Irwin (Bud) Collier
@irwincollier.bsky.social
Free range historian of economics. Curator of Economics in the Rear-view Mirror (irwincollier.com)
#EconSky Reading lists for the overwhelming majority of Harvard economics courses open to both undergraduates and graduate students in 1920-21. Even better, every item has been linked! Economics in the Rear-view Mirror takes you there. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-cour...
November 13, 2025 at 4:34 PM
#EconSky Reading lists for the overwhelming majority of Harvard economics courses open to both undergraduates and graduate students in 1920-21. Even better, every item has been linked! Economics in the Rear-view Mirror takes you there. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-cour...
#EconSky Memo to the Harvard Dean of Arts and Sciences by Frank W. Taussig in 1925 in support of the fresh PhD meat, Edward S. Mason. Taussig testified that Mason was "a handsome, upstanding chap. His very appearance makes an impression on the young fellows". www.irwincollier.com/harvard-lett...
November 3, 2025 at 4:51 PM
#EconSky Memo to the Harvard Dean of Arts and Sciences by Frank W. Taussig in 1925 in support of the fresh PhD meat, Edward S. Mason. Taussig testified that Mason was "a handsome, upstanding chap. His very appearance makes an impression on the young fellows". www.irwincollier.com/harvard-lett...
#EconSky With "creative destruction" back in fashion, Economics in the Rear-view Mirror offers a glance at advanced economic theory taught at Harvard in 1948-49 by Joseph Schumpeter. His course reading lists included nine future Nobel laureates. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-adva...
October 15, 2025 at 7:58 AM
#EconSky With "creative destruction" back in fashion, Economics in the Rear-view Mirror offers a glance at advanced economic theory taught at Harvard in 1948-49 by Joseph Schumpeter. His course reading lists included nine future Nobel laureates. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-adva...
#EconSky I have found different prelim exams for Economic Theory I for the 1957 winter quarter at the U of Chicago. This is the copy of the exam found in Zvi Griliches' papers. www.irwincollier.com/chicago-econ...
October 2, 2025 at 9:25 AM
#EconSky I have found different prelim exams for Economic Theory I for the 1957 winter quarter at the U of Chicago. This is the copy of the exam found in Zvi Griliches' papers. www.irwincollier.com/chicago-econ...
#EconSky In the Spring of 1993 these were the questions from the Harvard General Examination in Macroeconomic Theory. Objects in Rear-view mirror are closer than they appear. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-gene...
October 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
#EconSky In the Spring of 1993 these were the questions from the Harvard General Examination in Macroeconomic Theory. Objects in Rear-view mirror are closer than they appear. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-gene...
#EconSky Harvard even had a course on the history of economics that started with ancient Greece. OK, it was 1909-10 and Charles Bullock knew enough Greek and Latin to have taught the subjects before going to grad school in economics. Cantillon, anyone, anyone? www.irwincollier.com/harvard-hist...
September 28, 2025 at 6:53 PM
#EconSky Harvard even had a course on the history of economics that started with ancient Greece. OK, it was 1909-10 and Charles Bullock knew enough Greek and Latin to have taught the subjects before going to grad school in economics. Cantillon, anyone, anyone? www.irwincollier.com/harvard-hist...
#EconSky Half of Thomas Nixon Carver's final exam on the economics of socialism, communism, and the single tax at Harvard 1909-10 was dedicated to the single-tax reform. Too much of a good thing? www.irwincollier.com/harvard-meth...
September 25, 2025 at 7:12 AM
#EconSky Half of Thomas Nixon Carver's final exam on the economics of socialism, communism, and the single tax at Harvard 1909-10 was dedicated to the single-tax reform. Too much of a good thing? www.irwincollier.com/harvard-meth...
#EconSky Shall I be wise and great, or rich and powerful? A question never asked by Thomas Nixon Carver in his Harvard course on the Distribution of Wealth, 1909-10. Round up the usual functional share suspects.... www.irwincollier.com/harvard-dist...
