The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07
Legal Education Provided at Moder-
ate Cost. and Most Mea Enrolled
Are OF Small Means.
OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOLS
INDIANAPOLIS OFFERS SPECIAL AD-
vANTAGEs TO LAW STUDENTS.
Graduates Find Openings I'm Many
Directions, but often HIVE to
Struggle for FoothOId.

dianapols than in any previous year.
There are about 1S5 students attending the
law schools in this city. of whom about 160
have come here from other cities and
towns The enrolment of the local law
schools this year is larger than ever before,
and the enrollments are larger in nearly
every law school in this country. The at
d. tendance at both the local schools will be
materially increased at the beginning of
the winter and spring terms.
The time spent in the making of lawyer
Is divided into two periods, the period de-
voted to a course in a law school and the
period devoted to gaining practice. The
first is described by graduates as being
profitable, interesting and enjoyable The
second period is said to be, for most young
men, a period of disappointment and dis
couragement.
James A. Rohbach, dean OF the Indiana
Law School. and Francis NJ. IngIer, of the
Indianapolis College of Law, describe the
operations of their schools in much the
same way. The law schools in this city
are designed TO give a legal education at a
very moderate cost, and attended al
most exclusively by young men of small
means. The average cost of a two years
course, including living expenses, is less
than $500, and a student can get through on
800 The cost, indeed is so small that only
a small per cent. of the students find it
necessary to work-their way through the
colleges. number of the young men, how
ever, earn their board as walters or cash.
iers in restaurants, by assisting in the
department stores on Saturdays and during
the holidays. AS most law students are in
tellgent and we'll Bred they are considered
desirable boarders and often live in the
best homes in the city.
One feature of the law schools which be-
comes more marked each year. is the num-
Der of students who study law as a means
of securing a general business education
or means Of culture. Mr. Ingler estimates
that Is per cent. of the students in his
school have absolutely no intention of en-
tering the legal profession, and Mr.. Rob-
bach quotes one of the foremost lawyers
in this city predicting in few years
one-half of the young men who study law
will do so with no intention of becoming
members of the bar. Young women often
follow the example of Miss Helen Could
and take a law course for the insight it
gives into business, and the night law
schools are largely attended by men who
are actively engaged in business enter
sent three of his to the Indiana Law
School for the sole purpose of preparing
them for the responsibilities of wealth
There is, too, the young man who attends
law school because he has a taste for
school life. the aimless youth who has de-
veloped no bent for anything particular,
the young man who makes a course in law
an excuse to spend a winter in indianapolis.
SCHOOLS OF CULTURE.
II Is as schools Of culture, or finishing
schools that the law schools said to
be in many cases of the most value A
majority of the students come here from
other colleges or normal schools and pos
sess large degree of sophistication, but
each year there is a considerable number
who come from the country high schools.
1t is their first experience in a large city.
and for a few weeks they are often, 10 use
George AIDES expressive phrase. "tremulous
Interrogation points" The change which
comes over these students is one of the
things which the faculty watches with the
iveliest interest. Among the things which
contribute to these changes are the stu
dents contact in the lecture rooms and in
law offices with the brightest men of the
Indianapolis bar, and the debating societies
where the students moi only learn how to
speak. but learn. through observation
much concerning parliamentary rules, good
manners. distinct enunciation and correct
pronunciation. The moot courts, too not
only give the student an insight into court
procedure, but add to his respect for dig
nifty and orderly conduct. No less favor
able are conditions out of the schoolroom
The students are among the most regular
patrons of the theaters. lecture courses. the
popular-priced concerts and the libraries
They visit nearly all the prominen,
churches in the ci,y. and IL has been no.
ticed that the Sunday evening services al
the large downtown churches are espe
cially well attended by students from the
law and medical schools. Law students ar,
nearly always found studying proceeding:
in the various courts. The sessions of tn,
Legislature enable students to study tn,
methods of making laws. In campaign
years they attend the important politica
meetings in a body and hear all the noteC
orators who come to this center of politica
activity. And from all these sources cul
ture and knowledge of the world are S,
assmilated that the uncouth and unsophis
ticated student who entered law school OF
the first day of the junior year has actual
~, i'm some cases, been so transformed tina
his friends have not recognized him whei
ne appeared at commencement, alert, con
hdent and well dressed.
indianapolis claims 10 possess many ad
vantages for the study of law. The higl
reputation of the bar in this city has gon
abroad. and the students hear lectures from
many OF its most distinguished members
The students can watch the conduct of lit
igation in all the courts which operate il
this State. from the Supreme and Unite'
States courts, down to the courts preside'
over by justices Of the peace. No city o
Its class has better library facilities thar
Indianapolis. The Supreme Court librar,
OF 5000 volumes. which is the second larg
est I'm the United States. the library of tn
Indianapolis Bar Association and the cit
library are all open TO students. The in
tsllectual and moral environment whic
1 the students find in this city Is an advant
age which is said to count for more than
generally known
Graduates leave the law school with