I cannot remember how far back they go, but you should check the 
volumes of reading lists that Ed Tower, at Duke published. My memory, 
which may be incorrect, is that they started in the 1980s, or maybe 
even 1975. But maybe I am a decade out. I am happy to look out which 
ones I have got.

In one UK university circa 1970, it was Lipsey for the first year, 
the less mathematical students got a choice of Ryan or Stigler and 
the more mathematical ones got Henderson and Quandt.

On public finance, you should check Atkinson and Stigltz Lectures in 
Public Finance.

Roger Backhouse