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

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WI f i R? im Tl-IE. ! HIAWATHA TELLS OF LAW SCHOOL. Hiawatha stood before them, Stood in front of the great Wigwam, Wfigwam of the parental domicile, Domicile of Hiawatha's birth, Domicile by law and not of choice. Spake he to his many kinsmen, Kinsmen he had left three years before, Kinsmen departed from for the city, City of the mighty waters, City of Kent College, City of Chicago. Spake he to them of his travels, Told them of his studies, Studies in the Law School, Spake he to them as follows: Downward through the evening twilight, In the days most forgotten, In the time nigh three years ago, From the streets of old Chicago, Fell a hoard of fresh law students, Students green but not unhoping, Students keen for legal learning Crowding elevators in the Lake View Bu Full of wonder and of interest, At the course they were to follow. Cast aside their noise and fooling As they assembled in the class room, Cast aside their smokes and papers. See! A man, he enters , Said the students all together, From the realms of 'knowledge Comes a gentleman. There amidst them came the Alderman, There amidst them stood Guy Guernsey, He of laughing smile and many stories, He of bailiif's star And shining Packard car. Then straightforth came his lecture, VVarned the embryonic crowd of the trials Told of sections and of roll call. Followed close behind came VVood, Followed next a man of elevated fame, He advised the c1'owd of contracts, - Mentioned case and textbook methods. Thus the first year was begun. Next to greet us was Prof. Pringle, ilding, ahead them Pringle who says, Yes tl1at's helpful, but go on , 104 K 219E6f

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2 r 1 TRAINII-gI6DH3T , Attorney General Sargent has said in effect that an incompetent judge is the worst of burdens on a community. This is especially true in patent cases. There is nothing that I know of more discouraging than to go through weeks of careful study and preparation in a case, and then to go before a court who is incapable of understanding, or, unwilling to give the mental effort necessary to understand, the abstruse question in the case. The inevitable concomitant of the incompetent court is the unscrupulous attorney who is not unwilling to deceive the court. In factgsuch a court offers a premium to the counsel who will state deliberate errors most convincingly. If it be asked why the incompetent court and the unscrupulous attorney are most seriously objectionable in patent cases, the answer lies in the fact that the questions arising in patent cases are likely not to be so plain, definite and easily understood as those ordinarily arisng in general practice, and wider latitude to judicial discretion is allowed in most patent cases. Another difficulty which is peculiar to the patent practice is that every litigated case is founded upon a patent, and every patent is the work of a solicitor who is not omniscient and, therefore, who has failed to foresee every aspect of the invention which may subsequently be developed. Every patent, therefore, is in some degree defective and has to be ex- cused or explained or accounted for by all the ingenuity that the patent attorney can command. This, of course, applies only to the case for the plaintiff, but is a very real and ever recurring difficulty. Nevertheless, the advantages and attractions of the patent practice far outweigh any special difiiculties that may have to be encountered therein. ' This is especially true of the practitioner who has an inclination toward questions of mechanics or of applied science. A special scientific training, however desirable it may be, is not required for success in patent practice. In fact, a study of the humanities, including the classics, is perhaps of more benefit and satisfaction to the patent lawyer than a training strictly limited to scientific studies. One who has had the benefit of training in the classics is more likely to have that humble attitude of mind which alone conforms with the widest outlook and the greatest aptitude for learning. Any training which gives one conceit of his knowledge, has the effect of closing his mind, and a man of that quality is at a disadvantage, whether he be a lawyer or a judge. So to one who is ambitious, who is desirous of the spur of interst in his work, of accomplishing something beneficial to others, of securing for himself honor and a competence, I say the patent practice offers all these incentives to a degree not excelled in any other branch of the profession. And, it is the pride and privilege of the patent lawyer who starts with the idea of putting into his profession all of his ability, and of .taking out of it all' the interest and credit to be derived from such a job, to consider himself as the honored companion and helpmate of the scientists and inventors who are forever pushing back the boundaries of the unknown and adding to the sum of knowledge which can be practically applied to human progress and especially to business and industrial life. 103 1926

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TE. ! t 1 rnawicnwr , 5 E Torts he taught us, Told us of the civil rights and wrongs, Told us of negligence and proximate Demanded our attention and respect, Drilled us well in Cooley's Torts. Followed close behind came Baker, Sales then were his chosen weapon, Sales he handed to us for fair, Title passes, tire burns, the property The vendor gains his purchase price Mr. Baker walks the platform, Mr. Baker taps his pencil. Crimes next seized us, Crimes We learned From a man both tall and fair, From a Mr. Monahan, Mr. Monahan the fast reader, Reader of the lesson, Reader who could beat us to it. Personal property too he taught us, VVe absorbed what welcould. ' Friday nights were times of leisure, Leisure times of many speeches, Speeches from the would-be orators, Lectures by the Mr. Beebe, Lectures by the Mr. Vtfelch, Mr. VVelch a man of stories, Mr. Vlfelch a man of words, Vlfords like pearls, VVords that stir us, Stir us with a great emotion. September, 1924, freshmen are we th More we know of legal learning, More than we did the year before. Now we meet the big voiced father, Father of the down-to-business, NVe've a lot to do tonight, Met the good Judge Pickett, Judge Pickett and his book of cases, Cases many and cases varied, Cases of the law of evidence. Boomed he forth and scared us still, Drove inside the rules of evidence, Proved to us we knew naught at all Proved to us, That's one on us . y cause, is lost, CII 110 IHOFC r Property was the next great problem, Problem concerned with real estate, Estates in fee, estates in tail, Mr. Oshe does his stuff, C 105 2l9P:2c6f