Plan B: Teach economics!
This Week in Liberal Arts History … 1920 … Plan B: Teach economics! 1920: One of the first liberal arts programs at the College of Mines was the department of English and economics. With a lean staff, the college justified many of its faculty positions by having instructors double up on topics. This led to the odd combination of English and economics. When H.C. Taylor, the program’s original professor, resigned in 1920 to become an economist with a mining company, he was replaced by Emett A. Drake, the former head of the New Mexico School of Mines and an English major from the University of Wisconsin. Economics remained within the English department until 1927, when it moved to history.
During the 2017-2018 academic year, UTEP celebrates the 50th anniversary of the College of Liberal Arts. Tune in each week to learn something new about the history of liberal arts and more during our yearlong celebration. See you next week!