Thomas J.C. Raymond, at 88; a teacher at Harvard Business School for 37 years

Thomas J.C. Raymond was an expert on effective business writing who taught at Harvard University for 55 years.

''He was legendary," Henry Leitner, assistant dean of information technology at Harvard University Division of Continuing Education, said yesterday of Dr. Raymond, 88, who died Thursday in Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

Dr. Raymond taught at Harvard Business School from 1950 to 1987. He also taught at Harvard University's Extension School for the past 25 years.

''By his own estimation he taught more than 18,000 students," said Leitner.

An advocate of the Socratic method, Dr. Raymond questioned his students relentlessly to avoid generalities and easy assumptions. He once described his survey course ''Business in American Life" as ''the only practical course an undergraduate can take."

Dr. Raymond once taught a course called ''Effective Written Communication" to police chiefs from across the country. He also taught the course to minority applicants seeking to qualify to join the Boston Police Department.

In a newsletter published this spring by Harvard, Dr. Raymond discussed his business philosophy. ''I don't think it's about making money," he said. ''It's more about acting as the custodian of the world's resources, both human and natural, and making sure those resources are put to work in such ways that they are useful for the survival of the human race."

He also discussed his love of teaching. ''I think it's a wonderful way to extend yourself, to have an influence that goes beyond you," he said.

Dr. Raymond was born in Newark, N.J. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He graduated from Montclair State Teachers College in New Jersey, earned a master's degree at Harvard Business School, and received a doctorate at Harvard School of Education.

Last year, Dr. Raymond taught his classes from a wheelchair. ''He broke his hip," said Leitner, ''so he hired a driver to bring him back and forth from his home in Orleans."

Dr. Raymond leaves his wife, Alicia Margarita (Gutierrez); a son, Geoffrey B. Clark of Princeton, N.J.; four brothers, Joseph of Pacific Palisades, Calif., Vincent of South Bend, Ind., Charles of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Robert of Los Angeles; and two grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow in St. Joan of Arc Church in Orleans. Burial will be in Orleans Cemetery.