New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-04
LAW IN LIBERAL CULTURE.

An exceptionally significant announcement
was made last week at the tenth annual COM
mencement of the WOmans Law Class OF New
York University 1t was that the requisite en-
dowment had been secured and the perpetuity
of the class thus assured as regular depart
ment of the university Hitherto the class has
had little better than hand to mouth existence,
its financial support being provided by special
contributions made or secured each year by the
Woman's Legal Education Society. Had those
contributions failed the class would have come
TO an end But Mrs Num- the president of the
society and DR. Russell. the lecturer of the
class and their associates kept up the good
work until now II Is crowned with success A
fixed income is assured. which Will In turn
assure the permanence of the work.
That as we have said, is significant, though
not of what many seem to suppose. The COM
mencement called forth the usual crop of absurd
comments upon women lawyers" 'Portias for
fun" and the like, and one Of the speakers at 1t
remarked, not uniustly. that there was probably
a widespread notion that all those forty -seven
graduates would next morning file Into court,
each with her green bag. to plead causes. Now,
the fact is of course, that not one of them has
been admitted to the bar has pursued a
course Of study intended to prepare her for such
admission, or Is in any practical or professional
sense lawyer" 1t Is not known that any of
them expect ever to be lawyers. IF they do be-
come such it will have to be after some years of
further study. 1t is not the province OF the
| Woman's Law Glass, at any rate, to turn out
new members of the bar.
| To say that Is not however, to depreciate the
| purpose and achievements Of the class or OF
| similar movements that may be undertaken In
emulation Of its example elsewhere. 1t is simply
to recognize the fact that the law is profitable
et,,dx, fnr fhnro la
| acquaintance with it properly forms part of
| liberal education. for women well as for men,
| The girls and boys In high schools study physiol
| ogy, but that does not mean they are all to be-
| come physicians. They study chemistry, but are
| not necessarily therefore all to be chemists A
| certain knowledge Of these and other things Is
| regarded AS desirable, If not essential, to that
| stocking of the mind with information and that
| development and discipline of the mental facul-
| ties which we term well balanced education
| Such knowledge moreover, though it may never
| be carried to professional expertness may at
any time and is likely at some time to prove of
practical value to its possessor In dealing with
| his or her actual environments.
1t is on such ground that the legal education
| Of women is to be commended, and that. indeed
the general introduction Of legal studies into col
lege currcula Is TO be desired. There is scarcely
another study that is more efficient for intellect
ual development and discipline. There none
more pertinent to the things and circumstances
| with which the student is TO come into contact
! There are none which, both subiectively and oh
iectvely are better designed to benefit the social
| and ethical relations of the student with his
| fellow men. And all that is entirely apart from
| any idea of ever practising the law as profess
| sion in court or office. 1t is step and
| long one toward such general Introduction of
no tO ito no sch Of
liberal culture that this ten years old enterprise
of the university confirmed and perpetu
| ated. is most significant. 1t is n new departure
| In American educational affairs, and that
| promises far reaching and highly beneiicent
| results.