kappa | |
| Degree of A. B. Conferred | MAR 26 1943 |
| TRANSF. TO DIVISION (GRADUATE) | JAN 3 1944 |
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
The University of Chicago
Office of the Registrar
Social Sciences
Graduate
[Copy of transcript dated Jan 25, 1979]
Name: Don Patinkin
Home Address: 1426 S. Hamlin Ave., Chicago
Matriculation No.: 202316
Date of Birth: 1-8-22
Place: Chicago
Entered: Undergraduate 10-7-41
Trans. to Divis. Grad. 1-3-44
A.B. (U. of Chicago) 3-26-43
A.M. (U. of Chicago) DEC 21 1945
Ph.D. (U. of Chicago) AUG 29 1947
CANDIDATE FOR DEGREE OF A.M. IN Economics
REC. BY S.E. Leland DATE 10-5-45
APPROVED BY THE FACULTY 10.5.45
CANDIDACY FOR DEGREE OF Ph.D. IN Economics
REC. BY T.W. Schultz DATE 5-24-46
APPROVED BY THE FACULTY 5-24-46
| [University of Chicago] Course | Report |
| WINTER QR. 1944 | |
| ECON. 370-INTERN’L TRADE & FIN. [Viner] |
B |
| MATH. 231-SOLID ANALYTIC GEOM. [Albert] |
A |
| MATH. 248-INFIN.SER.&DEF.INTEGRALS | A |
| O.L.-O.T. 352-TARGUM OF THE PROPHETS | A |
| SPRING QR. 1944 | |
| ECON. 222-INTRO. EUROP.EC.HIST., 1540-1940 [Nef] |
B |
| ECON. 367-PUBLIC DEBTS [Leland] |
B |
| ECON. 371-INTERN’L ECON. POLICIES [Viner]* Allowed an extension of time, until end of Aut. Q. 1944, in which to complete Econ. 371. (Dean Russell) 7-8-44 |
A |
| SUMMER QR. 1944 | |
| ECON. 307-IMPERFECT COMPETITION [Lange] |
A |
| ECON. 330-MONEY [Mints] |
A |
| MATH. 228-INTR. TO ALGEBRAIC THEORIES [Albert] |
A |
| MATH. 247-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | A |
| MATH. 306-MODERN HIGHER ALGEBRA [Albert] |
A |
| AUTUMN QR. 1944 | |
| ECON. 402-MATH’L ECONOMICS [Lange] |
A |
| MATH. 310-FUNCT. OF COMPLEX VARIABLE | B |
| POL.SCI. 340-PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION [Leonard White] |
A |
| WINTER QR. 1945 | |
| ECON. 302-HIST. OF ECON.THOUGHT [Knight] |
A |
| ECON. 314-APP’NS OF STATISTICS TO ECON. [Marschak] |
A |
| ECON. 316-PROBS. IN MATH’L ECON. [Marschak] |
A |
| MATH. 311-TH.OF FUN(‘NS OF REAL VARIABLES | B |
| SPRING QR. 1945 | |
| [311 Lange] | |
| [312 Hurwicz] | |
| ECON. 303-MOD.TENDENCIES IN ECON. [Lange] |
A |
| ECON. ½ c. 315-ECONOMETRICS OF BUS.FLUCT’NS [Marschak] |
A |
| ECON. ½ c.317-MATH’L COLLOQUIUM FOR ECON’TS | A |
| ECON. 361-ECON. OF FISCAL POLICY [Simons] |
inc |
| [305 Economics & Social Institutions Knight & Perry] | |
| SUMMER QR. 1945 | |
| ECON. 309-SPEC.PROBS.IN ECON.THEORY [Lange] |
inc |
| ECON. 332-BUSINESS CYCLE THEORY [Lange] |
inc |
| ECON. 357-AGRIC. IN THE POLIT.ECONOMY | inc. no ex. |
| French Examination Passed NOV 5 1945 PASSED ON BASIS OF 1943 STANDARD |
|
| AUTUMN QR. 1945 | |
| GER. 101-ELEMENTARY GERMAN | A |
| MATH. 373-TOPOLOGY [Hestenes] |
B |
| POL.SCI. 361-INTERNATIONAL LAW [Morgenthau] |
A |
| Final Examination Passed for A.M. in Economics—Summer & Autumn 1945 (Simeon E. Leland) | |
| Degree of A.M. conferred DEC 21 1945 Without Thesis |
|
| [WINTER QR. 1946] | |
| [Econ. 255 Introd. to Agricultural Economics Johnson] |
|
| [Pol. Sci 327 Social and Political Philosophy Perry & Knight] |
|
| [Econ 358 Agricultural Markets and Prices Nicholls] |
|
| SPRING QR. 1946 | |
| ECON. 304-ECON.TH’Y & SOC.POLICY [Knight-Perry] |
R |
| ECON. 351-MONOP’Y ELEM., PRICES, PUB.POL’Y [Nicholls] |
R |
| ECON. 355-AGRIC’L PROD’N & DEMAND [Schultz] |
R |
| [Soc. 324 Hist. of Soc. Theory Wirth] |
|
|
Final Examination Passed |
|
| Degree of Ph.D. Conferred Aug 29 1947 |
|
| Thesis: On the Consistency of Economic Models: A Theory of Involuntary Unemployment |
Source: Duke University. David M. Rubinstein Library. Don Patinkin Papers. University of Chicago School of Economics Raw Materials. Box 1. Folder “Essays on & in Chicago Tradition from binder of same name, folder 1 of 2”.
Image Source: Marshall High School Yearbook, 1939 (Chicago).