New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-02

Arrangements are about completed for the es
tablishment Of new law school in this city
Unless unexpected circumstances intervene the
school will be ready for the admission of pupils
next fall. 1t probably will be in charge OF Pro
fessors Chase and Petty, who resigned from Colum
bia few weeks ago, and Alfred G. Reeves, at
present an Instructor in the law department OF
that institution.
Professors Chase and Petty refused yesterday to
say anything in regard TO the proposed lnsutl-
ton. Considerable information regarding the
school, however was obtained from wel[known
lawyer who is interested in its establishment. The
resignation of Professor Dwight" said The 1fib-
une's informant, land the changes IN the plan
of study at Columbia College have been the rea-
sons which led a number of persons in this city
TO believe in the advisability of establishing q
new law school in New York. BY the rearronge-
ment of the hours for the lectures at Colum'
bia. students in the offices downtown
will be in great measure unable to attend that
school This would prove serious matter, as IL
would shorten the course of a number OF Jealous
students who now employed in various oirces'
They will not have the time TO go 10 Columbia.
For the convenience of such men, the incorpora'ors
of the new school will endeavor TO secure proper
location in the neighborhood of the courts. Inc
advantage of such location to all studen'e'
whether working in offices or not, Is apparent.
Frequent access to the courts is necessary 10 an
would-be lawyers. However, it is dlf1cnit 10 oo-
tain a suitable building downtown. We have had
two buildings under consideration. one OF thesc
is in the neighborhood mentioned above, and the
other is above Fourteenth-st. We hope to secure
the first one If unsuccessful, however. we may
be OBLIGED to establish the school further uptown
"Anotber reason which has influenced us, con-
finued the lawyer, =" is the desire among both the
students of Columbia and the alumni to see Pro-
fessor Dwight's methods of teaching continued
Almost all of the lawyers of this city favor the
continuation of the Dwight system. They are in
terested in the proposed school for that reason.
glance at the Dwight Tribute recently issued,
will show how highly Professor Dwights method
is esteemed.
The plans Of the school are still in an em-
bryotic state. From all that is known, however,
it will have no especial endowments. but will be
supported by the fees Of the students. Among
these are expected TO be business men also, If the
school is located in the lower part Of the city,
They will hear, for the most part, lectures on
commercial law. number Of business men, in
fact, have led us to believe that they will aid
our undertaking in every way possible. II moth
ing untOward happens, we think the school Will
be success.
not be connected with the school at all, as it is
probable that he will spend the coming years in
travelling Professor Chase, however, will be, IN
all probability at its head. The Professor has re-
ceved several calls from other law schools in vari-
GUS parts of the country. He has declined
these however one and all. for the reason that he
wishes 10 remain in New-York. Flattering Of
fers have been made to him also by various law
firms He has declined these offers because he
prefers to teach. Both Professors Chase and Petty
are familiar with Professor Dwights method OF
teaching"
The students of the middle class epecially have
been strong in their opposition to the proposed
changes in Columbia. In their petition to the
trustees have their degrees conferred the close
of the present wear. they various reasons for
that opposition. They declared that the "clasS
entered the college upon the faith in and repu-
tation of its professors and distinctive meth
DDS; that the said professors have
withdrawn and the said method has been aban-
doned7 that the class could not he
expected to anticipate change in every profess
sorship and departure from the method which
has been pursued in every department of the
university since its formation" that the class
could not reasonably expect to acquire as much in
the third year as the reputation of the old method
justified them in entering the school in expecting
that the class could not be fair exponent of the
theories of the new method"
Although the petition of the students was de-
MED by the trustees it is praised by the editor Of
" The Law Times in the last issue of that monthly
" We hardly think" he says, that the request
of the middle class is in any way unreasonable
Indeed, with all respect to our trustees, we think
such request is far more reasonable than the
proposed change of method"
arousing an enthusiasm for Professor
Dwights method than his farewell letter
in The Law Times" 1t reads in part as fol-
lows:
"Be thorough in your preparatory work. Do not fail
principles of law BY means of systematic
study and the Of well arranged and thorough :reatses
No other system OF instruction has succeeded in making
sound lawyers, probably will 1t is not ques
tion whether lawyers need study in this manner. The
sols inquiry a. present s how shall students coming 10
law school and being wholly unframed in law. best
uuire it, This is legal inquiry, but purely edu
catonal question which the experience Of the past is
Of the utmost value.
Moreover systematic study is a powerful aid to the
memory The study OF isolated propositions instead Of
aiding impairs the memory, while ones knowledge Of
subject is still rudimentary.
However much IL may be lsmened the day Of jurists
Is apparently at an end those countries like
England aud our own, which follow the common law.
Law and medicine are faring alike There few
followers Of the study Of abstract medicine Nearly all
who profess knowledge Of medicine are practitioners
In like manner there jurists but students
Of law are as rule, lawyers. The professors In the
universities in England and the United States are pract
eay the only persons likely TO be urss Few OF these
have attained any true eminence in this direction The
subject is too vast bewderng BE content. then TO
be successful lawyers. and devote your individual eher
gies 70 the study Of law to that end.
II is understood that Professor Dwight for
various tasons is interested in the proposed school,
although as stated above, he Will not take an
active part within its walls.