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Thomas Childs Cochran Papers

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center [Contact Us]3401 Market Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
UPT 50 C663
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center
Extent:
10 cubic feet
Language:
English
Date:
1949-1969 (inclusive)
Creator:
Cochran, Thomas C. (Thomas Childs)
Form:
Memorabilia, Syllabi, Outlines, Articles, Reviews (Criticism), Speeches, Lecture notes, and Manuscripts (for publication)
Abstract:
Thomas Childs Cochran was an economic historian, educator and author who was on the faculty of New York University (1927-1950) and the University of Pennsylvania (1950-1972); who is notable for his contributions to the development of numerous professional organizations with which he was associated during his career. The Cochran Papers consist of Professor Cochran's general, correspondence relating to the organizations with which he was affiliated, and his teachings and writings

Economic historian, educator and author; B.S. and M.A., New York University, (1923, 1925) and Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, (1930); faculty, Dept of History, New York University, (1927-1950); faculty, Dept. of History, Univeristy of Pennsylvania, (1950-1972); notable for his contributions to the development of numerous professional organizations with which he was associated during his career including National Bureau of Economic Research, the Committee on Research in Economic History, the Economic History Association, the Organization of American Historians, American Historical Association, National Records Management Council, Social Science Research Council, Society for American Studies, New York Commission on Business Records; recognized for his role in advocating the preservation of business and corporation records as source material for the study of American civilization; author of numerous publications in American economic history which reflect this viewpoint.

The Cochran Papers are in three parts. The first includes Professor Cochran's general correspondence from 1942 to 1950 as a member of the history department at New York University, his undergraduate alma mater, and from 1950 to 1966, during the greater part of his career at the University of Pennsylvania. The second and most significant division of the collection consists of correspondence relating to the more than twenty regional, national, and international learned societies and organizations with which the historian was affiliated between 1942 and 1969.

Papers dealing with Thomas Cochran's teaching and writing from the third segment. Lecture notes and syllabi from courses taught in his two universities (the earliest date from 1927, three years before he received his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania), papers of associates and students, correspondence with co-editors and with his publishers (Harper, Crowell, Knopf, McGraw-Hill, and Scribner are represented) are all here, together with articles and speeches by Dr. Cochran, clippings and reviews of his work, and a file of reviews written by him. Some pleasant memorabilia are included, a Valentine from his wife, Ro Cochran, to whom nearly every correspondent sent greetings, and the certificate of membership in the American Philosophical Society, one of Cochran's many honors.

The quality of Tom Cochran's writing and teach, his breadth of knowledge and quiet humility, earned him the executive position in the National Bureau of Economic History, the Economic History Association, and in the Organization of American Historians. Cochran served as editor of the Journal of Economic History and as a member of Council of the American Historical Association. A picture of the growth of these organizations, synonymous with Professor Cochran's own professional development, and of the interplay of the individuals who directed their destinies, emerges from the Cochran Papers.

Thomas Cochran's own view of business as an organic and fundamental institution of American civilization, and his concern with the changing role of entrepreneurship of the Americas, shaped the course of his writing. The sharing of these historical theories and interests determined the pattern of the historian's movements - where he was and with whom - as it did the pattern of his correspondence. Tom Cochran directed the Commercial Relations Attitudes Project at the University of Puerto Rico in the 1950s and held the Pitt Professorship at Cambridge University in the 1960s.

Not surprisingly, his correspondence included Howard K. Beale, Daniel J. Boorstin, Rudolf A. Clemen, Arthur H. Cole, George W. Corner, Merle Curti, Oscar Handlin, Fred Harvey Harrington, R. Strugis Ingersoll, Walter Johnson, Emmett J. Leahy, Allan Nevins, Roy F. Nicholas, M.M. Postan, Richard H. Shryock, and William Miller, coeditor with Cochran of The Age of Enterprise. As the correspondence is a general one, letters to and from his peers are intermingled with notes of warm encouragement sent by the brilliant teacher of history to young colleagues and students. Cochran's golf partners also have their day in the sun.

The collection is organized in five series: General Correspondence, Professional Organizations, Teaching and Writing, Writing, General File. Each series is arranged chronologically or alphabetically depending upon the content.

Gift of Thomas Childs Cochran, 1972 (accession 1972-46).

Organization
Subject
Place
Occupation

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center
Finding Aid Author
F.J. Dallett and Karen D. Stevens
Finding Aid Date
1972
Access Restrictions

Access to collections is granted in accordance with the Protocols for the University Archives and Records Centers.

