University of Texas School of Law - Peregrinus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Page I decided to be a lawyer when I read one day after coming home from the cotton field that a lawyer did most of his work sitting down. I decided to be a lawyer way back there when I was about eleven or twelve or younger even. I guess my father encouraged me, and I never had any doubts about what I wanted to be ' Page -1

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The Birth of the Peregrinus Saint Ives, Patron Saint of all law students, has nothing on the Peregrinus as a Patron Saint. The Peregrinus was created in December, 1899, and was adopted by the Junior Law Class in 1901 as the Patron Saint of the Law School. The birth of Perry took place in the lecture room of one of the most colorful and beloved of the early law professors. Colonel W.S. Simkins. It was the Colonel's first year of instructing, and his students were intrigued by the way he pronounced—or mispronounced —some Latin terms. One day in his Equity class he asked a student to identify the word Peregrinus, which was the name of an ancient Roman official, whose full name was Praetor Peregrinus. The student swung too low on the curved pronunciation, however, and guessed, Wal, I don't know. Judge, 'less it could be some kind of animal. This student was Jim Livingston McCall, a star Longhorn football player who was the center for the team. Another version of the incident by those who believe it was 1900 and not 1899 that Peregrinus was born, claim that the incident took place after Texas beat A M on Thanksgiving. McCall was asleep in class when called on because he had been up the night before celebrating the victory. Nevertheless, it was too good to let die, and in practically nothing flat another student, the late Russell R. Savage of Corpus Christi, drew a picture of the imaginary animal in class and on the blackboard the next morning before class. The Sketch was later copied in a plaster statuette, which was installed as the idol of the Law School. The small orange and white figurine has also been securely installed in the hearts of thousands of students through the years. Since early in the century Perry has been the symbol of a feud between the Lawyers and the Engineers, with the result that he has been captured and taken for a ride several times. It is not known for certain, but it is believed that the current Perry is the fourth edition of the original. Perry is always the subject of inquiry by the first year students; some have asked why a duck appears on the official senior ring. But, it doesn't take long before these students learn that the Peregrinus is the patron saint of the Law School and join thousands who for more than half a century have shown their love, admiration and respect for Perry. In discussing the Roman Court that set up the cases involving foreigners. Colonel Simkins told of the judge who presided over the court and, intentionally or unintentionally, he pronounced Praetor Peregrinus as Peregrinoos, and to this day it is still so pronounced. Savage drew the picture on the blackboard and when Professor Simkins arrived he saw that the creature had the tail of a fox, the body of a donkey, the eyes of an eagle, the head of a stork, and vicious fangs. On his front feet were men's shoes and on his rear feet were boxing gloves. Later a claw replaced one front shoe and an Irish ditcher's boot replaced the other. Colonel Simkins first gave significance to the features and through the years his comments picked up other traditional meanings. The fiery mouth was to fight injustice and represent the wide latitude of a bill of equity; the bushy tail of a fox represents the wise and skillful lawyer or the shrewd and crafty one. On the Peregrinus' front foot the Irish ditcher's boot indicates the law's protection of the least of mankind. On the other front foot the naked claws indicate that the greatest of mankind must fear its power. His hindquarters are those of a dog, man's most faithful friend. The spotted patches indicate that even the most beautiful days will have a few clouds. The arched back in the attitude of springing indicates that the law is ever ready to protect right or prevent wrong. The sharp extending beak indicates the power to penetrate the mysteries of the law which the true student must obtain by study. Page 3

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Keeton Retires After 25 Years As Dean Edited by Mote Baird Commentary by Leslie Taylor It must surely be no small satisfaction to Page Keeton that he was uniquely equipped to bring the University of Texas School of Law from mired promise in 1949 to a position of prestige and respect as one of the 10 best law schools in the country. In the process, the gravelly-voiced, open-faced Keeton has earned the respect of the intellectual elite and the downright affection of perhaps the most cynical group of students on campus today. His combination of legal scholarship, teaching excellence, energy, political acumen, sense of humor, fair dealing and down-home charm will make him a tough act to follow. It's hard to replace a legend and that is exactly what Page Keeton is, whether he wants to be or not. Pag 5