Origins & Early Life

Theodore William Schultz ( SHUULTS; 30 April 1902 – 26 February 1998) was an American agricultural economist and chairman of the University of Chicago Department of Economics. Schultz rose to national prominence after winning the 1979 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Theodore William Schultz was born on April 30, 1902, in a small town ten miles southeast of Badger, South Dakota, on a 560-acre farm. When Schultz was in the eighth grade, his father Henry decided to pull him out of attending Kingsbury County Schoolhouse.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father's view was that if his eldest son continued to get an education he would be less inclined to continue working on the farm. Schultz subsequently did not have any formal post-secondary education. He eventually enrolled in the Agriculture College at South Dakota State, in a three-year program that met for four months a year during the winter. After being recognized for possessing great potential as a student, Schultz moved on to a bachelor's program, earning his degree in 1927 in agriculture and economics. He also received an honorary doctorate of science degree from the college in 1959.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He graduated in 1927, then entered...

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