University of Michigan Law School - Quad Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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shrieked again. Every day some arch-angel: accomlganied by 3 few choice spirits .who were sure their deity would WIH, ascended majestically to the tower, from which presently would come some grand peroration which was to capture the sweepstakes at the coming contest. But, alas, there were but two Winners, and the Oratign was put tenderly away to astonish and delight the good people at home. And who knows but that in after years these same misguided orators will ride into Congress on that very oration. Washington's birthday, and with it the annual observance, came and went, but as in our junior year, we were, to a large extent, guests of the Senior Class, it had but passing interest, 'though all enjoyed the eloquent oration of Hon. john J. Lenz. Then the hot spring months. How we sweltered and swore through May and june, and what was our indignation at the unheard- of action of Professor Angell,rwho insisted on our not disrobing while in the lecture room. . Vacation came at last, and soon we were scattered throughout the country on business or pleasure bent. Some of us went into law offices to get actual experience. It was our intention to assist in the preparation of briefs, try cases, and to be Hof counsel generally, but strangely our words had but little weight and many of us became mere Hcommon carriers with all their liabilities and none of their advantages. ' i Others, who had no fond papas to back them, entered more lucrative fields as book or insurance agents, and came back in the fall with thrilling tales of wild adventure. Those who had worked least during the year felt the need of a long vacation in which to recuperate, and only alluded to their past year with an air of martyrdom. In the fall most of us were back again. Some, however, dis- couraged, unfortunate, or allured to other Helds, did not return. The class election was spirited, yet ladylike, for Miss Octavia Bates presided and Fred L. Ingraham of Michiof f N 1 d president. gan was e ecte The Summer had taught many lessons. There was grim determination in nearly every face and good hard work began in earnest. What with cases to digest and lectures and text-books, Our h311dS Were full, but then in addition was that bugbear, the thesis, and the practice court work.

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corner of the room where a playful scuffle was in progress. But all that was before the deluge. - Q Our first noteworthy event was, of course, the class election. Most of the members were candidates, ready and willing, though unfortunately not in all cases able, to sacrihce themselves for the good of their fellows. ' , And what an election it was. There were combinations galore, promises without number, some agreeing to support as high as twenty men for the presidency. The politicians and the orators were in their glory. Here was an opportunity to become famous, a chance to -raise a point of order or to make a speech. Caucuses blocked the stairs and hallways, whisperings and suspicious looks greeted one on every side. Finally, there was an election, and P. J. Crosby, of California, was made our president. . But the menagerie concerts still continued before the lectures, and professors were greeted with vociferous applause. Suddenly, something dropped. The worm had turned. Our critic of all the courts in general and the Supreme Court of Michigan in particular brought hisanalytical mind to bear, overthrew all precedent, and several of our class, by and with the consent of the faculty, with- drew to theirvarious homes to explain how it happened. That was a sorry day for the class, The .man with the fog- horn voice gone, and with him our chief barker and crower, we must fain content ourselves with feeble yells of defiance, scarcely noticed by our hardened faculty. ' The class began to get down to work. A stranger entering the .lecture room would have been struck by the large number of intelligent looking students, busily engaged in acquiring, upon their note books, the elements of the law. He would have remarked the almost painful stillness, so quiet that one might even hear a coupling pin drop, and if he did not see the seven sleepers on the back row, or the usual trio reading their home papers, if the elevat- ing game of matching pennies had escaped him, he would have been most amazingly impressed. I About this time -the' Qratorical Association began to get in its deadly work. Strange mutterings were heard. The eagle began to scream, the flag to unfurl and to wave. Once more the snow- clad peaks of the rockies kissed the sun-tipped forests of the South, once more the chains were struck fr im the bondman and freedo-m

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Many had written their theses during the summer. More had not. 'There were various ideas as to how it should be written. Some thought itshould be entirely original and several remarkable specimens of American humor was the result. Qthers thought it should be cribbed verbatim and dictated direct from the text- book to the type-writer. The majority copied the digest or statutes. A few only wrote what purported to be critical papers and these were returned for lack of scholarly treatment. It is with pleasure that I turn to the practice court in whose work '96 has spent so goodly aportion of its time. In the early part of the year there was the practical experience of being thrown out on one's pleadings and the numerous but futile attempts to settle out of court. And woe tothe man from Dakota or New Mexico or where not who thought to deceive the judge, for Hfull of wise' saws and modern instances , he knew the law of every'State or Territory and could examine a group of four from as many different States, upon the laws of their various jurisdictions. Then there was the law argument, where every attorney staggered under a weight of authorities, where all sorts and conditions of briefs, from the curt statement to the continued story, were presented and where our coming leaders H sawed the air and advanced arguments from the sublime to the ridiculous. In the second semester came the jury trials which are progress- ing even now. These are proving of incalculable benefit, are grounding us in pleading and evidence and in the general method of carrying on a trial. These trials are made as realistic as possible. The crowd of loungersieven is not lacking. The jury is of the usual high. order of intelligence and the witnesses show evidence of careful coaching. The examinations at the end of the first semester of this year were probably the most difficult that '96 has yet had. The system introduced by Professor Mechem, of printing a list of questions thoroughly covering the subject, and distributing them in advance, was, upon request of '96, generally adopted by members of the faculty. The value of the system was fully demonstrated by the great amount of labor expended in preparation and the general satisfaction by the faculty in the results. Wild rumors of at general expulsion, however, began to circulate. Some said that fifty members of the class had been dropped, others