The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-14
Prosecuted BY SETH LOW.
HIS sOANDALOUS TREATMENT OF
PROF. DWIGHT AND THE NEW
YORK LAW SCHOOL.

University because OF his supposed administrS-
tive and business abilities. He was elected In
1888. Up to tho time Of his election the Column
biA College Law School had n world. wide rcpu-
tation. 1t was admittedly the bcst law school
IN tho country. 1t was famous the world over.
At its hoad was Prof. Theodore W Dwight, and
very few persons will 10 found who will ques.
ton tho assertion that Prof. Dwight was one or
the ablc5t, II not the ablest, Instructor in law In
the country.
Prot. Dwight had n method Of his own. 1t was
under that method that Columbia Law School
became famous. When Seth Low Jecamo Presi-
dent Of Columbia this law school was the one
thing that the college had to be proud OF. 1t had
made Columbia's reputation. Not only was 1t
successful from q point OF learning, but 1t was
financially successful, and 1t added to the in
come of the coll cgu n great many thousand dol.
lars u year. 1t hau hundreds of students.
Seth Low WINS not a lawyer nor was he q
teacher. Within a few months of his election
as President he began monkeying with the law
school. He ignored aud insul'ed Prof. Dwight.
and within a very short tine drove out the Pro
fessor from active work in the college. His
resignation was followed by the resignation Of
tic whole law school faculty.
In place of the methods that had made Co
lambda Law School famous Seth Low insisted
OH introducing fancy notions about methods of
teaching by means OF the so.callcd Harvard sys-
tenn. Whore in loss. when Seth Low became
tho President of tie college. Columbia's Law
School had hundreds of students and was q rev
cnue producer for tho college, Columbias Law
School to-day has comparatively few Students,
and it costs moro money to run 1t than 1t
produces. So much for Mr.. Lows business and
administrative ability In connection with one
branch OF Columbia.
The friends OF Prof. Dwight, who made tho
law school famous, say that the o d man died OF
q broken heart because OF the persecution he
received from Seth Low. The men who ON
posed the faculty OF the Columbia Law School,
and who resigned from the school because of
the treatment OF Prof Dwight, were all of them
distinguished instructors. men whose names and
whose regulations were known in all institutions
OF learning in America. Shortly before their
res ignation from the college q law was passed
placing in the hands OF tho Board Of Regents
the authority to grant the right to teach in this
state. These men who resigned from Columbia
established the New York Law School, which
Is to-day the largest law school In the United
States, having over 700 students. 1t was estab-
lished on the principles laid down by Prof.
Dwight, ana the Dwight method Of teaching
wa adopted and is in use to-day.
From the day that the New York Law School
was suggested Seth Low fought it persistently.
unfairly. and 50 effectively that it was at last
compelled TO 60 to the State Legislature for
relief.
Seth Low fought the application Of the dis.
tinguished teachers who had been employed in
his school for the right to teach, and thoy got
that right only with many reservations. Co.
lumbia College was tho rival of the New York
Law School. Columbia College had the indie
pendent power to prescribe the conditions and
qualifications for admission to their school. TO
regulate Its own aiairs and course Of study, to
conduct Its own examinations. and to grant Its
own degrees Of LII. b. and LII n. The New
York Law School wanted the same privileges;
at the instieation of Seth Low and others whom
he got about him tho right to regulate admissions
and grsduationn. and the right to confer degrees
upon graduates was refused; the law school
was not allowed to conduct any examinations
for admission or for graduation Insugated by
eeth Low, theQualih cations for admission to the
New York Law School were made higher than
were the qualifications required by any other
school in the State. In the examination for ad-
mission candidates are required to got q certain
number OF counts ON the subjects on which they
are examined. Seth Low and his helpers, who
were running q rival school, nade it necessary
for candidates for admission to the New York
Law School to get forty eight counts. while can
didates for admission to Columbia had to have
only thirty four, and at that II was notorious
among law students that Columbia examina.
lions, as they were conducted, were much less
difficult than examinations for academic diplo-
mas which were required of students who wished
to enter the New York Law School.
Seth Low. while declaring that his law school
would not yield up its privilege of holding IT.
own examination for degrees, exerted all his
personal influence and al the influence OF his
post to keep the Now York Law School un
der an unJu-t law that forbade 1t having It's OWL
examinations His influence against this rivA
law school was sufficient to require its examina
tions TO be held in an armory in this city. Under
his instigation, these examinations were wholly
under control OF young mon sent by the ReRents
Office. armed with questions that Were prepared
by attaches of Columbia College. Tho exam
ination papers were examined secretly by per
sons unknown to tho faculty OF the New Yorl
Law School. or these questions which gradu
ates Of the New York Law School were com
PEELED by Seth Low to answer, il the!
would get their degree. tho presiding Jus
tice OF the Supreme Court In tho Secont
Judicial district said: II have read with yer.
great interest and co al astonishment tn
printed pamphlet which you handed me. show
ing the course Of examination by the Regent
for the admission OF students who have studio,
q course in the New York Law School. hav
Eeau some CascB submitted 70 candidates, ana
have no hesitation in saying that after nearl
forty years OF experience | would not be willinl
TO a ivise . client upon the facts given withou
study and careful examination of tho commo
and statute law" Opinions similar to thii
some OF thom declaring the questions that car
didatcs were required to answer to DO ridicu
lous, have been given by Louis Marshall. Davi
Wilcox. John p. Lockman, J. Frederick Kel
noch m. George Waddington. Abort StickneJ
and some dozen Judges Of the Supreme Court.
Not satisfied with forcing students of hi
rival to answer impossible questions befor
they could get their degree. Seth Low ~instigate
resolution to the effect that the degree of LII.
should rot be conferred because OF graduatio
from any law school which req uired less than
three years course. including at least loo
hours of actual tuition. While instig ating tn
resolution to hamper and injure tho New Yor
Law School, Seth Lows own college require
only q two-year course. in fact. although 1t pr
tended to require a three-year course. 1t g,
around the thing BY permitting students