September 24, 2025 at 7:14 AM
#EconSky Shall I be wise and great, or rich and powerful? A question never asked by Thomas Nixon Carver in his Harvard course on the Distribution of Wealth, 1909-10. Round up the usual functional share suspects.... www.irwincollier.com/harvard-dist...
#EconSky Another reminder that European economic history was a core element in the training of early 20th century economists. Consider Howard Levi Gray and Edwin Francis Gay's course offerings for 1909-10 at Harvard... www.irwincollier.com/harvard-euro...
September 23, 2025 at 10:16 AM
#EconSky Another reminder that European economic history was a core element in the training of early 20th century economists. Consider Howard Levi Gray and Edwin Francis Gay's course offerings for 1909-10 at Harvard... www.irwincollier.com/harvard-euro...
#EconSky In March 1938 four Harvard economics professors signed a petition in support of US non-neutrality with respect to the Spanish Civil War. Plot-spoiler: they were on the anti-fascist side of the matter. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
September 22, 2025 at 8:06 PM
#EconSky In March 1938 four Harvard economics professors signed a petition in support of US non-neutrality with respect to the Spanish Civil War. Plot-spoiler: they were on the anti-fascist side of the matter. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
#EconSky The economics of corporations was taught by Prof William Z. Ripley at Harvard 1909-10. Course description, report assignment, final exam. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
September 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
#EconSky The economics of corporations was taught by Prof William Z. Ripley at Harvard 1909-10. Course description, report assignment, final exam. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
#EconSky Applied economics courses in the early 20th century typically were framed as "Problems of ...". William Z. Ripley taught Problems of Labor at Harvard in 1909-10. Course description, enrollment and final exam posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-prob...
September 18, 2025 at 8:50 AM
#EconSky Applied economics courses in the early 20th century typically were framed as "Problems of ...". William Z. Ripley taught Problems of Labor at Harvard in 1909-10. Course description, enrollment and final exam posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-prob...
#EconSky Meet the University of Chicago economics Ph.D. alumnus from 1926, Shirley Jay Coon. Thesis: Economic Development of Missoula, Montana. You read that right. www.irwincollier.com/chicago-econ...
September 15, 2025 at 1:35 PM
#EconSky Meet the University of Chicago economics Ph.D. alumnus from 1926, Shirley Jay Coon. Thesis: Economic Development of Missoula, Montana. You read that right. www.irwincollier.com/chicago-econ...
#EconSky The reading list and final exam for Henry Rosovsky and Dwight Perkins' course on the economic development of China and Japan (Harvard, 1966-67) are posted. Bonus material: Rosovsky's contribution to the 2003 Birthday book of Jeffrey Epstein. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
September 14, 2025 at 9:41 AM
#EconSky The reading list and final exam for Henry Rosovsky and Dwight Perkins' course on the economic development of China and Japan (Harvard, 1966-67) are posted. Bonus material: Rosovsky's contribution to the 2003 Birthday book of Jeffrey Epstein. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
#EconSky The second semester of the two-term money and banking sequence at Harvard in 1909-10 was taught by asst prof O.W.M. Sprague, back from a guest professorship in Japan. Historical and comparative study of banking systems. Course final exam etc. posted. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-desc...
September 13, 2025 at 2:35 PM
#EconSky The second semester of the two-term money and banking sequence at Harvard in 1909-10 was taught by asst prof O.W.M. Sprague, back from a guest professorship in Japan. Historical and comparative study of banking systems. Course final exam etc. posted. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-desc...
#EconSky Meet an economics Ph.D. alumnus from the Brookings Graduate School of Economics and Government (1925), Dexter Merriam Keezer. Of the institutional school persuasion, President of Reed College, OPA deputy administrator, head of economics at McGraw-Hill. www.irwincollier.com/brookings-ec...
September 10, 2025 at 6:39 AM
#EconSky Meet an economics Ph.D. alumnus from the Brookings Graduate School of Economics and Government (1925), Dexter Merriam Keezer. Of the institutional school persuasion, President of Reed College, OPA deputy administrator, head of economics at McGraw-Hill. www.irwincollier.com/brookings-ec...
