February 1997

John Perry Miller: Economist and Former Graduate School Dean

Economist John Perry Miller, a longtime faculty member and former dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, died Feb. 9 at his home in Hamden, Connecticut. He was 85 years old.

Professor Miller, an adviser to President Harry S. Truman and the Elizabeth S. and A. Varick Stout Professor Emeritus of Economics, specialized in the fields of industrial organization and public policy, as well as the history of economic thought. He served at the University for 40 years as teacher, scholar and administrator.

As dean of the Graduate School 1961-69, Mr. Miller was one of the nation's leading spokesmen for graduate education. Under his leadership, the school grew in both size and national prestige, and its role within the University also was greatly strengthened. Among the new programs Dean Miller established at Yale are the joint M.D.–Ph.D. program, departmental programs in medieval studies and economic history, the combined B.A.–M.A. program, and the graduate affiliates program in the residential colleges. He also established an alumni association for the Graduate School — at the time the only school at the University without its own such affiliation — and initiated Ventures, a magazine for alumni of the school.

"John Perry Miller brought a wise and steady hand to many leadership positions in the University," says President Richard C. Levin. "As dean of the Graduate School, as the entrepreneur who launched the Institution for Social and Policy Studies and helped to found the School of Management, and as leader of Yale's fundraising efforts, his substantial accomplishments have had enduring value."

"Anyone who has been the beneficiary of the new Yale — students, alumni, faculty, administrators — should thank Dean Miller and bless his memory," adds Jaroslav Pelikan, Sterling Professor Emeritus of History, himself a former dean of the Graduate School. "He was my friend and colleague, and he became my mentor. During the five years that I occupied the dean's office 1973–78 , I continued to think of it as John Perry Miller's office, and of myself as his surrogate."

Professor Pelikan also notes that Professor Miller "served as dean of the Graduate School just at the time when Yale was redefining its nature and mission as a university. Thanks to his vision and leadership, the Graduate School came to occupy a central place in that redefinition, by setting the standards of faculty appointment not only for itself but for Yale College and, in considerable measure, for the professional schools as well. ... [H]e recognized the special genius of Yale."

In addition to the Graduate School deanship, Professor Miller held several other administrative posts during his tenure at Yale. These include: Corporation officer and chief executive officer, The Campaign for Yale, 1973–77; Corporation officer for institutional development 1976–79; and deputy provost 1977–78. He also served as director of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, 1969–73; of the Division of Social Sciences 1950–57; and of graduate studies in economics 1959–61. He was a member of the faculty committee that in 1962 recommended admitting women to Yale College. One of the original fellows of Silliman College when it opened in 1940, he served as executive fellow of the college during its initial year. As noted above, he also played a major role in the planning and negotiations which led to the establishment of the School of Organization and Management.

John Perry Miller was born in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1911. He graduated from Harvard University Phi Beta Kappa in 1932 and received his Ph.D. there in 1937. Prior to entering the U.S. Navy during World War II while on leave of absence from the University, he was principal economist for the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D.C. In 1943 he was assigned to the Navy Office of Procurement. He held the rank of lieutenant commander at the time of his release from the Navy in 1945. After serving briefly on the faculties of Princeton and Harvard universities, he came to Yale in 1939 to teach in the economics department. He was appointed full professor in 1950, and was named to the Stout chair in 1969. He retired in 1981.

Professor Miller authored several books — including "Unfair Competition: A Study in Criteria for Control of Trade Practices," "Pricing Military Procurement" and "Cartels, Competition and their Regulation" — and scores of articles on both economics and education. He was among the group of experts called on to advise President Harry S. Truman on how to improve the New England economy after World War II. He also served as consultant to various state and federal government agencies on subjects ranging from industrial economics to regional economic development to higher education. During his years as Graduate School dean, Mr. Miller was elected president of the Association of Graduate Schools in the Association of American Universities and served on the executive committee of the Council of Graduate Schools. His other professional affiliations include the American Economic Association and the Social Science Research Council. He served on the board of directors of both the Aetna Life and Casualty Company and Southern New England Telephone Company. Among his awards and honors are Yale's Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal.

Professor Miller leaves a son, Yale professor Dr. Perry Lowell Miller, and a daughter, Ann Finicane, of Brimfield, Massachusetts. Professor Miller's wife of 54 years, Dorothy, died last June.