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

Page 68 text:

! F 1 IDANiiq6I2llJT , S E Post- Graduate Class During the past year the members of the Post-Graduate class have ac- complished a great deal. The faculty has chosen the most necessary courses to assist a graduate, or even a young attorney, to acquire a better under- standing of' substantive law, and at the same time give him helpful advice in the preparation of.fundamental pleadings and the solution, or rather analysis, of facts as laid down in hypothetical cases. The main purpose of the entire work is to aid a beginner to understand some of the methods of applying the knowledge obtained in the undergraduate courses. One may be familiar with the rules of evidence or the maxims of equity and still fail to observe when they are applicable. One who has enrolled in the fourth year of study and follows it through will never regret his decision. In reviewing the courses for both semesters, certainclasses stand out. The evenings spent in the History of the Development of Law, conducted by Dean Burke, will remain with the members of the class for a long time. This course is arranged by the Dean to covert the high points of the world's legal history, and in connection with the law we found that racial, civil and political history visibly affected the development of law. Commencing with the oldest code of laws known, the Code of I-Iammurabi, which governed or controlled transactions and transgressions about 2700 years ago, we dis- covered that the commercial laws of ancient Babylonia were akin to our present customs and that we would be able to transact business by means of contracts and pay for our goods, wares and merchandise -by means of an order or draft. Banks were flourishing and were used constantly, especially because commerce, had been amplified to a comparatively high degree. Pro- ceeding along the course of time, passing from country to country, the mem- bers of this group were able to use their knowledge of history in general to reason or uncover the proximate cause for special legislation, the remnants of which still remain in our common law, although the motive or necessity for such laws or regulations no longer exists. Taking the entire study as a whole, it is doubtful if any other subject would prove as interesting and yet useful to a student of law. The Tuesday evening class, conducted by Professor Charles H. Jackson, consists of reports and discussions of special research topics by the members of the class. Three or four are assigned to report upon their chosen subject every week. and then the instructor and members are supposed to ask ques- tions concerning the topic under discussion. In this way everyone has an opportunity to clear up obscure points, and consequently maintains his interest i-n the speaker, trying to trip him 'up on a technical point of law or procedure. The variety of interests is best shown by a list of the reports we have had from time to time. The topics were as follows: Validity of Common Law Trusts by Smith, Future Interests by Tobin, Proceedings under the National .Bankruptcy Act by Cawley, Habeas Corpus Act by Chesrow, Patent Law by VVarren, Mortgages by Maflit, Common Law Pleading by . 1925 P06671 EXW 1 x Pls

Page 67 text:

THE. 1 IRANSPCRM 4 With the beginning of our third term in school we were snatched from our sequestered nook on the eighth floor and deposited on the third floor to swell the classroom of the Senior Class and to partake of the knowledge therein dispensed. It was there that we became acquainted with his majesty, the Royal Senior. We were thus made contemporaries of the Almighty Senior. I Remembering our pleasant meeting and smoker of the previous year, we staged another even more pleasant one. Although we merged into the junior Class in our fourth semester, we planned and successfully completed a Junior Prom of our own. On Saturday, December l, 1923, we assembled at the Palmer House and there commenced the social activities of the year. In the words of one of our members, It was the occasion of the dance of the Class of February, 1925. Inside were assembled the students and their friends and their maidens fair, having put thoughts of care and study 'momentarily aside, and come together to enjoy themselves completely in an evening of dance. And much joy and pleasure was theirs, in the knowledge that their dance was a success, for the gayety increased as the hours sped by, and the strains of 'Home, Sweet Home' came all too soon, announcing that the dance of the Class of February '25 was no longer present but had 'passed into historyf The officers who so capably carried out our plans in our Junior year were: Louis Weinstein . . . ...... I .,.. President ............, Elbert A, Wagner john M. Sikes ...... .... V ice President . .. .... Max I Hirsch J. Burton Baggott .... .... . .Secretary .. .. .... Harry Hoffman Ben H. Kessler ............... Treasurer ............ joseph G. Kulbarsli It was during our third year that we had the greatest variety in work and play. It was during this year that we spent some of our ,time at the Lake View Building, some at the old Church Building, our old friend of the first semester, and some at our present location, our own building at 10 North Franklin Street. The theatre party, which was very well managed by Mr. Benjamin Nelson, was an affair which will go down in the annals of our school career. ' I The most realistic miniature war that was ever waged was the election of class officers for -our graduating semester. After the smoke of battle had cleared, the following came out of the fray as officers of our class, none the worse for thebattle royal: ' Emanuel H. Sherry .............. President X Allen B. Woodard ...... . . .Vice President john McCarthy Sikes.. . . ....... 'Secretary Ben H. Kessler. ................. Treasurer - The pleasure of having accomplished our self-appointed task of three years' intensive training at the Chicago-Kent College of Law has been mixed with a feeling of sadness at leaving the Alma Mater. The memories of our pleasant affairs and our lasting friendships will always be a part of our recol- lections. Our law school life has been a most enjoyable and inspiring experi- ence, and we believe will prove a stepping stone in the climb to the topmost rung of the ladder to success. . ' MAX I. HIRSCH 33 i 1925 TR Page 63 1