Collection Inventory

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1942-1948 (at NYU).
Box 1 Folder 1
1949-1950 (at NYU).
Box 1 Folder 2
1950 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 3
1951 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 4
1952 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 5
1953 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 6
1954 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 7
1955 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 8
1956 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 9
1957 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 10
1958 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 11
1959 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 12
1960 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 13
1961 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 14
1962 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 15
1963 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 16
1964 (at UP; 2 items only).
Box 1 Folder 17
1965 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 18
1966 (at UP).
Box 1 Folder 19
1954-1956 (at U. of Puerto Rico).
Box 1 Folder 20
Undated and fragmentary.
Box 1 Folder 21
Budget and fiscal material, including foundation grants, 1951-1966.
Box 1 Folder 22
1940.
Box 4 Folder 1
1941.
Box 4 Folder 2
1942.
Box 4 Folder 3
1944.
Box 4 Folder 4
1945.
Box 4 Folder 5
1946.
Box 4 Folder 6
1947.
Box 4 Folder 7
1948.
Box 4 Folder 8
1949 (1).
Box 4 Folder 9
1949 (2).
Box 4 Folder 10
1950.
Box 4 Folder 11
1951 (1).
Box 4 Folder 12
1951 (2).
Box 4 Folder 13
1952.
Box 4 Folder 14
1953.
Box 4 Folder 15
1954.
Box 4 Folder 16
1955.
Box 4 Folder 17
1956.
Box 4 Folder 18
1957.
Box 4 Folder 19
1958.
Box 4 Folder 20
1959.
Box 4 Folder 21
1960.
Box 4 Folder 22
1961.
Box 4 Folder 23
1962.
Box 4 Folder 24
1963.
Box 4 Folder 25
1964 (1).
Box 4 Folder 26
1964 (2).
Box 4 Folder 27
1964 (3).
Box 4 Folder 28
1965.
Box 4 Folder 29
1966.
Box 4 Folder 30
1967 (1).
Box 5 Folder 1
1967 (2).
Box 5 Folder 2
1967 (3).
Box 5 Folder 3
1968 (1).
Box 5 Folder 4
1968 (2).
Box 5 Folder 5
1969 (1).
Box 5 Folder 6
1969 (2).
Box 5 Folder 7
1970 (1).
Box 5 Folder 8
1970 (2).
Box 5 Folder 9
1971 (1).
Box 5 Folder 10
1971 (2).
Box 5 Folder 11
1972 (l).
Box 5 Folder 12
1972 (2).
Box 5 Folder 13
1973 (1).
Box 6 Folder 1
1973 (2).
Box 6 Folder 2
1973.
Box 9
1974 (4 folders).
Box 9
1975 (6 folders).
Box 9
1976 (4 folders).
Box 9
1977 (4 folders).
Box 9
1978 (2 folders).
Box 9
Kenneth Burke, 1941-1969.
Box 6 Folder 3
Merle Curti, 1946-1971.
Box 6 Folder 4
Arthur H. Cole, 1947-1952.
Box 6 Folder 5
Arthur H. Cole, 1956-1959.
Box 6 Folder 6
Arthur H. Cole, 1963-1971 (partial; see also General Correspondence files).
Box 6 Folder 7
Frederic C. Lane 1966-1968.
Box 6 Folder 8
Sir Denis Brogan (and Commager?), 1965 and n.d.
Box 6 Folder 9
David Mandel, 1951-1967.
Box 6 Folder 10
David Mandel, 1968-1971.
Box 6 Folder 11
"Methodology" and "fundamental concepts in economic history," 1943-1949.
Box 6 Folder 12
Writing of history of individual films, 1945-1949.
Box 6 Folder 13
"Why Norristown?" 1952-1953.
Box 6 Folder 14
"McGraw-Hill Project," 1955-1958.
Box 6 Folder 15
"Books", 1955-1962.
Box 6 Folder 16
"Committee on Historical Analysis, 1956-1961.
Box 6 Folder 17
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1959-1963.
Box 6 Folder 18
Dunning Prize, 1960.
Box 6 Folder 19
The Inner Revolution, 1963-1964.
Box 6 Folder 20
Organization of American Historians, 1965-1967.
Box 6 Folder 21
United States Information Service, 1966-1967.
Box 6 Folder 22
Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation, 1968-1970.
Box 7 Folder 1
American Historical Association, 1969.
Box 7 Folder 2
American Historical Association, 1972 (1).
Box 7 Folder 3
American Historical Association, 1972 (2).
Box 7 Folder 4
American Historical Association, 1973.
Box 7 Folder 5
Benjamin Franklin Papers, 1969-1970.
Box 7 Folder 6
American Society for Legal History, 1970.
Box 7 Folder 7
St. Regis Paper Co. Project, 1973.
Box 7 Folder 8
Course Outlines and Bibliographies (NYU, 1939-49).
Box 7 Folder 9
Course Lectures and Notes: "Twentieth Century".
Box 7 Folder 10
"Basic History of American Business," drafts (1).
Box 7 Folder 11
"Basic History of American Business," drafts (2).
Box 7 Folder 12
Writings, Correspondence and Reference files, 1955-1956 (1).
Box 7 Folder 13
Writings, Correspondence and Reference files, 1955-1956 (2).
Box 7 Folder 14
Reports of interviews with local firms (1).
Box 7 Folder 15
Reports of interviews with local firms (2).
Box 7 Folder 16

