This I believe …
Walter Willcox wrote an essay for the radio program “This I
Believe,” which was recorded in new york and broadcast dur-
ing the 1950s. The program was hosted by Edward R. Murrow,
and some of the more famous essays include those by
Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, and Helen Keller. To read
the essay by Willcox, visit
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/17099.
“
I believe that human freedom to experiment
and initiate is the most potent of all the forces
working for the progress of mankind
”
.
have long agreed with recent
and moral statistics,” taught by
statements that ‘except for sta-
Willcox. It has been said that
tistics … no new technique for
Willcox and Davis R. Dewey of
studying social problems has
the Massachusetts Institute of
been developed in modern times’
Technology enjoyed the distinc-
and that ‘it is principally by the
tion of having taught statistics
aid of such methods that these
longer than any other persons in
studies may be raised to the rank
the United States.
of sciences.’ These convictions lie
From 1899 to 1901, Willcox
at the root of my predominant
was one of five professional stat-
interest in statistical sociology.”
isticians in charge of the 1900
Willcox’s studies represented pio-
Census of the United States and
neering work and improvement
served as chief of the division of
of demographic statistics.
methods and results, charged with
Willcox was born on March 22,
the analysis and interpretation of
1861, in Reading, Massachusetts.
the census results. Willcox’s par-
He earned his PhD in 1891 from
ticipation in the census of 1900
Columbia and an honorary LLD
arose from the work of a commit-
from Amherst in 1906. He joined
tee appointed by the American
the faculty of Cornell University
Economic Association in 1897
in 1891, serving as an instruc-
to review the 1890 Census and to
tor and associate professor until
consider the scope and method of
1901, when he became profes-
the 1900 Census.
sor of economics and statistics, a
In his capacity as chief statis-
chair he held until his retirement
tician for methods and results,
in 1931.
Willcox obtained the approval
Willcox was responsible for
of then Director of the Census
initiating one of the earliest uni-
William R. Merriam to arrange
versity courses in statistics in the
for analyses and interpretations
United States. Prior to the 1890s,
of the census and the routine
only seven institutions offered
reports on populations and
courses, described as including
vital statistics. To carry out this
statistics. During the 1890s, 16
task, the bureau enlisted the
universities began to offer such
help of the presidents of some
courses, among them Cornell
20 universities, inviting them
in 1892–1893 with “an elemen-
to submit the names of out-
tary course in statistical methods
standing graduate students who
with special treatment of vital
would be willing to assist in the
24 AMSTAT NEwS SEPTEMbER 2009
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