University of Louisville - Thoroughbred Yearbook (Louisville, KY)

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Iu Memory of 0. CO. Evans, A. B. Former Bean of Medical Department ...Died November 5, 1911... Iu Memory of Hudge WU. O. Harris Former Dean of Lam Department ... Died July G, 1911...

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The Colonel 27 HISTORY AND RECORD OF LAW DEPARTMENT HE Law Department of the University of Louisville was organized in the fall of 1846, and has held its sessions continuously since that time. It began with a corps of three Professors—Henry Pirtle, Garnett Duncan and Preston L. Loughborough. The building on the southeast corner of Ninth and Chestnut was erected with the intention of being used as a suitable building for the Law Department and for an Academic Department, which it was then expected would be established; but the Academic Department did not materialize until the fall of 1908. The sessions of the Law Department were originally five months in length, closing in February, and so it continued for some forty years; afterward they were lengthened to seven-month sessions. In 1881 the Faculty was reduced to a single member, William Chenault, who conducted the school until 1884, when the faculty was filled up to the old number of three and so continued until 1908. In 1908 three new chairs were added to the Faculty so that now six professors are in charge of the institution. Its professors since its foundation have been as follows: Henry Pirtle Henry J. Stites W. O. Harris Garnett Duncan Bland Ballard Charles B. Seymour Preston S, Loughborough Thomas E. Bramlette George DuRelle. Ephraim M. Ewing James S. Pirtle Leon P, Lewis James Prior Horatio W. Bruce Arthur B. Bensinger James Speed William Chenault Alex G. Barret John Preston Henry C. Pindell Robert M. Barret Horatio Simrall Rozel Weissinger Percy N. Booth Peter B. Muir Emmet Field Of those who were professors prior to 1886, Judge P. B. Muir and James S. Pirtle alone survive. Probably the oldest alumnus now living is Colonel R. T. Durrett, one of the best known citizens of Louisville. Many of the greatest statesmen and lawyers of Kentucky have been graduates of the school. ° Among the prominent members of the Louisville Bar, who have been members of the school were Rozel Weissinger, George M. Davie and James P. Helm. The building at Ninth and Chestnut was found too large for the Law School and so it was occupied for many years by the Louisville Male High School, the Law School being removed to rented quarters in Court Place. About 1905 the Law Department took possession of the old building, and continued to hold sessions there until 1908, when it moved to its present quarters on the University grounds on Broadway between First and Second Streets. It has so happened that five of the professors on the present Faculty have each served for more than twenty years, averaging a service of twenty-four years among them. Inevitably the views of these five men have had much to do with the development of the school. While their colleagues were men very highly experienced, none of them served for a longer term than eight years. As might be expected their modes of teaching are not so well known among the members of the Kentucky Bar as the method employed by the five who served the longest periods. It has been the standing policy of the school to allow each professor his own mode of instruction. Some have used the text book almost exclusively; others written lectures; other the case method; but every one has constantly used the quiz as a means not only. of imparting instruction, but also of pro- ducing accuracy of thought and disciplined attention among the pupils. The Law Department is about to enter the seventy-seventh year of its public service with good prospects of continuing in active usefulness for years to come.