John Marshall Law School - Abstract Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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areinjell We of the class of June, 19J7, are over whelmed with a sense of the incredible swift- ness of Time ' s passage as we reflect that it was three years ago that we entered the John Mar- shall Law School. One hundred and fifty rather bewildered but intensely eager students were gathered m the second floor auditorium of the School. They were listening to the opening lecture of a law course. The instructor was doing his utmost to impress the class with the arduous nature of the course of study ahead, and the necessity of pre- serving throughout their career as students their eagerness, enthusiasm and deep-seated desire to gain entrance into the society of that most privileged of all classes of men — the Lawyer. As we contemplate the essential nobility of a profession hallowed by time and sanctified by the service which it has rendered to the civili- zation of all ages, the word privileged is used advisedly. The contemporary scene af- fords an excellent illustration of the profound need for the legal mind in civil and political life, a genuine understanding of our institutions, divorced from emotional bias and prejudice. It is precisely this approach which a study of the law imparts. Throughout the three years of our appren- ticeship, innumerable and oft times seemingly insurmountable have been the difficulties and frustrations encountered. Somehow, and it is with justifiable pride that we so state, the great majority of the class managed to plod onward, as step by step it gradually yet surely fulfilled the destiny to which it dedicated itself, that each member of the class qualify himself for a degree. We have sat in the company of a variety of minds. Each instructor brought to the sub- ject not only the rules of law applicable to it, but the force of his own personality. From each, out of the wealth of his experience and knowledge, we learned; and as we look back and reflect, the thought is inescapable that we as students have been associated with sincere and able men, who endeavored to the best of their ability to serve us. To the Faculty we extend our gratitude. Our thanks, however, to the Faculty of the John Marshall Law School would seem empty were it ncit followed by an expression of ap- preciation to the directing and guiding spirit not only of the Faculty, but of the entire School. The class as a whole could not have undergone so long and severe a period of legal training without having partaken of and be- come imbued with the sincerity and innate dig- nity which the spirit and mind of Dean Ed- ward T. Lee have imparted to the School. Were we, and each of us, to emulate his example, it should be said of the class of June, 1937, ' They were all — all honorable men. It IS with mingled feelings of happiness and trepidation that the class bids farewell to the School which has been for so long its Temple of Law. We have spent years accumulating the knowledge with which we shall take our places in the society of men educated m the law, and we feel certain that the years will bnng to fruition those elements which constitute our heritage as students of the John Marshall Law School; a sound legal background, coupled with an appreciation and understanding of the ideals and ethics of our system of jurisprudence. —BERNARD JACOBSON. June, 1937 Page Forty-seven

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We learned that Joe Bulger, the real estate man from Melrose Park, now owned the whole town. Further north in the City of Evanston, Banker Bihow reigned over the Bank of Evans- ton with Miss Arnold as first vice-president. We called these graduates from John ' s office and as we sat there, our friend the policeman ushered in two new contributors to Aurora ' s Treasury. They immediately started doing hand springs and ear wiggles and we recog- nized them as Bill Bunn and Frank Kovarik, national officers of a well known legal frater- nity, giving the Justice the business to escape a fine. Rather than witness their disappoint- ment we left invitations for Bill and Frank and started back to town. Upon arriving in the city and examining our joint resources, we found enough for just one drink apiece and, as one man, strode for the nearest tavern. As I dumped our fist full of change on the bar, we heard a familiar voice, Your money ' s no good here, boys, anything you want is on the house. Milt Plotkm, hand outstretched, rushed up from an office in the rear, to greet us and to tell us his success story. I own a flock of ' em. he said, All over town, the law business, phooey! While we were telling Milt of the proposed party, George Tlitsos and Al Lewis came in and al- though glad to hear of the reunion, returned to their wrangling over nice points of law, George offering to stake his reputation as a leading member of the American Bar, against Al ' s as dean of Chicago insurance counsel on the meaning of The in an insurance policy. Finally, from the radio speaker behind the bar, came the voice of Dean Theophilus, ace of ra- dio announcers, saying goodnight to his mil- lions of listeners as we left. The night was beautiful and as Prog and I sauntered through the park discussing plans, we wondered whether there was anyone we had failed to invite. Suddenly I saw a strange figure leaning against a lamp post, his nail tipped rod tucked under one arm, hoop topped sack lying on the grass, gazing with rapt ex- pression on an old scrap of paper held in a grimy hand. Yes, he said. It is I, Ratner, my employers allow me to keep the equipment after hours, to continue my search for the beauty hidden deep in words. We shook his hand sadly, and as we passed on I thought I heard him murmuring, All the charm of all the muses often flowering in a lonely word. The reunion of the class of February 1938 was a great success. Mark so far cast aside the dignity connected with his position as president of National Distillers Products Corp. as to don an apron and mix drinks for the crowd. Minsky ' s Chicago Branch, of course, provided the entertainment. Parson Joy, the only one of our number who had chosen to harangue a congregation rather than a jury, showed, when it came his turn to address the class, not only the spirituality he had devel- oped with the years but also the results of his excellent training in Klines Elocution Kollege. Some there were who had drifted so far away from the scene of their early struggles that It was impossible for them to be with us to toast the years. From many of these telegraphic greetings were read by Toastmaster Dale Sut- ton who had locked up the office of Chief Legal Counsel for Standard Oil Co. to spend an evening looking back. Mr. Max Liss, old professor and old friend, was the principal speaker and, during the sec- ond hour of his speech, I know I saw streaking in through an open window, swift as a shaft of light, a long nail pointed rod. Three dis- carded rolls were speared in as many strokes and I once again turned my attention to Mr. Liss. Finally the last song was sung, the last toast drunk, and the distinguished gathering dis- persed with many fervent promises to gather again next year, and the next and the next far into the future. And, if some of the members of the Class of June . 8 awoke next day, or the same day, with the taste of life in their mouths it was an illness contracted in a great cause, and their only possible regret was that we could not have had present every one of those grand men and women who had wept, laughed and worked together through three of life ' s bright ' est years. Page Forty-six

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THE JOHN MARSHALL LAW SCH(X)L Our Law, like all others, consists of two parts, vis., of body and soul. The letter of the Law is the body of the Law, and the sense and reason of it is the soul, ' Quia Ratio Legis Est Anima Legis. ' And the Law may be resembled to a nut, which has a shell, and a kernel within; the letter of the Law represents the shell, and the sense of it the kernel. So you will receive no benefit by the Law if you rely only upon the letter. — Serjeant Plowden, 1574.