Kansas City School of Law - Pandex Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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The Kansas City School J Law CBy Elmer N. Powell.J The Kansas City School of Law received its Charter in 1895 and has grown steadily since its foundation until it has taken rank among the best Law Schools of the country. Dating from the organization of this institution, the students have been afforded an opportunity to combine the work of the school with that of the office, so that both the practical and theoretical parts of a legal education may progress together, they are at the same time given the opportunity to earn a livelihood while acquiring a profession. The system employed here possesses a further advantage not given to most law schools, namelyg that of employing the time and talents of instruc- tors and lecturers engaged in the actual practice of the law. The greatest advantage of a law school, as pointed out by Justice Brewer, is that its students have the benefit of instruction under leaders of the Bar and Judges who could not under any other plan devote their time or their talents to the work of legal instruction. The first years of its existence, the students were confined to Kansas City and its immediate vicinity. In later years, the school has drawn students from many different states and some of our twelve hundred graduates have hailed from other countries. Beginning with the school year September, 1899, there was added to the curriculum a postgraduate course of one year, but it was not found timely and did not meet with particular favorg it was not continued. The Kansas City School of Law was founded as a lawyers' school and has always remained true to its traditions. The first year there were enrolled fifty-seven students and twenty- seven thereof graduated in the first class, 1897. With the increase in the student body removals of quarters have been made necessary twice. First, from the New York Life Building quarters over to the second floor of the Ridge Building and eleven years ago to the more spacious quarters on the fifth floor of the Nonquitt Building. Now, another expansion is made necessary, so that beginning with the school year, 1921-22, the entire fifth floor of the Nonquitt Building will be required, a term lease having al- ready been entered into covering this entire floor. . To meet the growing demands for a higher standard in the Law School and legal education generally, the course was extended in 1902 from two to a three years' course. And now, the Faculty has arranged for a course of four years, that a standard of scholarship shall be maintained in the Kansas City School of Law equal or superior to that of any Law School in the United States. The Faculty and all other friends of the School point with pride to the distinguished careers of a great number of our alumni. It may be of Page 13

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interest to note the following in this connection, that of these graduates one has been Mayor of Kansas City, two Prosecuting Attorneys of Jack- son County, six Circuit Judges of the County, while many have served in the Legislative Assemblies, about thirty per cent of the graduates are found engaged in business, in high school work, or 1n the medical pro- fession, these have achieved prominence and success in business and pro- fessional life. About seventy per cent of the graduates of this School. have actually engaged in the practice of the law, this is found to be considerably in. ex- cess of the average proportion of Law School graduates that continue the practice of law, after receiving their degrees. A word personal to the Class of '21, the personnel of this Class is recognized as one of the best in the history of the School. The Faculty has enjoyed the work with them, and I feel that I reflect the sentiment of all when I predict for you a full measure of success in the practice of the law. The Faculty has been greatly strengthened by the addition thereto of distinguished members of our Bar from time to time. It is also of interest to note that our own Law Library has grown until it practically meets all the needs and requirements of the student body. We again acknowledge our debt of gratitude to President Dean, the late Judge John F. Philips, Mr. Sanford B. Ladd, Mr. Wash Adams and others for their fine contributions to our own Law shelves, these, added to our original purchases give us a fine working library. The Washington's Birthday Banquet, one of the best in the history of the School, if not the best, is referred to elsewhere as is the story of that interesting night when honorary class membership was conferred upon Mrs. Alice Dean Greene, Mrs. Alice Van Valkenburgh, Miss Ethel Ridenour and Miss Mary Simpson, I would not regard this sketch of the School as complete without express mention of these affairs here, and of the fine appreciations of the Classes to Mr. Dean and to Mr. Ladd. In concluding this brief story, the writer feels warranted in stating, that that was a good day of educational enterprise in 1895 when the Kansas City School of Law was founded. That the foundations thereof were well laid and with corner stones of granite in the selection of the great lawyers of this Bar and State as its head, I refer to such men as Honorable O. H. Dean, Honorable Sanford B. Ladd, Judge E. L. Scarritt and the late Francis M. Black. I P214