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

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JUDGE W.S. SIMKIN ' S OWN STORY OF THE PEREGRINUS You ask for the origin of Peregrinus. I well remember its birth - in fact, I was pre- sent at the accouchement. This nondescript sprang fully armed and equipped for its mission not from a mental Jove, but from the disori- ent4ed brain of a Savage. Many years ago, I was trying to explain to the class in Equity, the origin of the system in Rome and the sources of equity in the Roman Empire. At the time fledglings just from the high schools were admitted to the Law School. Many of them had never heard of the Roman Empire, and not a few spelled cow with a K. Well, I explained to them than when Rome conquered a nation it was incorporated into the Roman Empire sub- ject to its own laws and not to the laws of Rome - that the Roman citizen was not subject of the laws of these incorporated nations - that in due course commerce sprang up between the citizens of Rome and barbaric nations, and there was no law to determine and settle their contractual relations. The Roman Emperor, to set- tle the troubles arising out of the fact that there was no law applicable to control their contracts, appointed a Praetor or chancellor to trav- el among these nations and to settle all disputes without reference to the Laws of Rome, or of the incorporated Nations, but to do justice and decide all disputes, alone by the conscience of the Praetor. Peregrinating from one nation to the other, he was called a Praetor Peregrinus. The boneheads of the class evidently thought that Peregrinus was an internal organ of the body for they continually greeted each other, ' How is your Peregrinus today? This fact seems to have developed the humorous side of the inci- dent, and Russell Savage developed a concrete expres- sion of it on the blackboard and thus the tradition began. Russell drew better than he knew, for the nondescript animal symbolizes both in limb and attitude the maxims in equity that guide the administration of the system. For instance, on one of the front feet as originally drawn was an Irish ditcher ' s boot - indicating the law ' s protec- tion of the least of mankind. On the other front foot were naked claws, indicating the greatest of mankind must fear its power. The arched back in the attitude of spring- ing, indicated the law was ever ready to protect right or prevent wrong. The sharp beak indicated the power to penetrate the mysteries of the law which the true student must obtain by study. The bushy tail indicated that Equity brushes away the technicalities of the law and does justice to the merits. 2 - Legend of the Peregrinus

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The University of Texas School of Law Volume 49 CONTENTS Events of the Year Organizations Students Deans, Faculty, Staff Index ■ ■ I ' llllll 11 1 ' ' ' ' ■ ' ■ I ll ip-m-mr u M

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=REGRIMJ S deallip kens its, ice and lek -lenceofttiePraetor u i«8 from one PraetorPeregrinus. The boneheads of the tally thought An Pere ? r » was an inte r the body for they ally greeted each HOW is y w Peregnuus today 1 Thi tact «ms to have developed tbe humorous side of the inci- dent, and Russell Savage developed a conaete expres- » of it on the blackboard and tfaos the tradition began. tew better thai he i the nondescript ymbolizes both ia finb and attitude the maxims : that snide the admmistration of the system. For instance, on one of the tat feel as originally drawn was an Irish ditcher ' s boot - indicating the law ' s protec- tion of the least of mankind. On the other front foot were naked claws, indicating the of mankind must fear its power. The back in the attitude of , cited the law was e%er ready to protect right or wrong. The sharp heated the power penetrate the mysteries of the law which the true si ■:jin by study. The ail indicated that , of the la ' and SUNFLOWER CEREMONY: HOW IT CAME TO BE I For 15 or 20 years after The U niversity was estab- lished in 1883, none of the graduates wore caps and gowns for graduation cere- monies. At the turn of the century, a salesperson offered to rent seniors caps and gowns. At that time, the School of Law was in the basement of the Main Building. No one thought to send a message downstairs and invite even a few law seniors to the meeting. A committee of faculty and seniors met and decided that the class would look very good in caps and gowns. An order went out that all seniors were to wear caps and gowns for the com- mencement. The law students then met, and, because they had not been invited to the original meeting and had not been consulted on the advisability of this step, they refused to wear caps and gowns. Perhaps foreshadowing later events, they then formulated the reason to uphold their decision. This was, that caps and gowns at such a time were traditional to, and rep- resentative of. the academic school and not the profes- sional school. Granted even that judges had worn the wig and gown for centuries, it was worn for a purpose entirely distinct from the pur- pose here proposed. The faculty met with the President, and a decision was reached that the law students must conform to the wishes of the senior class or they must wear a significant insignia at the exercises. It was not in a spirit of concili- ation or in appreciation of the dignity of the occasion that the sunflower was cho- sen as the distinctive insignia. It was agreed, however, that the senior law students would wear white suits. Once more reasons were advanced to justify the choice of the flower. The sunflower, genus Helianthus, belongs to a family of world- wide distribution. So, also do lawyers. As the sunflower always keeps it face turned to the sun, the lawyer turns to the light of justice. The Sunflower Ceremony used to be held once during the year, on Commencement Day. As the School of Law student population grew, it was decided to have two exercises during the year. one in November for the December graduates and another one in May for the May and August graduates. Originally, a sunflower was pinned on each senior by his or her best friend. This custom changed, however, and now an Associate Dean or Assistant Dean of the School of Law assumes this responsibility. Story of the Sunflower - 3