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

Page 10 text:

LA W SCHOOL HISTORY 1990 PEREGRINUS From September through December 1883, the temporary Capitol, located at the southwest comer of Congress Avenue and Eleventh Street, housed the first classes of the Law Department (called Law School after 1920) and the Academic Department. — Photograph courtesy of Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. It was finally decided to use the temporary Capitol. We were permitted to use temporary plank partitions in making lecture rooms. It was decided to use the Senate Chamber as an assembly hall and to divide up the larger Hall of Representatives by means of plank partitions into lecture rooms. When work began, the arrangements we had made proved very unsatisfactory. Sounds penetrated through the thin plank partitions to such a degree as to disturb lectures or recitations. — Professor Milton Humphreys, member of the University's first faculty, April 15, 1913. 6 — taw SUioot Hi Kory

Page 9 text:

INTRODUCTION 1990 PEREGRIN US The Peregrinus which currently reigns over the Law School appeared about 1948. The upraised left front foot and the right hind foot each wear a cowboy boot em-blaaened with the Texas Lone Star. The other two feet are bare, showing claws. The legs arc somewhat thicker and shorter than on the original Peregrinus, and the tail is far less bushy. Brought out only on special occasions, the Peregrinus is kept safe in a secret location. Russell Savage practiced law in Corpus Christi for many years. On February 24, 1936, he wrote to Judge Ira P. Hildebrand, then Dean of the Law Department: Someone has suggested to me that, as 1 am getting past middle age, it might he well to do something about the Peregrinus. Personally, I doubt very much that anyone but an engineer would have any designs on the Peregrinus. Nevertheless, as the sole perpetrator of this monstrosity, I will be glad to do anything that you may suggest to fix the ownership where it belongs. The only thing I can think of just at present is for me to convey whatever right I have in it to the University for the benefit of the Law Department, and then the Law Department could take out the necessary papers on it. I really am confused in whether it should be copyrighted, trade-marked, or patented. Perhaps, being somewhat animal-like, it might be registered. I feel sure that the Junior Laws of this year will be able to work out the procedure. With best wishes, I am, Your friend, Russell Savage Although, there is no record of it being officially adopted, the Peregrinus is now firmly rooted as the traditional symbol of The University of Texas School of Law. Hiitory of the Rettgrinui — 5

Page 11 text:

AROUND TOWNES 1990 PEREGR1NUS In January 1884, the Law and the Academic Departments moved into the west wing of the Old Main Building. Five years later, in 1889, the Law Department was housed in the central section of Old Main. — Photograph courtesy of Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. The classes were held in a big basement room. The seats formed a single semi-circular row and the members were seated alphabetically. At that time I weighed about 110 pounds, and owing to this seating arrangement, my seat was between two men of heroic names and stature: Robert E. Lee Roy and John Wilkes Booth Smith. Roy was stout and tall — about six feet, two or three inches; and Smith was slender but towered to the height of six feet, seven inches. We had no desks but were seated on folding chairs. — Letter from George E. Shelley, Class of 1894. AROUND TOWNES Around Towi»« — 7