Topic 2 in the following minutes of the March 3, 1947 meeting with the visiting committee for Economics and Social Science at MIT is a foreshadowing of the coming attack on Paul Samuelson’s textbook in September 1947. See: M.I.T. Wingnut inspiration for Du Pont’s crusade against Paul Samuelson’s textbook, 1947
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By 1958, the “Minutes”
seem like “Hours”
Cf. Minutes of the Vising Committee 1958.
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Economics and Social Science
Visiting Committee
(March 1947)
Present
Walter Jay Beadle (b. 1896). S.B. MIT (1917). Treasurer, Vice-President and Director at E. I. duPont deNemours & Co.
Beardsley Ruml (b. 1894). Ph.D. (Chicago, 1917). Chairman of the Board of R. H. Macy & Company, Inc. (formerly Chairman of the Federal Reserve of N.Y. City, a Director of NBER.
Charles Eldridge Spencer, Jr. (b. 1882). Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank of Boston. Life member of the Corporation of MIT. Began as clerk in a bank in his hometown New Brunswick, NJ at age 17.
Hugh G. Pastoriza, Sr. (b. 1886) . MIT Class of 1907, course VI. Was a representative of Coffin & Burr, investment bonds of New York City. Lived in Bronxville, NY, Board of Education
Samuel Sommerville Stratton (b. 1898). Ph.D. (Harvard 1930). Former member of Harvard School of Business. President of Middlebury College. [or his son as a recent alumnus, Hugh G. Pastoriza, Jr., B.S. MIT in Electrical Engineering, 1943]
Absent
Oscar Sydney Cox (b. 1905). Attended MIT 1924. PhB (Yale, 1927), LL.B. (Yale, 1929) Had been author of the Lend-Lease Act Member of the Law firm Cox, Langford, Stoddard & Cutler in Washington, DC.
Fun Fact: according to his obituary (Washington Daily News, 6 October 1966, p. 56) he was a friend of composer Paul Hindemith who put two of Cox’s poems to music.
Ellis Wethrell Brewster (b. 1892). B.S. (MIT, 1913). President and treasurer of Plymouth Cordage Co.
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M.I.T. Staff
Dean Robert G. Caldwell. (b. 1882). PhD (Princeton 1918).
Douglass Vincent Brown (b. 1904). PhD (Harvard, 1932). Alfred P. Sloan professor of industrial management, MIT.
Ralph Evans Freeman. (b. 1894). B.Litt. (University of Oxford). Head of Department of Economics and Social Sciences, MIT.
Douglas Murray McGregor. (b. 1906). PhD (Harvard, 1935). Associate Professor of psychology, MIT.
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Minutes of
the Visiting Committee Meeting
March 3, 1947
Department of Economics and Social Science
The Committee met at about 10:00 A.M. on Monday, March 3, in the Fabian Room of the Graduate House. The following members were present: Walter J. Beadle (Chairman), Beardsley Ruml, Charles E. Spencer, Jr., Hugh G. Pastoriza and Samuel S. Stratton. Absent were Oscar S. Cox and Ellis W. Brewster. In addition the following members of the Institute staff were present: Dean Robert G. Caldwell, and Professors Douglass V. Brown, Ralph E. Freeman, and Douglas M. McGregor.
- The first topic taken up by the Committee was a survey of the courses currently being offered by members of the Department and the number of students enrolled in each. Statistics were submitted to show that 1780 students were attending 27 classes. A number of publications by the Department staff were presented to indicate the type of research upon which they have been engaged.
- The next topic was the new undergraduate program (Course XIV). The content and objectives of this program were outlined. The point was made that the staff does not attempt to indoctrinate the students with the theories of any particular school of economists. They try to give a fairly general understanding of the major points of view In Economics so that students can adopt that philosophy and theory which they believe to be best.
- Dean Caldwell outlined the Institute’s humanities program and explained the part played by the Department in this program. Professor McGregor, referring specifically to the Psychology option of the third year, explained the somewhat novel teaching techniques which he and his associates have developed.
- The Chairman expressed a particular interest in the course in economic principles (Ec11) which is required of all students at the Institute. Professor Freeman explained that this subject is oriented around the general problem of full employment. This is a departure from the usual method. The analysis of demand and supply and other theories are introduced for their bearing on the central theme of maintaining a full employment national income. Such an approach seems to be more meaningful and interesting than the traditional one which had formerly been employed.
- Mr. Ruml raised two questions – one as to the content of the program, the other as to the size of classes. He suggested the inclusion of an examination to test the students’ general knowledge of human physiology and of the functioning of the body. He raised the question as to whether it is economically desirable to try to teach in small sections rather than in large groups. He made the point that under proper conditions, and with a really competent lecturer, the large class may be superior to the small discussion section.
- The Committee discussed the Research Institute for Group Dynamics and its program. The problems created by the sudden death of Kurt Lewin were discussed briefly. Mr. Ruml felt that it would be a mistake to close up the Research Center without very careful examination of possibilities for its continuance. The point was made that the activities of the Industrial Relations Section need to be supplemented by the kind of basic research on problems of group living which is being undertaken by the Research Center.
The Chairman expressed the sense of the Committee that it would be unwise to drop the Group Dynamics Center entirely, and suggested that the Committee might undertake to consider the problem in greater detail.
- The activities of the Industrial Relations Section were briefly outlined to the Committee along with the current problems of its financial status. The Administration’s policy of maintaining the Industrial Relations Fund at approximately its present level, or at least of reducing it only very gradually, received general approval from the Committee. The long-range problem of financing the activity of the Section was briefly discussed but no conclusions were reached.
- The members of the Committee raised various other questions as to the content of courses, methods of instruction, textbooks, employment opportunities for graduates and so forth. In fact, so much time was taken up by the process of getting acquainted with the various activities of the Department, that the Chairman felt the Committee should meet again. It was, however, decided to postpone the question of a fall meeting and it was agreed that the Chairman, through correspondence with members, would submit an interim report.
The Committee adjourned at 12:30 to attend the Corporation luncheon.
Source: M.I.T., Institute Archives and Special Collections. MIT Department of Economics Records (AC 394), Box 4, Folder “V.C. 47-64”.
Image: From the cover of the MIT yearbook The 1949 Technique.