Page 69 text:

! F E E VVolfe, Real Estate Conveyances by Powell, Receivers by Westoii and Me- chanics' Liens by Brin. The class members should be congratulated for their work, considering the amount of time which must be spent in prepara- tion. . The courses given on Friday during the first half and on Thursday during the second semester are similar, the distinction being that the first part re- lates to Common Law and the latter section to ,Equity Pleading. Professor Jackson ably conducts these classes, preparing hypothetical cases and ques- tions illustrative of primary and advanced principles of pleading, which re- quires the use of Puterbaugh, et al, in the solution of the problems presented. After the student has prepared a few declarations and pleas, replications and also an Habsque hoc or two, he can fully comprehend Professor Higgins' statement that the first seven years a.re the hardest l It is precisely this type of work that an advanced student or' newly admitted lawyer needs, and he will afterwards be thankful that he had the extra work. Equity Pleading includes the preparation of bills and answers and has several interesting, although intricate, propositions of mortgage and trust deed foreclosures. . -I Friday night classes during the second semester are in charge of Pro- fessor VVa1ter B. Smith of the Chicago Title 8 Trust Company, and consist of lectures and reports by the members of the class upon leading cases of various kinds, all of which involve Real Property and the acquisition and the disposition or retention of the same. Such topics as Dower, Party Walls, Corporations, Conditions in Deeds, Building Restrictions, Real Estate Syn- dicates and similar titles are discussed and the leading cases cited by Pro- fessor Smith. To the lawyer who does any title work, this courseis invalu- able. To be able to say that according to the doctrine laid down in 202 Ill. 41 such a condition in a deed is good and the property reverts to the grantor means quite a saving of time when abusy man wants an opinion. The cited cases give the attorney a starting point and render his work much easier. As one of the members of our class said quite aptly, We are getting the straight stuff now ! In reference to this class, I feel I can do no better than to quote him on the matter, and his statement appears to voice the opinion of the entire group. ' In conclusion, I can only recommend and suggest that every member of the graduating class who is desirous of increasing his knowledge of prac- tical law should enroll in the post-graduate course and receive efficient in- struction in that part of the law that you would not ordinarily obtain except through several years of hard work in the courts and through many cases. To Dean Burke, Professor Jackson and Professor Smith, we wish to ex- tend the thanks of the Post-Graduate Class of 1925 for the sincere efforts to assist us in advancing our knowledge of the law, and hope that those efforts may not be considered wasted by you. The courses have been most enjoyable and instructive, and we regret the fact that we must soon part. Again, the thanks of the Post-Graduate Class of 1925. E. STANLEY BRIN K .192 A Pae65