Farnam was professor of political economy at
Yale University from 1880 to 1918. He served as the editor of
The Yale Review from 1892 to 1911. In 1911, he served as president of the
American Economic Association. In 1906, Farnam made a gift of to be used for the erection of a new building for
Lowell House. The gift was the largest of its kind on record and would allow the settlement work to be conducted on a broader and more effective basis. Farnam was one of five Yale professors who, together with several women of
New Haven, Connecticut, composed the Council of the organization. That same year, Farnam co-founded the
American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL) with other economists. == References ==