University of Kansas School of Law - Shingle Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

Page 10 text:

JAM ES WOOD GREEN

Page 9 text:

..- V, 1. Eff , .1 x ,' . A K ' 2 f f fJ E'1 vN'X'x X' V!K E! m w. , XXX J W X I . 1? ' W ff HUM ? A Q a f 5 G ? LW mga, USSR J -J f' 1 X H21 Qf E W SEN f m QQQWK! f' 5 V x f K p 4 .N 5 Q 4 9 yt: wx S U X -5 E N 'Y 2 7' 3 X 4 4. ' . 2 I- 'Z - 5 ' 2 NN' f x, -1 , f , '75-fa ,fi - ,-Y., Af X X ,ffl N f M . fx f'a, 'f --R : aegis-21 ' , Y ---...- .,

Page 11 text:

The Kansas University Law School. From the very moment the westward wan- derer set foot upon the soil of Kansas, that Territory was designed to become a great State. Here, like a huge slate tipped to the east and one corner broken and gone, it stretched, and on it was written the song of freedom afterward to be sung by the nation. YVas it any marvel that with the west- ward march o-f civilization and freedom there should be the germs of learning and knowl- edge? These seeds have grown into a plant. That plant has borne fruit. and to-day Kan- sas has a University of which an older State might be proud, a Universitybaptized in the blood of a war fought for freedom. The Kansas State University sprang into exist- ence by an act of, the Legislature in 1864. Ah! T'hat beginning, how small compared with the Kansas University of to-day! Al: though in every alumnus, heart there is cherished a grateful remembrance of his Almer Mater, yet it is beyond the present moment to speak the praises, to chronicle the history of our University as a whole, how- ever pleasant the task might be. It is one branch alone o-f the Kansas University which has conferred its share of blessings on the people-though it may not have received in return as much recognition as so-me of the less worthy courses of the University of which it is a part. As the University grew and prospered there sprang up with' the advancement of the time a desire forprofessional courses in its curriculum. The earliest of these, the Law Department, was organized in October of the year 1878. Practicing law down in the city of Lawrence was an able attorney, J. YV. Green, and to him Chancellor Marvin applied. Prof. Marvin's idea was to make the Law Course an optional to be carried in addition to some of the collegiate branches. Mr. Green took up the work, and while doubt- ing the practicability of the Chancellor's scheme of making Law a minor to collegiate work, was willing to give it a trial. From that moment the life of this great-hearted man has been given to the building up of this school in the University. As Mr. Green suspected, Chancellor Mar- vin's plan was not a success. Thirteen young men from the Art School enrolled in the Law Department, and they met 'fUncle Jim- mie for the first time in a small room to thc left of the main enltrance-now the Secre- tary's oiiice. The class of thirteen soon dwin- dled to four, these, .one by one as the work grew harder, .dropped awayuntil but one re- mained. His name was Howard Smith. He studied himself stupid and Hnally gave up. He afterward graduated. u V The next year better arrangements were made, and we ind a 'class fairly started under Prof. Green with Mr. J. Patterson 'as his assistant Still, the work was but a mere beginning. The Dean and his co-worker,re- ceived as compensation for their time and eiforts a small fee paid by each student. This fee was 35153 and as the class only consisted of but seven or eight members, of course the Instructors could not be expected to wholly dispense with their practice in the courts. This first class of eight members graduated in 1880, and among their number we find the name of Lucius H. Perkins, an able attorney of Lawrence. J This year, 1880, Mr. Patterson discontin- ued his connection with the now small but fully established Law School, and his place was filled by Marcus Summerfield. From 'time to time the place of recitation was shifted about to suit the Convenience of the ...3-