Evening journal., 1911-10-02
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Connecticut Yankee
Who Shaped CalhOun'S
Legal Education
BY Holland.

John c. Calhoun was graduated
from Yale College in 1904 when that
seat of learning was under the admin
istration of the first President Tim
othy Dwight After his graduation Cal
houn became a student in the first
law school established in this or any
other country, at Litchheld, Conn,
within a stones throw of the birtn-
place of Henry Ward Beecher He re-
ceived a diploma from this pioneer
school in 1907, was admitted to the
bar of Connecticut on the credit Of
that diploma, and then went immedl-
ately to his native part of South Caro-
lima, and set himself up in the prac-
tice Of law. AT the time Calhoun
studied law it was the almost univer-
sal practice for young men who as
pired to be lawyers to prepare for adj
mission to the bar by reading In the
office of lawyer So far as | know, no
biographer of Calhoun tells why the
great South Carolinian broke away
from this custom of long standing.
Briefly, he was persuaded to do so
by none other than a Connecticut
Yankee and my authority for this
statement is the Rev Jonathan Brace,
who for many years was a prominent
Congregational clergyman in the State
of Connecticut, and who when Cal
houn was beginning to gain great
prominence, secured his information
from the family Of President Dwight
Of Yale.
In his early manhood Calhoun was
@ stanch Presbyterian, and so he
should have gone to Princeton instead
Of Yale College" said the Rev. MIR.
Brace. "But certain intimate family
associations with some of the Yale in-
structors induced Calhoun to enter
Yale, where he speedily became a
great favOrite with President Dwight.
He entered the junior class. In mis-
senior year he had many conferences
with President Dwight. and there was
one based upon their different views
as TO the true source Of political power
which very greatly impressed Presi-
dent Dwight. Ii was an argument that
lasted all evening, and when IL was
over President Dwight ventured o
say to Calhoun that his gift for pro-
found reasoning. his ability TO per-
suade those who heard him argue that
his argument was sound, and his
knowledge of historic as well as Of
contemporary government and poll
tics would without doubt, II used to
that end make Calhoun a man of very
great national prominence, and, per-
haps might bring him TO the preSi-
dency
OF course this encomium greatly
pleased Calhoun, and it may have
done something to persuade him to
take up politics very early in his
career However, at the time of the
argument that drew forth this praise
! CalhOun's ambition was TO make q
great lawyer OF himself. and after his
! graduation. from Yale he sought the
advice Of President Dwight respect
ing his preparation for admission
the bar. The elder man strongly ad
vised Calhoun to enroll himself as ;
student i'm the law school at Litch
i field. Conn. saying that Calhoun coulC
in that way more thoroughly groun'
himself in the fundamental principals
OF the law than by reading the books
in any lawyers office
THE Litchfield law school was thei
]
kind in the world, I'm reality. pioneer
experiment. and not even its founders
were certain that II would prove
successful experiment. Calhoun, a
first was doubtful about the wisdom
of following President Dwights ad
vice, so he started TO read law in al
office in Charleston; but while he wa
thus engaged he came to the con
clusion that President Dwight had lai'
out the proper course for him to fol
low and he sat down and wrote let
ter to the Litchheld law school i
which he asked If he would be ac
cepted as a student. In due course h
received favorable reply and shortl.
thereafter enrolled as student In tn
school--a step that South Carolina
greatest lawyer and ablest publ
citizen never regretted taking at tn
advice Of a Connecticut Yankee"
Copyright. 1911. by e. J. Edwards Al
rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell Q
slMcEfnIav In fhp HOur of Great PEI