nence, and having the confidence of the pub is considerable advantage in this practice, as lic. They declared the " result as evinced in they are acquainted with the methods in use, the essays and answers as creditable in the and above all as they take a very deep in highest degree both to the students and to terest in the work, in many instances putthe institution." It is believed that this ing off cases and surrendering gratuitously method of ascertaining excellence in attain weeks of valuable professional time to the ments was adopted for the first time in this service, the number of papers being fre country by this Law School. Did space ad quently large. There is a fine and healthy mit of it, this first list of questions, answered feeling among them that they owe a kind of in writing in the presence of a professor in debt to the profession in promoting the edu five hours by the candidates, would be in cation of its members. serted in this article. At that time no In the same year (1860), Francis Lieber, miserable printed question-books, with their LL.D., then a Professor in the School of numerous asinine answers, were in existence Arts in Columbia College, became >a pro to mislead unwary students. The prizes, fessor in the Law School, as an instructor with the same general methods of ascertain in Political Science. After a time he be ing excellence, have continued down to the came attached solely to the Law School, present day. The questions were intended surrendering his work with the undergradu to be fair and at the same time searching. ates. Great interest was felt in his instruc A number of the question papers have in tion, as he was the author of many valuable recent years been resorted to by the Su works, and a high authority upon questions preme Court examiners in the regular bar of public law. He was of great service to examinations. The combination of the two the Government, during the Civil War, in tests has proved highly useful, in the man the preparation and preservation of valuable ner about to be detailed. The student, when public papers of permanent value. Dr. Lieber he submits his essay to the examiners, must at an early day attracted the highly favorable make a solemn declaration that he has had regard, among others, of Mr. Justice Story, no direct aid in the preparation of his essay. who complimented him in the warmest terms Still, the prize is considerable in amount, and on the excellence of his great work on Politi the credit of obtaining it is not without its cal Ethics, referring to its " sound principles, value. Accordingly, he may yield to temp I striking and original views, and varied learntation and violate his pledge, obtaining assist j ing." He adds that " he recommends it ance from others; still, if he be in fact a constantly to all his friends, and especially student but of moderate excellence, his tell to young men, as leading them in the right tale answers will disclose the falsity of his track" (Life and Letters of Joseph Story, declaration, and forfeit his chances for a vol. ii. pp. 278, 329). He speaks with al prize. Great care has been taken to exclude most equal praise of his more strictly legal the participation of the Law School Faculty work on Interpretation and Construction of in any form whatever in the award. It is a Written Language (Hermeneutics), character fixed rule that none of them shall read or izing it as " full of excellent hints and princi examine the papers until after the award is ples and guiding rules, written in a clear and made, and not even then, unless they appear compact style, with great force of illustration in print, as they sometimes do. In this way and accuracy of statement, and in a spirit of all heart-burning, so common with defeated candor and without partisanship" (Life and candidates, is wholly avoided, at least so far Letters, p. 283). This work survives to our as the Law School authorities are concerned. own day, under the excellent editorship and In later years it has been possible to select valuable contributions of Prof. W. G. Ham Law School Alumni as the judges. There mond. It is much to the credit of Dr. Lieber,