American Council of Learned Societies, 1947-1955.
Box 2 Folder 1
American Historical Association, 1944-1966.
Box 2 Folder 2
American Historical Association: Dunning Prize Committee, 1963-1966.
Box 2 Folder 3
Commercial Relations Attitudes Study, 1955-1956.
Box 2 Folder 4
Committee on Research in Economic History, Part 1, 1942-1954.
Box 2 Folder 5
Committee on Research in Economic History, Part 2, 1955-1969.
Box 2 Folder 6
Economic History Association, 1940-1966.
Box 2 Folder 7
National Bureau of Economic Research, 19SO-1951.
Box 2 Folder 8
National Records Management Council, 1948-1960.
Box 2 Folder 9
New York Committee for the Preservation of Business Records, 1939-1948.
Box 2 Folder 10
Social Science Research Council, 1944-1966.
Box 2 Folder 11
Sociedad Industrial Americana Maquinarias (Buenos Aires), 1958-1963.
Box 2 Folder 12
Society of American Historians, 1941-1950.
Box 2 Folder 13
Society for American Studies, 1945-1951.
Box 2 Folder 14
United States Information Agency, 1960-1964.
Box 2 Folder 15
Miscellaneous organizations: The Business Historical Society, 1950-1951; Lexington Group, 1950; Mississippi Valley Historical Association, 1946-1959; Organization of American Historians, 1965.
Box 2 Folder 16
Miscellaneous organizations and UP: Various printed manuals and memoranda.
Box 2 Folder 17

Course and Lecture notes, 1927-1950 (NYU) File #1.
Box 3 Folder 1
Course and Lecture notes, 1927-1950 (NYU) File #2.
Box 3 Folder 2
Lectures and Syllabi, 1940-1950 (NYU).
Box 3 Folder 3
Lectures and Syllabi, History Dept. (UP).
Box 3 Folder 4
Teaching notes and files, American Civilization (UP).
Box 3 Folder 5
Papers of Students and Associates.
Box 3 Folder 6
Correspondence with Co-editors and Publishers (Harper, Crowell, Knopf, McGraw-Hill, Scribner), 1948-1966.
Box 3 Folder 7
Correspondence re history of Pabst Brewing Co., 1944-1948.
Box 3 Folder 8
Correspondence re history of Norristown, Pa., 1951-1952.
Box 3 Folder 9
Articles, lectures and speeches.
Box 3 Folder 10
The Catholic Church in America, annotated typescripts (TCC).
Box 3 Folder 11
"Entrepreneurship," correspondence and writings of TCC and others, 1949-1962.
Box 3 Folder 12
Clippings of reviews of works by TCC.
Box 3 Folder 13
Book Reviews by TCC.
Box 3 Folder 14

American Business in the 20th Century, proofs.
Box 10 Folder 1
American Business in the 20th Century, rough draft.
Box 10 Folder 2
American Business in the 20th Century, rough draft.
Box 10 Folder 3
American Historical Association.
Box 10 Folder 4
Atomic Energy.
Box 10 Folder 5
Benjamin Franklin Papers.
Box 10 Folder 6
Bicentennial.
Box 10 Folder 7
Bicentennial Coordinating Committee.
Box 10 Folder 8
Business in American Life, McGraw Hill.
Box 10 Folder 9
The Business Revolution, AHR, December 1974.
Box 10 Folder 10
Center for the Study of Organizational Innovation at University of Pennsylvania.
Box 10 Folder 11
Comparative History, Thrupp.
Box 10 Folder 12
Doubleday Lecture.
Box 10 Folder 13
Eastern College Library.
Box 10 Folder 14
Hall of Fame.
Box 10 Folder 15
Japan.
Box 10 Folder 16
Journal of American History article.
Box 10 Folder 17
Miscellaneous, family.
Box 10 Folder 18
Miscellaneous, window sill, 1970's.
Box 10 Folder 19
Odds and Ends, retyped.
Box 10 Folder 20
Pennsylvania History, Pennsylvania State Papers.
Box 10 Folder 21
Report to Sun History Project Advisory Committee, June 14, 1978.
Box 10 Folder 22
St. Regis.
Box 10 Folder 23
Scholarly Resources.
Box 10 Folder 24
Scribner's Dictionary.
Box 10 Folder 25
John Shuman.
Box 10 Folder 26
Summer Seminar.
Box 10 Folder 27
Why A History of Business (3 folders).
Box 10 Folder 28-30

