Harvard. 19th century European economic history. Description, enrollment, final exam. Gay, 1912-1913

To add a personal touch to this artifact, it is headed with an image of a coal-miner, a “Collier”, the origin of Economics in the Rear-view Mirror‘s curator’s family name. And nothing says European Industrial Revolution quite like coal mines and steam engines.

__________________________

Earlier Harvard courses
on European economic history

Links to earlier course material for European Economic History from Harvard, 1883-84 through 1911-12.

______________________

Meet the Teaching Assistant
Melvin Thomas Copeland

MELVIN THOMAS COPELAND, A.B. (Bowdoin Coll.) 1906, A.M. (Harvard Univ.) 1907. Subject, Economics. Special Field, Economic History. Thesis, ” The Organization of the Cotton Manufacturing Industry in the United States.” Frederick Sheldon Fellow, continuing his studies in Europe.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1909-1910, p. 100.

Biography

Melvin Thomas Copeland, 1884 to 1975, earned the BA from Bowdoin in 1906, an MA from Harvard in 1907, and a Ph.D. (Economics) from Harvard in 1910. He served as an Instructor in Economics at Harvard from 1909 to 1910 and at New York University from 1911 to 1912. He was an instructor at HBS from 1912 to 1918 and Professor of Marketing from 1919 to 1953. He was Director of the Bureau of Business Research at HBS from 1916 to 1926 and Director of Business Research from 1942 to 1953. Copeland served as Chair of the Massachusetts Committee on Post-War Readjustment from 1943 to 1946; chaired the Harvard Advertising Award Jury from 1925 to 1931; was a commentator on Harvard Business Reports from 1927 to 1931; and served on the Board of Overseers at Bowdoin College from 1934 to 1947. He was the author of the first casebook used at HBS, Marketing Problems, as well as numerous other publications on manufacturing, merchandising, process, and the role of business executives.

Source: Finding Guide to Melvin Thomas Copeland Papers, 1919-1953. Harvard Business School, Baker Library Special Collections and Archives.

______________________

ECONOMICS 2a¹
Course Description
1912-13

[Economics] 2a ¹hf. (formerly 6a ¹hf.). European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. Half-course(first half-year). Th., Sat., at 9. Professor Gay, assisted by Mr. ——.

Course 2a undertakes to present the general outlines of the economic history of western Europe since the Industrial Revolution. Such topics as the following will be discussed: the economic aspects of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic régime, the Stein-Hardenberg reforms, the Zollverein, Cobden and free trade in England, labor legislation and social reform, nationalism and the recrudescence of protectionism, railways and waterways, the effects of transoceanic competition, the rise of industrial Germany.

Since attention will be directed in this course to those phases of the subject which are related to the economic history of the United States, it may be taken usefully before Economics 2b.

Source: Harvard University. Division of History, Government, and Economics, Courses of Instruction, 1912–13, p. 59.

______________________

ECONOMICS 2a¹
Course Enrollment
1912-13

[Economics] 2a ^lhf. (formerly 6a ¹hf). Professor Gay, assisted by Dr. M. T. Copeland. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century.

Total 99: 16 Graduates, 14 Seniors, 44 Juniors, 17 Sophomores, 3 Freshmen, 5 Other.

Source: Harvard University. Reports of the President and the Treasurer of Harvard College, 1912-13, p. 57.

______________________

ECONOMICS 2a¹
Mid-year Final Examination
1912-13

1. “The effect of Peel’s measures of 1842-1845 was to demonstrate how much the trade and industry of the country might be encouraged by the readjustment of fiscal burdens.” Explain.
   Is a similar readjustment needed in England at the present time? Why or why not?
2. (a) How was the capital for the construction of railroads prior to 1870 obtained in the different European countries? Why?
   (b) Why was the railroad policy of Prussia modified after 1870? With what results?
3. Compare the organization of the wool manufacturing industries in England, Germany, and France at the present time, explaining to what the differences are due. How far are these differences typical?
4. Compare the English and Belgian methods of relieving the recent agricultural depression.
5. In which industries have Kartells been formed in Germany? Why? Compare with the movement for combination in England.
6. Explain the statement in regard to English agriculture that “after the middle of the eighteenth century the two revolutions, the industrial and the agricultural, which are indeed only manifestations of the same scientific and commercial spirit, go hand in hand and supplement one another.” Does this statement apply also to Germany? Why or why not?
7. Discuss briefly —

(a) English “Friendly Societies”
(b) Pitt’s Sinking Fund.
(c) Zollverein.
(d) French shipping subsidies.
(e) Charter and line traffic.

Source: Harvard University Examinations. Papers set for final examinations in history, history of science, government, economics, philosophy, social ethics, education, fine arts, music in Harvard College (June 1913), pp. 39-40.

Image Source:  “The Collier” in George Walker, The Costume of Yorkshire (1814).

________________________

Links to earlier course material for
European Economic History.
Harvard 1883-84 through 1911-12

1883-84. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1884-85. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1885-86. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1886-87. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1887-88. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1888-89. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [Gray]
1889-90. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [A.C. Miller]
1890-91. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [C.F. Dunbar]
1891-92. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [W.M. Cole]
1892-93. Economics 4. Economic History of Europe and America since the Seven Years’ War. [W.M. Cole]
1892-93. Economics 10. Economic History of Europe and America, to 1763. [W.J. Ashley]
1893-94. Economics 10. Elements of Economic History from the Middle Ages to Modern Times. [W.J. Ashley]
1893-94. Economics 13. Development of Land Tenures and of Agrarian Conditions in Europe. [W.J. Ashley]
1894-95. Economics 10. Elements of Economic History from the Middle Ages to Modern Times. [W.J. Ashley]
1895-96. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [W.J. Ashley]
1896-97. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe and America [W.J. Ashley]
1897-98. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe and America [W.J. Ashley]
1898-99. Economics 8. Western Civilization, mediaeval and modern, in its Economic Aspects [W. Cunningham, Reading List]
1898-99. Economics 11. Industrial Revolution in England. [W. Cunningham]
1899-1900. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [W.J. Ashley, Reading List]
1900-01. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [W.J. Ashley]
1901-02. No course in European economic history offered.
1902-03. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [E.F. Gay]
1902-03. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1903-04. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [not offered]
1903-04. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1903-04. Economics 24. General Outlines of Agrarian History [E.F. Gay]
1904-05. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [E.F. Gay, only one student enrolled, no printed exam available]
1904-05. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1905-06. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [E.F. Gay]
1905-06. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1906-07. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay]
1906-07. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [not offered]
1906-07. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1907-08. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay]
1907-08. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [not offered]
1907-08. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe. [E.F. Gay]
1908-09. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay with M.T. Copeland]
1908-09. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe. [not offered]
1908-09. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe. [not offered]
1909-10. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay with H. L. Gray]
1909-10. Economics 10. Mediaeval Economic History of Europe [H.L. Gray]
1909-10. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1910-11. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay with J. Klein]. Reading list included.
1910-11. Economics 11. Modern Economic History of Europe [E.F. Gay]
1911-12. Economics 6a. European Industry and Commerce in the Nineteenth Century. [E.F. Gay with J. Klein].
1911-12. Economics 11. Advanced Modern European Economic History. [E.F. Gay]