The Washington bee., 1912-03-23

UP FRONT.
After all that has been done to hu-
initiate the Law School, now comes
this new move to sell the law build
ing. The move should be scrutinized
with the utmost care, for | have not
the slightest doubt that II marks the
beginning OF the end OF the Law
School. The TumOT says they are
going to have a new building. it
will be erected on that vacant space
at the corner OF Georgia and How
ard Avenues The idea Is TO have all
the University buildings together on
the campus. In the first place, althO
the vacant space referred to belongs
to Howard University, It Is not d
part of the campus, nor will placing d
building on 1t make It so. 1t Is en-
tirely outside OF the campus scheme
1t It can be said to be any part Of
the campus of Howard University,
then all those houses on Sixth street
and Corby's bakery, too, are on the
campus
The main point in this whole mat
ter. however, is this with the law
building on Fifth street once disposed
of and re-erected, so to speak on this
"quasi-campus' on Georgia Avenue,
then will begin the real disruption
OF the Law Department Unless
something Is done to prevent It. /
predict that methods will be found
for curtailing and hampering the Law
School TO such an extent that within
a woefuIly short space Of time Presi-
dent Thlrkield will feel justified 90
in going before the Board Of Trus-
tees and saying, Developments dem
onstrate that the Law School has out
lived its usefulness as a part of our
University scheme. | move that it
be abolished" In its place-what;
A College of Agriculture Now, of
course, farming Is a fine thing, but
must the Law School be destroyed in
order that farming may be taught in
Howard University:
1t Is time for the alumni and friends
OF the long suffering Law School to
wake up. Seeing what forces are at
work against us, it Is high time, it
seems to me, that the worm turned.
1t would seem to be time also for
President Thirkield to take a new
tack and tell the law alumni once for
all what he intends to do and assure
them that the Law School will sus-
tain no harm. 1t is time for him to
quit reckoning without his host, as
It were; Tor as a matter of fact the
law men constitute the one branch of
the alumni and student body to be
found at this moment SqUarcly and
sOiidly behind President ThirEield in
his efforts to upbuild Howard Uni
verSity. DR. Thirkield should not 10
more the lesson. to be learned from
Frederick BaTbarOssa'S $ treatment of
the law students at the Universities
of Bologna in ages past. 1t is d
wholesome lesson
Finally the Law Department OF
Howard University Is a dynamic force
at work, quietly, but insistently and
effectively, for the Negro race in the
United States 1t is the one first
class Low School in this whole nation
where colOred men can study law
like men and not like lshmaelitcs. If
it came TO the point tomorrow where
every department of Howard Uni
versity would have to ,bc abolished
save one, that one department which
ought to remain is the Law Depart
ment. Its influence for good Is be
ing felt all over this country, and in
the years 10 come ther3 are those
who will be amazed, ! faDSy. to learn
Just what Il force this school has
been. | recall that as | approached
the end of my four years work in
the College of Arts some years ago,
I felt d certain degree Of pride in
that fact ! feel free to say, how
ever, that the first real impressions
of what IS meant by the full measure
of man which had ever come to me
In my whole life time were expert
enced within the first few weeks OF
my work in the Law School; and
these impressions kept coming until
the end of the course, WhereupOn /
stepped forth with 4 new and an en-
tirely different conception of men and
things
The law alumni have not commits
stoned me to speak for them, but ]
am one OF them, and | speak for my
self. ! have not the least doubt,
however. that hundreds, indeed praC-
tically all, OF the law men will support
me in saying that any effort on the
part of President Thirkield, the
Board of Trustees or anybody else
70 abolish, cripple or further humil-
late the Law School will be COHsid-
cred an unfriendly act and one that
will call forth an Indignation and an
opposition that will never down until
the Law School shall have been
given the. consideration to which it Is
Justly entitled.
Yours sincerely,
TAMFS { WATERS TR