Railroad Leaders, drafts.
Box 8 Folder 1
Railroad Leaders, notes and correspondence, 1950-53 (l).
Box 8 Folder 2
Railroad Leaders, notes and correspondence, 1950-53 (2).
Box 8 Folder 3
"Business in American Life," drafts (1).
Box 8 Folder 4
"Business in American Life," drafts (2).
Box 8 Folder 5
The Inner Revolution, drafts, 1964 (1).
Box 8 Folder 6
The Inner Revolution, drafts, 1964 (2).
Box 8 Folder 7
The Inner Revolution, typescript, 1964.
Box 8 Folder 8
"Government and Business in the Age of Washington.".
Box 8 Folder 9
"History and Cultural Crisis" (AHA Address), drafts (1).
Box 8 Folder 10
"History and Cultural Crisis" (AHA Address), drafts (2).
Box 8 Folder 11
"American Hawaiian Steamship Company," 1944-1947.
Box 8 Folder 12
Encyclopedia Article.
Box 8 Folder 13
Miscellaneous Minor Writings.
Box 8 Folder 14
A New Interdisciplinary Seminar.
Box 8 Folder 15
The Social History of the Corporation in the U.S., Thomas Cochran, 1940.
Box 8 Folder 16
The Judgment of History on American Business - Stanley Pargellis, 1943.
Box 8 Folder 17
New York City Business Records: A Plan for Their Preservation - Thomas Cochran, 1944.
Box 8 Folder 18
Bulletin of the Business Historical Society, Oct. 19.
Box 8 Folder 19
The Economics in a Business History, Dec. 1945.
Box 8 Folder 20
A Plan for the Study of Business Thinking, Thomas Cochran, March 1947.
Box 8 Folder 21
The Presidential Synthesis In American History, Thomas Cochran, July 1948.
Box 8 Folder 22
Report of Ad Hoc Committee on Manuscripts Set Up by the American Historical Association in Dec. 1948.
Box 8 Folder 23
Los Comervantes Puertorriquenos Y el Cambio Social, Thomas Cochran, 1948.
Box 8 Folder 24
Role and Sanction in American Entrepreneurial History, Thomas Cochran, 1949.
Box 8 Folder 25
A Decade of American Histories by Thomas C. Cochran, April 1949.
Box 8 Folder 26
Bulletin of the Business Historical Society, Sept. 1.
Box 8 Folder 27
Journal of Economic History, 1950.
Box 8 Folder 28
Bulletin of the Business Historical Society, Dec. 1951.
Box 8 Folder 29
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography - July 1956.
Box 8 Folder 30
A New Era In United States History - Thomas Cochran 1952.
Box 8 Folder 31
Business and Railroad History: An Appraisal of 10 years work - Thomas Cochran 4-16-1952.
Box 8 Folder 32
Reprinted from The Business History Review, Vol. 26, #4, Dec.1954.
Box 8 Folder 33
The Social Sciences and the Problem of Historical Synthesis - Thomas Cochran, 1954.
Box 8 Folder 34
History and Social Sciences - Thomas C. Cochran, Sept. 195S.
Box 8 Folder 35
Capital Formation and Economic Growth, 1956.
Box 8 Folder 36
Business and the Democratic Tradition - Thomas Cochran, March-April 1956.
Box 8 Folder 37
Publication of the American Jewish Historical Society - Vol. 46, #3 (March 1957).
Box 8 Folder 38
Business History Review, Vol. 36, #1, Spring 1958.
Box 8 Folder 39
Journal of Economic History, March 1959.
Box 8 Folder 40
Journal of Economic History, Dec. 1960.
Box 8 Folder 41
The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Sept. 1961.
Box 8 Folder 42
Behavioral Science, Vol. 9, #2, April 1964.
Box 8 Folder 43
History of A Business Society 54, #1, June 1967.
Box 8 Folder 44
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences1968.
Box 8 Folder 45
American Historical review, Vol. 74, June 1969.
Box 8 Folder 46
A Memoir.
Box 8 Folder 47

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