Harold S. Patton

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Former Chair and Former Professor
Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Degrees:
Ph.D., 1926. Harvard University
A.M., 1921. Harvard University
B.A., 1912. University of Toronto, Canada

Bio-Info

Patton papers at the MSU Archive

Former Professor Harold Smith Patton was born in Canada, and received a B.A. degree from the University of Toronto in 1912. During World War I, he served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry until he was wounded in action in France. After recovering, he became an area supervisor for the Canadian Young Men’s Christian Association, first in England and then in France.

Following the war, Patton studied at Harvard University where he earned A.M. and Ph.D. degrees in 1921 and 1926. He was appointed lecturer in economics at the University of Alberta and later served on the faculty of the University of Cincinnati. In 1929, he joined the Michigan State College (MSC.) Department of Economics, where he taught until his death in 1946. He taught the first course at MSC in Government Policies in Agriculture in 1930.

He was also Chairperson of the Department of Economics from 1930 until 1943. His academic interests centered on international and agricultural economics, and international trade in agricultural products. While at M.S.C. he served as Assistant Advisor in International Economic Affairs for the U.S. Department of State (1937-1938) and the Pentagon (ca. 1945).

He was on leave, military service, in Washington, D.C., 1943-46, and died in the Spring of 1946 after being hit by a bus in a parking area for the Pentagon in Washington, D. C.