The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-10-17

]
/ JOHN n. wADDEL. ID. D., CHANCELLOR
THOMAS WALTON, IL. b., PROFESSOR
/ TN June, 1872. the Trustees dispensed with IN.
i necessity of two years attendance, in thii
| Law School and permitted the graduation of
student who attends one year provided h,
! should pass satisfactory examination. tn,
| degree, or diploma, thus obtained, is made by
statute, license to practice law in any cour
in Mississippi. The student may enter the
| class any time, though he is advised 20 b,
here at the beginning CT the session, about
the first of October.
Board and lodging, fuel, lights, washing
and servants attendance, can be had in OK
ford at prices varying from sixteen to twenty
FIVE dollars month-the cheapest being about
as good as the costliest. The tuition fee is fifty
dollars in the Law School; in all other depart
ments of the University, tuition is free. There
were two hundred and sixty students in the
University last session. The Law School.
though recognized only just the Univer-
sity opened, had success surprising to its
most sanguine friends, and il is already
known that next year II viii have n still bet
ter attendance.
The following are the subjects of study pur-
sued in this School, and under each head
is set down list of those authors read from
time to time on that particular topic.
l. The Law of Real Estate.
Blackstone, Kent, Washburne, and Blackw
on Tax Titles
2. The Law of Personal Property, in
Guiding Contracts and Commercial Law
Kent, Story, Smith, Byles Redfeld, and Par
sons, and Benjamin on Sales and Williams
on Personal Property
8. The Rights of Persons
Blackstone, Kent, Shoulders Domestic Rela-
tions, and Angel Ames on Corporations
4. The Law of Torts
Addison on Torts.
5. Criminal Law and Procedure
Blackstone and bishop.
8. The Law of Practice, including
Pleading and Evidence.
Stephen on Pleading, Chitty on Pleading
Greenleaf on Evidence, Starkics Evidence,
Blackstone, Conkling's United States
Courts and Bump on Bankruptcy.
Moot Courts, also, have always been in use
in this School.
Z. Equity Jurisprudence, Pleading and
Practice.
Adams, Story and Daniel
s. Constitutional Law.
Cooley, Kent aud Story.
8. International Law, including Pri-
vate International Law or the Conflict of
Laws.
wharton's Conflict of Laws, Story, Kent and
Wheaton.
Textbooks are the chief means of instruc-
ton in this School, and lectures are not read TO
the class for law is too abstruse a learning TO
be taught after that fashion; but il has been
the practice to furnish the STUDENT written
lectures on Mississippi practice, for him to
read and copy.
One of the chief advantages Of a law school
and especially of one not over-crowded with
H. IL. 50
animation repeated with every student every
day on his days reading thorough accuracy
is guaranteed in his mastery of the subject.
In this school, every student is thus examined
every day, about three hours day being de-
voted to this exercise, and explanations being
given on those points which this rigorous ex-
animation may show that the student does not
sufficiently understand.
A practice has also been adopted here Of re-
quiring the students, frequently, 10 write down
in the recitation room synopsis Of their latest
reading, in order to compel them to that accu-
racy which is essential to lawyer; and each
student is in turn required to stand up before
the class and, in manner as decent and quiet
MS possible, to deliver an oral statement of the
contents Of the chapter and sometimes synOp-
sis of the book under perusaL This is done TO
train the young men to the art of forensic ora
tory; for they are not allowed TO deliver n
memorized statement, and their exercise
amountsto the same thing an oral argument
at the bar, and is perhaps the only practi<
Obviously, the fewer the students, the more
training of this kind each one can obtain.
No yOungmau who has attempted without as
sociates in study, TO master the vOluminous
learning Of the law, need be told Of the dismal
and often overpowering dreariness of such an
undertaking. Blackstone, after quoting "a
very great lawyer, Sir Henry Spelman's con-
fession that such a trial had made his soul sink
within him, condemns the effort to learn law
by 'sequeeterng ones self from the world
and by a tedious, lonely process, extract
ing the theory of the law from IA mass Of
undigested learning. He equally condemns
the effort to learn it Shy an assiduous atten-
dance on the courts, 10 pick up theory and
practice together" law school gives the
student immense relief from this painful
irksoBeness attending his first year two's
plodding in the endless volumes Of the law.
Such relief is derived from the emulation
and companionship Of studying in classes,
and from the daily examinations. The stu
dents are constantly discussing their studies
not only with the professor but with each 9TH
er, and their interest is thus prevented from
tagging, and their daily work from becoming
repulsive.
Besides, however, the advantages Of pre-
cision in his learning, and Of a much livelier,
and therefore, much more vigorous prosecu-
ton of his studies, TO be derived by law stu
dent from the daily discussions of "A law school,
there is another question, namely whether a
law Office or law school he the better place
for learning law in a scientific method, such
as every man must pursue TO obtain success
ana on THIS question: tne attention OF STUDENTS
and of the profession is invited to the opin-
ion of Sir William Blackstone
Making due allowance says he, 'for one
or two shining exceptions, experience may
teach to foretell, that a lawyer, educated 10
the bar in subservience to attorneys and So
licitors, will find he has begun az the wrong
end. If practice be the whole he is taught,
practice must also be the whole be will ever
know. He must never aspire to form, and sell
dom expect TO comprehend, any arguments
drawn, a priori from the spirit Of the laws
and the natural foundations Of justice
On the other hand speaking Of the law
school he says;
If the student will afford himself here a
year two s further leisure, 10 lay the foun-
dation of his future labOrs in solid and Sci
entifc method, without thirseing too early 10
attend that practice which il is impossible he
should rightly comprehend, he will afterward
proceed with the greatest ease, and will unfold
the most intricate points with an intuitive ra-
pidity and clearness.'
] Black stone Commentaries, Introduction
PIP. 31-34. july23w6m