IIT Chicago Kent College of Law - Transcript Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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v 4 ' THE. if Nj Page 136 E Co-Education in the Law MAE VINER Before proceeding to a discussion of the subject, it is proper that co- educationlshould be defined. J. L. Pickard, Ex-President of Iowa State University, expresses his understanding of the word as follows: Young men and women are invited to pursue their studies together in colleges as has been their custom in the high school and academy. They .are subjected to an identical examination for admission. They attend upon the instruction of the professors at the same hour, and of course in the same room. Require- ments as to attendance, preparation, to examinations, are identical. They pass from year to year upon the same basis of scholarship. They have equal opportunities for winning scholarship honors. They graduate upon the same day, present their theses upon the same platform, and receive diplomas entitling them to enjoy the privilege of the same degree. The history of co-education everywhere shows one of the first obstacles encountered toebe the theory of the mental inferiority of women. And to overcome this false theory, the first stage of co-education was not without its stimulus. 'Something had to be proven. Every recitation, every act, was in evidence. Opposition is a greater intellectual stimulus than sufferance. Wheii overcome, it is forgiven, even forgotten. The results of co-education have proven, beyond a doubt, the ability of the formerly so-called weaker sex creditably to sustain courses of study hitherto deemed suitable for men only. Young women have been put, in all respects, on precisely the same footing in the universities with the young men, no difficulties have arisen from it, and their average scholarship is certainly as high as that of the young men. What are the results of co-education in the law, as experienced by the colleges and universities of our country? The deans and faculties of the various law schools having co-education, have generously supplied the an- swer. Honorable J. I. Schumacher, President of Southwestern University, Los Angeles, California, has voiced his ideas regarding law as a profession for women in the following language: u - Southwestern University School of.Law is decidedly .in favor of co- education in the law and invariably has a considerable percentage of young women in the various classes. It would be difficult to state with precision whether the women law students are superior or otherwise to the average men law students. The writer does not believe there is very much difference in this respect. It is true, however, some of the young women have made exceptional scholastic records and have at times been leaders in their classes. One of our graduates last june, Miss Marion Gamel, received her LL. B. degree 'cum laude.' ' , There is, of course, a large field of practice for women who enter the legal profession. There is at present a large number of women practitioners in the city of Los Angeles, and the first pioneer of women, at least on this coast, to enter the legal profession, Mrs. Clara Shortridge Foltz, is one of our citizens. Gnly during the past week Mrs. Georgia Bullock was ap- pointed Police Iudge, and will specialize in cases involving women's problems. Kgisfif ri if

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r - 5 E of the best minds and souls of all time. A knowledge of books gives him an intimate acquaintance with the kings of thought, the masters of fancy, the magicians of music, the story tellers, and the teachers by parable. One dulled by the grind of the dreariest monotony may have at his elbow the embalmed wit, fancy and philosophy of the most charming, in- tellectual and soulful persons who have ever graced the earth, all he needs do is to open a book and he has opened a door. Law students, men and women, while you are reading and grubbing in the law, forget not the background of culture which you need foryour hapl- piness and for your extraordinary accomplishments. Forget not, while you are learning the logic and philosophy of the law, to become imbued with itshistory, and to remember'the art which walked hand in hand with it as it was developing. Everyone, if only for the sake of happiness, should have as rich a back- ground of culture as it is possible to have. Appetites and passions will be- come jaded and faded, andthere will come times when one must seek solace and happiness within. 'Fortunate are the ones whose inner chambers of mind and soul are beautifully and resourcefully furnished. U . Anyone who highly hopes to sometime become a leader, or who visions himself with listening juries or senates at his command, must cultivate him- self thoroughly and endow himself richly, so that humanity can see in him the qualities of leadership and greatness. Mediocrity should be shunned as a pestilence. Everyone should have his eyes on the purple heights of power and performance. A thorough knowl- edge of law with a rich background of general culture will make it possible for the most humble to build out here on earth some of the visions that he, in his better moments, has glimpsed in the sky. Vlfhen I would know thee, my thought looks Upon thy well made choice of friends and books. 'Then do I love thee, and behold thy ends, In making thy friends books, and thy books friends. Ben Jonson 192 I . '-'rv lx Vi l JY l 1 4 R Page 135

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THE, , Mrs. Bullock is very highly thou-ght of and widely known in her profession in this city. , Aside from the actual practice of the profession, a thorough legal knowl- edge is an invaluable asset to any person whether man or woman. We heartily recommend the study of law to all women who are interested in civic affairs or club life or wish to broaden their intellectual ,horizon other- wise. It is an excellent substitute for a liberal education and has a tendency to make the human mind broader and more tolerant of the rights of others and give an appreciation of the responsibilities of the individual to himself and to the community and the state. - In 1918 Yale University School of Law first admitted women students. Since that time the number of women studying law there has gradually increased from one C1918-19195 to eighteen in 1924. .The Registrar reports that the women students are earnest and hardworking and average in schol- arship about the same as men. A few have graduated with honors. Last June two of this University's women graduates brought honor upon them- selves and their alma mater, one of them ranking first, and the other third, in the Connecticut bar-examinations. i Honorable J. P. Hall, Dean of the University of Chicago Law School, expresses his ideas on the subject in the following manner: Our school has admitted women law students from its establishment in 1902, and some of our best students have been women. I think the average standing of the women has been higher than that of the men, due doubtless to the fact that few women begin the study of law who have not considerable natural apti- tude for it, while a good many men go into it because it is a traditional profession for men. In proportion to their numbers, womenlhave won con- siderably more than their share of honors here. I know of no reason why women should not be as acceptable in every way in a law school as men. And now we have very encouraging words from the Lone Star State. Following is the experience and attitude of the University of Texas: The dean, together with the other members of the faculty, is most encouraging toward the.women students in the School, conceding abso- lutely equal opportunities, expecting equal preparation, granting no special favors to sex. ' This School has always been open to women 'since its establishment in 1883, but the first woman to register and graduate was Rose Zeloskey, in 1911. There are eight registered this year, out of a total of three hundred and eighty students, and since 1914, there have been from two to five women graduating in each senior class. The records show that while in school the women compare favorably with the men, about the same per cent making good grades and 'a smaller per cent failing. Neither prejudice nor favor can be shown, if any exists, as all students use numbers instead of names on their examination papers and the instructors and quizmasters who grade the papers never know the identity of the writers. Therefore the good grades of the pretty girls must be at- tributed to brains, not beauty. This year two women are on the student editorial board of the Texas Law Review, the highest honor that can be won by scholarship. 1925 li R Page 137