Harvard Law School - Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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educated mind as successfully as in legal practice. You can, if you will, become a force of great value to the nation. From your personal standpoint, it is very important that you give your best. First, if you determine to make the best of a series of uninviting tasks in an unwanted en- vironment you can become reasonably happy. You will End many problems which, while you may disagree with the army's way of meeting them, will be interesting. You will gain confidence in the army's ability to care for the physical condition of its men and you will acquire respect for the loyalty to duty of most of the regular army officers. Secondly, you will acquire a great deal of valuable experience in dealing with the cross section of young America. It will add to your armory of weapons in your profes- sion, for the ability to understand others is perhaps the most important mental attribute of a successful lawyer. And finally, if you put your back into the work cheerfully, it will give you a moral background that will stand you in great stead in the difficult days which we shall have to meet. Looking back, we cannot call our life in the army a waste of our time, but rather a distinct advantage for the days that followed. We confidently believe that army life will prove to be no waste of your time or effort. Furthermore, it will be no small satisfaction, as you travel through life, to carry with you the realization that you played a part in serving the nation in its hour of need. You have our affection and our confidence. We wish for you all those manifold benefits which come from a job well done. ,f. 26744. L .Tl... ...

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A MESSAGE TO THE STUDENTS Editor? Note: Early in 1941 the author: .rent copier of thi: letter to all rtitdentr. Believing the thoughts expressed therein are truly en- uoirraging to thore of 115 who will shortly he member: of the armed forces, and in rexpome to marry reqitertr from present aml part mem- herx of this school, we are happy to reprint it. May31,1941 To the Students of the Harvard Law School: Witluin a short time many of you will be called into the service of the United States. Some of you may be resentful, feeling that the personal sacrifice you are required to make is unnecessary. Some may feel that it is unfair to take from you one of your most valuable yearsg to impede your progress as you are nearing your goal and to waste the qualities with which you could do more service elsewhere. Some of you may feel that this has been forced upon you by men who, like ourselves, can not now serve in this way and who have magnified the dangers which surround us. Without seeking to justify to you any position that we may have taken as to national or international affairs, we venture to make these suggestions because of our interest in you as individuals - for most, if not all, of you are known personally to one or more of us. Whether or not the need of an army is great and whether or not the plans for it are wise or fair, the country is committed to such a policy. The success of this policy will depend in large measure upon the whole-hearted support of those who are in the service. You have been favored far above most of the younger generation. You have reached an intellectual level far above the averageg you have the mental equipment which is the only worthwhile capital for the troubled days that are aheadg you have been educated to advise and to lead others. You can build upon the misfortune which is preventing you from now acting as a lawyer or from continuing your law studies, by doing a splendid service to the country. You will find others in the army who have been pulled away from their homes, their friends and occupations, and who are unhappy and resentful. You will find men to whom the experience of camp life is one of bore- dom and discontent. It is in this environment that you can show the qualities of an 12

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THE HARVARD LAW SCHOOL IN THE FIRST GREAT WAR N 1916-17 there were 857 students C 66 more than in the previous yearj. In 1917-18 the number fell from 857 to 297, in 1918-19 from 297 to 128. The light guttered, flickered, but did not go out. In December, 1918, announcement was made of a special session of seven months CFebruary to August 19195. The intent was to save, so to speak, a year of their lives to students who had been honorably discharged from the services. 507 students came to this special session. In 1919-20 the number of students bounded back again to 883. The Faculty in 1916-17 was only about a third as large as it now is -- the Presi- dent, the Dean and ten other members. Three have died, President Lowell and Professors Williston and Beale have become Emeritus, Dean Pound has, as Dean, become Emeritus but as a University Professor still gives an important part of his time to the School, Professor Frankfurter has become the fifth man who has both taught in the Harvard Law School and has also been a Justice of the Supreme Court. joseph Warren, Scott, Chafee and I were the other members of the 1916-17 Faculty. In the special session of 1919 the courses offered were: First year, Procedure, Con- tracts, Criminal Law and Principles of Liability, Property, Torts, Second year, Agency, Bills and Notes, Equity, Evidence, Property, Sales, Thircl year, Conflict of Laws, Con- situtional Law, Corporations, Equity, Public Utilities, Trusts. From February to june 1919, when the School was a double-barrelled school, most of the courses were given in the special session by the same men who gave them in the regular session. Throughout the war years there was no resolution by the Faculty on any matter relating to the war which was not, after discussion and moulding, voted unanimously. The resolutions adopted included the following CApril 24, 19179: 1. Third-Year Sluflemr. Third-year students actually in the service of the United States or actually called into the service of the United States prior to the end of the school year, including such students as shall be accepted in federal training camps, will 14