Author: brian

Meet Charles Phillips Huse

1883. Born March 3 in Worcester, MA. Attended Springfield High School. Springfield, MA.

1904. A.B. Harvard.

1905. A.M. Harvard.

1907. Ph.D. Harvard. Thesis: The Financial History of Boston from 1822 to 1859.

1908-09. Instructor in Economics, Dartmouth College.

1909-11. Instructor in Economics at Harvard.

1911-14. Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Missouri.

1914-20. Assistant Professor of Economics, Boston University.

1920-53. Professor of Economics, Boston University.

1958. Died July 13 in Belmont, MA.

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Professor Huse economizes on our nerves as he never did on ice cream or time. His peculiar humor relieves a mental struggle with Gresham’s Law, and his unchanging method nets a return of old quiz questions yearly rejuvenated on each anniversary of their first propounding. This holds true in the long run. That will be all for this time.

Source: Boston University Yearbook, The Hub 1924, p. 32.

One of the greatest and most worth while experiences in Dr. Huse’s life came in 1910 when he went to Washington to aid the National Monetary Commission. His task was to read the volumes written by the Commission and, as each volume was published, to prepare press statements for the newspapers. Partly as a result of the work of this Commission, the Federal Reserve Act was passed. While he was in Washington he had the opportunity of seeing the public buildings and of taking trips into the surrounding country to places of interest.

Source: Boston University Yearbook, The Hub 1927, p. 18.

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Course Enrollment
1910-11

Economics 17 ²hf. Dr. Huse. — Municipal Finance.

Total 21: 3 Graduates, 11 Seniors, 5 Juniors, 1 Sophomore, 1 Other.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1910-1911, p. 50.

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Course Announcement and Description
1910-11

[Economics] 17 ²hf.  Municipal Finance. Half-course (second half-year). Mon., Wed., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Fri., at 10. Dr. Huse.

In this course the expenditures, revenues, and debts of American municipalities will be considered. A comparative study of the financial policies of various cities will be made and consideration given to the views of writers on public finance for the purpose of ascertaining, as far as possible, the principles which should govern municipal administration. Every member of the course will be expected to make a study, under the guidance of the instructor, of the finances of his own city, and will give to the class the results of his work.

This course is open only to those students who have had Economics 7 or 16.

Source: History and Political Science, Comprising the Departments of History and Government, and Economics, 1910-11. Published in the Official Register of Harvard University. Vol. VII No. 23 (June 21, 1910), p. 60.

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ECONOMICS 17
Year-End Examination, 1910-11

Questions 3 and 4 each count one-third. 

1. Would the acquirement of the right to tax the property of Harvard University be for the best interests of Cambridge?
2. What are the provisions limiting the tax rate and the amount of indebtedness in Massachusetts cities and towns? What has been their effect? What can be said for and against their retention?
3. Write upon two of the following topics: —
   1. The effect of Boston’s incorporation upon its finances.
   2. The state’s control of Boston’s finances.
   3. The finances of the Metropolitan Water District.
   4. The Tweed ring.
   5. The reasons for the proposed union of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda, New York.
4. The following figures relating to the finances of Gloucester, Mass. are taken from the 1907 report on the Statistics of Municipal Finances (Mass.).

RECEIPTS
Revenue					$515,018.71
	General			$388,286.05
	(Taxes, property and poll			333,368.41)
	Commercial			126,732.66
	(Water			90,176.38)
Non-Revenue					512,755.54
	Offsets to outlays			3,197.42
	Municipal indebtedness			444,350.39
		Loans, general purposes	$71,000.00
		Loans, public service enterprises	40,000.00
		Temporary loans, including tax loans	320,000.00
		Premiums	1,002.50
		Unpaid warrants or orders, current year	12,347.89
	Agency and Trust			65,207.73
Total receipts					$1,027,774.25
Balance on hand, beginning of year					44,081.43
Grand Total					$1,071,855.68
PAYMENTS
Maintenance					$435,983.66
	Departmental			$394,447.38
	Public service enterprises			40,787.48
	(Water			40,767.48)
	Cemeteries			748.80
Interest					81,915.13
	Loans, general purposes		40,705.96
	Loans, public service enterprises			41,209.17
Outlays					61,829.86
	Departmental			50,805.79
	Public service enterprises (water)			11,024.07
Municipal indebtedness					413,997.72
	From revenue			110,428.89
	Temporary loans, including tax loans			295,000.00
	Warrants or orders, previous years			8,568.83
Agency and Trust					64,437.88
Total payments					$1,058,164.25
Balance on hand, end of year					13,691.43
Grand Total					$1,071,855.68
Outstanding indebtedness classified by character of obligation,
	Loans for general purposes				$642,225.00
	Loans for public service enterprises				1,137,000.00
	Temporary tax loans				200,000.00
	Warrants or orders				12,347.89
					$1,991,572.89

Valuation $22,083,852, Population 26,011.

Make a critical study of the finances of Gloucester as revealed by these figures.

Source: Papers set for Final Examinations in History, Government, Economics, …, Landscape Architecture, Music in Harvard College. June 1911, pp. 52-54. In Harvard University Archives, Examination papers, 1873-1915 (HUC 7000.25). Box 9. Examination Papers, 1910-11.

Image Source: Boston University yearbook, 1927.