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

Page 11 text:

By Charles Alan Wright, McCormick Professor of Law The death of Tom Clark was a loss to everyone around the country who is concerned with improving the administration of justice, because no one devoted himself more effectively and tirelessly to that cause than did Justice Clark. The loss was felt particularly keenly at this Law School. Justice Clark was the School’s most distinguished alumnus, and he was always more than generous to the School. Several of his law clerks came from Townes Hall, and many times he returned here to educate and inspire new generations of students. But quite aside from all of this, many of us here, upon hearing of his death, felt deeply the loss of a friend. I have great respect for the record of solid judicial accomplishment he built in 18 years on the High Bench. Indeed the last time I saw Justice Clark before he died was at a cocktail party in Washington in May. I was chatting with Justice Blackmun and Justice Clark and congratulated the former on his spendid opinion for the court a few weeks before in Complete Auto Transit v. Brady, 97 S.Ct. 1076 (1977). That case unanimously overruled the Court’s decision more than a quarter of a century before in Spector Motor Service v. O'Connor, 340 U.S. 602(1951). Justice Clark had written a powerful dissent in the Spector case, and Justice Blackmun explained to him: “Tom, we've now made the law what you said it ought to be 26 years ago in Spector.” But though I respect what Justice Clark accomplished on the Supreme Court, and am awed by his conributions to reform of the courts, I, like so many others, miss most this warm, human, friendly man. Judge Learned Hand was fond of referring to the United States Supreme Court as the novem beati, “the nine blessed ones. There have been those in history who, after going to the Supreme Court, have acted as if they had become beati, but Tom Clark always was aware that he put on his robe one sleeve at a time. Despite the high offices he held and the honor he rightfully received, he always remained a decent, down-to-earth Texan with no airs — not even justified ones. He liked people whether they were a President of the United States or a young law professor, and they liked him. Our relation had a somewhat unfortunate start. In the summer of 1949,1 had graduated from Yale Law School and was waiting to go to work for Judge Charles E. Clark of the Second Circuit. There were two vacancies on the Supreme Court that summer. One morning in the hospital where I was recuperating from an accident, a nurse mentioned that the President had made an appointment to the Supreme Court, “someone named Clark.” For an hour, I had delicious visions of clerking for the Supreme Court, and was quite let down when I got the full details. I even felt some resentment that President Truman had named the “wrong” Clark. But I was then very young — and did not know Tom Clark. When I came to know him a few years, later, I realized how unjustified my resentment had been. I had the privilege of being with him many times over the years, and the meetings were always too brief. His company was unfailingly pleasant, whether he was asking me about some legal question while I stood at the bar of his Court arguing a case, or we were on some lighter subject at some other bar. I recall a small dinner party given for Justice Clark in Washington a few years back, in which my wife and I were privileged to be included. Some of the 24 guests were famous; others of us were entirely obscure. Our common bond was that we were all friends of Tom Clark. It was one of the most pleasant and memorable evenings of my life, for the affection all of us felt for the Justice was so apparent. He inspired that kind of affection from everyone who knew him whether in high places or low. On the wall of my dressing room at home I have a picture of Justice Clark and his distinguished son, Ramsey, with an inscription in the Justice’s unmistakable hand; “To Charlie Wright from the Clark boys.” It is good to be able to look at that every monring, to be reminded of the important values that shaped Tom Clark, and to think of what a splendid person and dear friend he was. “He liked people whether they were a President of the United States or a young law-professor, and they liked him. Tom Clark — 7

Page 10 text:

MR. JUSTICE TOM CLARK “His company was unfailingly pleasant, whether he was asking me about some legal question while I stood at the bar of his Court arguing a case, or we were on some lighter subject at some other bar. ” 6 — Tom Clark

Page 12 text:

8 — Construction