Harvard Law School - Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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Roscoe Pound . . . the tutelage ofj ohn C. Gray,james Barr Ames, and William A. Keener. Mr. Pound then returned to Lincoln for independent study in his father's law ofiice. In 1890 he was admitted to the Nebraska bar. Mr. Pound practiced law with his father until his appointment in 1901 as Com- missioner of Appeals of the Supreme Court. During this interim he found time for additional tasks, continuing his botanical studies freceiving the Ph.D. degree in 1897j and the assumption of an assistant professorship of Law in the University of Nebraska. While Commissioner, he delivered ninety-nine opinions for the court of which twenty-two were in reversal of the judg- ments in the courts below and four in modification oftheir judgments. The year 1899 also marks the year of his marriage to Miss Grace Gerrard of Columbus, Nebraska. It was because he could continue his law practice that judge Pound assumed his early teaching assignments. In 1903 he was appointed Dean of the Nebraska University of Law School, resigning in 1907 upon the invitation of its dean, Professorjohn H. Wigmore, to teach at Northwestern University, the potentiality of a law practice in Chicago being an added impetus for the change. In 1909, after two years at Northwestern, Professor Pound served as a member of the Law faculty in the University of Chicago, for one year. Professor joseph H. Beale had previously served as dean at Chicago, but had returned to Harvard after having established the Chicago school. In 1910, Dean Thayer invited him to serve at Harvard Law School as Story Professor of Law, the first western teacher to become a member of the Law faculty and the first non-graduate of the school and non-holder of a legal degree. His influence in legal education at this period was nation wide, his legal sociological philosophy an ever attendant interest, startling and awakening the juridical world. 1913 found him Carter Professor ofj urisprudence, and upon the death of Ezra Thayer in 1916, the Dean of Harvard Law School. This marked the formation of the third and greatest of the school's periods. First-1817-1870-The Natural Law Philosophy Period underjoseph Story ffamous as a jurist and writer, both in the United States and in Englandj, Second-1870-1916-The Historical and Analytical jurisprudence Period, under the deanship of Langdell who initiated the case method. Third-1916-1936-Sociological jurisprudence Period under Dean Pound. During this period Langdell Hall was completed, the most extensive law library in the world collected, and a unique collection of oil portraits and prints of the judiciary added. Throughout the years, Dean Roscoe Pound has been imbued with no particular goal. A lesson he learned from his mother- do the job at hand, and do it thoroughly, has been his companion. No short biographical sketch can encompass the development of that future. At present, since his resignation in 1956 as dean, and his immediate appointment as University Professor, he continues teaching in the law school and in the college. His extensive writings, numerous and various honors, famong which the receipt of seventeen honorary de- grees from universities, the world-overj, travels, and personal attributes fespecially characterized by his devotion and friendship to students, the unique qualities of his memoryj have not been encompassed. His future is yet unfolding and at a terrific pace. At 76 Dean Pound goes to China as legal adviser, he continues his work both intra and extra-university, lecturing, writing and counseling, he continues the preparation of his long awaited treatise. We can only express our fervent congratulation, our deep appreciation, and strive to be worthy of his leadership.

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N ,wx .-.1 iii I ll0SCOE POUNll 'runomin 'rms Ymms ROSCOE POUND, eldest of three children was born at Lincoln, Nebraska, of old New jersey Quaker stock, in 1870. His father, Stephen Bosworth Pound, was a graduate of Union College, Class of 1859, who early migrated to the West, eventually settling in Nebraska. Stephen Pound was lawyer, judge and state senator. The judge was a Greek scholar and from him the young Roscoe received the impetus for delving in that classi- cal language. Under the guidance of his mother, the usual elementary schooling was obtained. Roscoe Pound entered the Old Latin School preparatory to the University of Nebraska, and at the age of seventeen received the A.B. degree from that University. Parental vocation was a tre- mendous influence upon the boy Roscoe. His interest in botany stimu- lated by his mother's fascination for the subject and also because of free time given him while fellow classmates were struggling with fundamental lessons, enabled him to turn his attentions to the field of botany. He became an authority in the field and used money earned as a botanical assistant to hnance his program at Harvard Law School. His only at- tendance as student at the law school was for the period of one year, 1888- 1889. This year was spent under Trip, right to lej2vRu.rtoe Pound at age four, while proflzrmr az the Univerrily of Chicago, while Carler Prof?Jror. Center, rigbl-while 4 .rmdent ul the University of Nebrarka. Center- Dean Pound am! his famonr dark. The insert and pirmrer of Dean am! Mrs. Pomzt! while lruveling were all taken during hir deanrbip. Likewixt' the Rosalind Abram- .mn etching, mp rightg the Mar,rlaallplao1o,' am! flu' portrait by I'I0f1kiI1.f0I7.

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