New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-28
HIGHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.


Renewed consideration OF a much discussed
subject is prompted by the simultaneous utter
ances Of the dean of the Yale law School and
Of committee Of the New York County Law
yers' Association. DIR. Rogers. addressing the
American Bar Association al Detroit, criticised
what he called the anomalous conditions prevail
ing in this state where. he said. four out Of
nine law schools have two years courses. leading
10 the IL. B. degree. while fifth. with a NOM
maj three years course. in fact permits some
students 10 be graduated at the end of two
years. More than twO-thirds of all the law
schools in the United States. he said, are on the
three years basis. and he regarded il as not
creditable 10 the state which leads all others in
population and wealth that il should fall below
The average. He further reminded his hearers
mat the New York State Bar Association eight
Years ago expressed the opinion that candidates
Tor admission 10 the bar should be required to
nave had three years i'm a law school or four
wears In law Office and that it besOught The
Court of Appeals 10 modify the rules in accord
ance with that principle, but that the court has
thus far failed 10 act. Al the very time when
Dr. Rogers was making these remarks a COM
mittee Of the New York County Lawyers Asso-
citation published report recommending that
the period OF clerkship or of law school study
required for admission TO the bar lie increased
10 nVe years Of which One-half should actually
he spent in a regular clerkship i'm the Office of
a lawyer who practises before the Supreme
Court.
These utterances afford a gratifying and vel
come contrast 10 the get wise quick" tenden-
cies which have elsewhere been observed and
which have In some cases led 10 shortening of
required courses I'm institutions of resDectable
rank 1t should easily be appreciated by men
or judgment that devices for saving time and
Mastering processes in manufactures and trans
l'ortauon are not applicable 10 the processes of
human growth. IL takes Just as long now for
the infant 10 grow 20 maturity as il did a hum
dred or thousand years ago, and we have mo-
ldea mat the time will or can ever be shortened
IL may be that improved methods of instruction
ana increased ability of teachers viii 10 some
degree facilitate and expedite some educational
processes. but certainly they can not or should
not do SO 10 an extent which would force the
education In advance of the mental eapacitv or
would force the activities of the MIND havond,
the corresponding development of the bodv AM,
such gain, moreover, is likely 10 he far moro
than counierbalanced by the increase i'm tho
range and variety OF knowledge which is IA no
acquired. lt would manifestly be absurd IN ax
peet student in electrical engineering for e,
ample, 10 learn all that is 10 be learned ahout
that subject to-day as quickly as his grandfather
could have learned all there was 10 be learned
ABOUT II two generations ago. The same may no
saio of chemistry. of medicine and surgery and
iaaeed or many departments OF knowledge and
STUDY. and with the vast growth of international
law ana corporation law and other branches of
Jurioleal science We are not sure but that II is
AZ true Of law as Of anything else
As FOR both the public and the professional