Yale University Law School - Yale Law Reporter Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

Page 67 text:

62 'l'lIl'2 YALE SIIINGLIS. Loomis second. Profs. Beers, Townsend and Perry follow in that order. Some of the wags voted for Judge Fenn and Prof. Woolsey, While one fond youth, who had not evidently tried to evade paying the library fee, or been obliged to account for his conduct, voted for Dean Wayland. The instructor most difhcult to recite to was chosen with ease. The vote is too large to permit any doubt of the sincerity manifested. P1'of. Baldwin towers above all competitors. We have not forgotten the knotty problems concerning indorscment, partner- ship, legacies, powers in gross, etc., which appeared to us hopeless of solution and sent us in humiliation to our benches. When we were obliged to face the difhculties arising in connection with the powers of directors and constructive trusts, we envied those mild sensations which Prometheus, chained to the rock of Caucasus, felt in the region of his liver. Following the traditions of the law, we consider Blackstone to be the greatest jurist of the world. Our familiarity with his great Work has been chieliy derived from hearsay and the directions beneath the paragraphs of the Elementary Law to read 2 Bl. Comm. pp. 163-168, etc., and when we have exam- ined more closely his claims to greatness, perhaps our present opinion will be more strongly confirmed. Only one ballot less was east for Lord Coke. Prob- ably the first words of his that the most of us ever read were the eovin doth suffoeate the right, but we liked the appearanceiof his quaint, pithy state- ments and hence our admiration. Our patriotism showed itself in the vote for Chief Justice Marshall,

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THE FACULTY. The opinions of an outspoken and independent class must naturally be varied, and, when favorable, very flattering to the subject of criticism. The Fac- ulty, whom we regard as the best exponents of the best system of legal instruction, have appealed to us in many different ways, and while our votes give some one of the professors a decided plurality, in each case except one, they are divided among so many that no one can claim a majority. In our selection of favorite professor, we have fol- lowed the judgment of the last Senior Class--Prof. Robinson receives nearly half the votes cast. Prof. Townsend, whom we regret not to have seen more often in the recitation room, stands second. Prof. Bald- win comes third, while each of the other members of the Faculty receives votes. The long-desired arrival of Prof. Phelps had not occurred when the voting took place, and it is impossible to tell how he would have affected the order given above, if we had known him earlier. One considerate youth refrains from voting for fear of creating jealousy among the Faculty. We also regard Prof. Robinson as the best teacher, with Prof. Baldwin and Prof. Townsend following in close order. Judge Perry and Mr. Buckland also receive a number of votes. The selection of the easiest to recite to is very close. Prof. Robinson again wins Hrst place, with Prof.

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THE YALE SIIINGLE. 6g who holds third place, and might have been higher, had his opinions been reduced about fifteen pages per mp. Kent, Story, Bentham, John Adams and Taney are voted for. Shining with undiminished brilliancy among these luminaries, the names of Hayden and Levy appear. ln the contest for place of greatest American jurist, Chief Justice Marshall recovers himself, and receives nearly three times as many votes as Kent, who is second by a margin of one vote over Cooley. Story and David Dudley Field come next, with seat- tering votes for Robt. AG. Ingersoll, Judge Callahan, WVilliam M. Evarts, Recorder Smyth and our own Adams. Justice Harlan is voted the greatest jurist now liv- ing, with Judge Cooley next. Our own class has the honor of containing the holder of third place in the contest, to wit, Adams, whose illustrious ancestor is mentioned above as receiving a vote fby an apprecia- tive descendantj, for the greatest jurist of all time. Those who wish to win Moot Court cases vote for Chief Justice Beers. Story, Marshall, Joseph Choate, Justices Gray and Field, as well as Hayden, have constituents in our class. As a result of our interest in certain recent criminal cases, in which Mr. Wm. C. Case so ably conducted the defense, we have voted him the ablest local law- yer. Prof. Baldwin comes second, and Judge Stod- dard and Mr. J. W. Alling tied for third. Messrs. Doolittle, Ingersoll, Buckland, VVatrous, Harrison and Hamilton are also in the race. Those of us who have made a specialty of Police Court cases, and have