#EconSky William J. Baumol identified five dangers to be avoided by prospective historians of economics in the introductory lecture to his course at Princeton on the history of economic doctrines (rev. Jan 1979). His notes have been transcribed, links added. www.irwincollier.com/princeton-in...
September 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
#EconSky William J. Baumol identified five dangers to be avoided by prospective historians of economics in the introductory lecture to his course at Princeton on the history of economic doctrines (rev. Jan 1979). His notes have been transcribed, links added. www.irwincollier.com/princeton-in...
#EconSky The Nov 1961 graduate economic theory exam at Harvard asked the student to answer six of ten questions. Copy transcribed from the Edward Chamberlin papers at the Economists' Papers Archive at Duke University. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-grad...
September 4, 2025 at 8:59 AM
#EconSky The Nov 1961 graduate economic theory exam at Harvard asked the student to answer six of ten questions. Copy transcribed from the Edward Chamberlin papers at the Economists' Papers Archive at Duke University. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-grad...
#EconSky M.I.T. professor Davis Rich Dewey was a visiting lecturer in economics at Harvard in 1909-10. He taught the Money course that year. Course description, enrollment and final exam are posted. His teaching assistant was a Harvard law student. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-cour...
September 2, 2025 at 11:55 AM
#EconSky M.I.T. professor Davis Rich Dewey was a visiting lecturer in economics at Harvard in 1909-10. He taught the Money course that year. Course description, enrollment and final exam are posted. His teaching assistant was a Harvard law student. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-cour...
#EconSky Meet Harvard economics PhD. (1907) Charles Phillips Huse who substituted for his thesis advisor in 1909-10 to teach a course on taxation. His professional timeline plus transcribed course description, enrollment and final exam. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-publ...
September 1, 2025 at 9:53 AM
#EconSky Meet Harvard economics PhD. (1907) Charles Phillips Huse who substituted for his thesis advisor in 1909-10 to teach a course on taxation. His professional timeline plus transcribed course description, enrollment and final exam. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-publ...
#EconSky Following the death of Charles F. Dunbar in 1900, Harvard first turned to visiting professors to cover courses in public finance. Meet Henry Bryton Gardner, Johns Hopkins PhD, who founded Brown's economics department. He taught a course in 1902-03. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-enro...
August 31, 2025 at 10:02 AM
#EconSky Following the death of Charles F. Dunbar in 1900, Harvard first turned to visiting professors to cover courses in public finance. Meet Henry Bryton Gardner, Johns Hopkins PhD, who founded Brown's economics department. He taught a course in 1902-03. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-enro...
#polsky What rhymes with Walter Ulbricht? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgan...
August 29, 2025 at 5:21 PM
#polsky What rhymes with Walter Ulbricht? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgan...
#EconSky Harvard's core economic history courses in 1909-10 were taught by E.F. Gay and H.L. Gray: Econ 6a, European Economic History and Econ 6b, U.S. Economic History. Course bibliographies, final exams, enrollments, descriptions. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-euro...
August 29, 2025 at 9:14 AM
#EconSky Harvard's core economic history courses in 1909-10 were taught by E.F. Gay and H.L. Gray: Econ 6a, European Economic History and Econ 6b, U.S. Economic History. Course bibliographies, final exams, enrollments, descriptions. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-euro...
#EconSky William Z. Ripley in his day covered many applied economics fields in Harvard's department in the first couple of decades of the 20th century. Materials from his course offered in 1909-10 on transportation are posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
August 28, 2025 at 7:10 AM
#EconSky William Z. Ripley in his day covered many applied economics fields in Harvard's department in the first couple of decades of the 20th century. Materials from his course offered in 1909-10 on transportation are posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-econ...
#EconSky Economist William Zebina Ripley taught the Harvard course on statistics for undergrads and graduate students. Course description, enrollment figures, and the final exams (mid-year, year-end) have been posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-exam...
August 27, 2025 at 6:45 AM
#EconSky Economist William Zebina Ripley taught the Harvard course on statistics for undergrads and graduate students. Course description, enrollment figures, and the final exams (mid-year, year-end) have been posted at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. www.irwincollier.com/harvard-exam...