Joseph H. Beale, Jr., of Massachusetts: I am sorry that the meeting of this Section has been fixed at so late an hour as almost absolutely to preclude any discussion, and I feel inclined to propose a resolution for the benefit of the officers of the American Bar Association, to this effect: That in the opinion of this Section the discussion of papers presented is essential to the success of the meeting, and the officers of the American Bar Association are requested in the future not to fix a time for the session of the Section of Legal Education which will prevent the possibility of such discussion. Henry H. Ingersoll : I take great pleasure in seconding that resolution. The assignment of only one hour during the annual meeting of the American Bar Association to the proceedings of this Section puts us decidedly into the background. The resolution was adopted. George M. Sharp, of Maryland: I desire to offer the following resolution: Resolved, That it is the opinion of the Section of Legal Education that the officials of this Section shall from year to year prepare and furnish for publication in the annual report of the American Bar Association a report exhibiting as exactly as may be the state of legal education in the United States with respect to each of the following topics, and such other topics as they may think best or may be referred to them by the action of this Section or the Committee of Legal Education: 1. The number of professors and other law instructors in each law school. 2. The number of law teachers in each school who give the whole of their time to the work of the school. 3. The percentage of law students, (a) giving the whole of their time to the school; 4. The entrance requirements demanded of candidates for a law degree, and whether students are allowed, while pursuing the course for a law degree, to make up deficiencies in such requirements. 5. The length of the course leading to the law degree, and whether students are allowed to shorten the time of the course by doing two years' work in one year. 6. The prevailing method of teaching and study in each law school, whether by lectures, recitations on treatises, or the discussion of cases in the class room. 7. The number and general character of the books in the law library of each school, and the number and character of books added to the law library in the preceding year, together with the amount paid for law books, and for binding, in the preceding year. The Chairman: Gentlemen, you have heard the resolution offered. seconded? The resolution was seconded. Henry H. Ingersoll : I understand the purpose of that is to devolve upon the Secretary of this Section the work of ascertaining certain facts with regard to the law schools of America. I presume, sir, that it is intended not so much to ascertain what the facts are with regard to those law schools that are members at present of the Association of American Law Schools, but rather to ascertain the status of law schools which are not members of the Association, which includes about one-half the law schools of the country, for if it is meant to go further and get information from those schools that are members of the Association we shall perhaps be trespassing upon the duties and functions of that Association itself. If I am correct in this view, I shall be happy to have our friend, Judge Sharp, give us the meaning of the resolution. George M. Sharp : It was the suggestion of our Secretary, made to the Chairman of the Section and referred to by the latter in his address, and I thought it such a good suggestion that I adopted it. The Chairman: My idea is that the resolution as framed would seem to apply to all law schools. Henry H. Ingersoll: I would suggest that the information sought can be readily obtained from the Secretary of the Association of American Law Schools. The Chairman: Is there further discussion of the resolution? If not, the question will be put. C. C. Cole, of Iowa: The inquiry seems to be very pertinent whether this resolution is appropriate in this Section or whether it would not be more appropriate in the Association of American Law Schools. As I understand from the reading of it, it would seem to be more appropriate for that Association. Julian W. Mack, of Illinois: Perhaps our Secretary can inform us what the purpose of it is. The Secretary: The whole purpose of the resolution is to enable us to find where we stand in the matter of legal education. The number of law schools has increased so rapidly that without a statistical table on some of the more important topics it seems impossible to ascertain exactly where we stand in legal education. Now the United States Government does publish every year through its Bureau of Education some statistics as to law schools, but those volumes rarely get into the law offices; they rarely reach the men that we want to reach. Besides, they leave untouched many of the topics which are of essential importance to this question of legal education. It seemed to me that the question went a little beyond the scope of the Association of American Law Schools. Their membership is about one-third of all the law schools in the country. This is simply a general question as to legal education, and it might be a little invidious for the Association of American Law Schools to undertake to publish these statistics. It would be exalting their own schools and disparaging others, possibly. At any rate, I thought I would bring the matter up, because it struck me as being more appropriate for this section to take charge of this topic, which is a general topic in the field, than for the Association of American Law Schools to take charge of it. The Chairman: If there is nothing further to be said, the Chair will put the question. The resolution was adopted. Henry H. Ingersoll : In order that this matter may receive the attention it deserves, will this resolution that we have just adopted be brought before the American Bar Association at its present meeting? The Chairman: It certainly ought to be. Henry H. Ingersoll : The remarks of our Secretary are pregnant with meaning to the cause of legal education, and if we are to go outside of the Association of American Law Schools, which has been formed under the ægis of the American Bar Association, then we need the authority and prestige of the American Bar Association. Hence, I ask whether the resolution that we have adopted will be presented to the American Bar Association at the present session for its approval. The Chairman: That, of course, depends upon the action of this Section. Henry H. Ingersoll : Then, sir, I move that the Chairman of this Section be instructed to present the matter by appropriate resolution to the American Bar Association at its present meeting. The Chairman: The Chair does not understand that any action is asked of the American Bar Association. Henry H. Ingersoll : But my motion contemplates that the Chairman of this Section should present to the American Bar Association in appropriate form the action that we have taken here on the resolution introduced by Judge Sharp. Joseph H. Beale, Jr.: It seems hardly necessary for us to do that in my opinion. Judge Ingersoll probably realizes, as well as I do, that the American Bar Association is not likely to do anything this year; that it has not the time. It certainly hasn't time enough to dispose of its own necessary business, and certainly it would not have any time for new business. That would mean at least the postponement of this matter for another year. Besides, we do not need any sanction from the American Bar Association to this action that we have taken. Our Chairman and Secretary can do what they like in this matter without asking the permission of the American Bar Association, and it seems to me, therefore, that we had better leave the matter where it is. The Chairman: Was your motion seconded, Mr. Ingersoll? I believe not, sir, and I will not press it. As there does not seem to be any other business to come before the Section at this meeting, Mr. Chairman, I move that we do now adjourn. The motion was seconded and carried, and the Section adjourned sine die. CHARLES M. HEPBURN, Secretary. |