Babson, Roger

Babson, Roger (Ward) (1875–1967) statistician, business forecaster, author; born in Gloucester, Mass. An indifferent student, he was pushed by his father to study bookkeeping and engineering. He set up the Business Statistical Organization, Inc. (1904) and published the Composite Circular and the Babsonchart, which advised his clients on when to buy and sell their stocks, bonds, and commodities. He established the Babson Institute (later Babson College) in 1919; in 1927 he established Webber College (Florida) to train women for business. His statistical compilations were of great importance to a generation of businessmen during the pre-computer era. He published some 40 books, most of them on statistical and financial matters.