440
The Green Bag
university and laid the matter fully sense a fitting expression of its deter before that gentleman. His reply was mination that no considerable body of entirely unambiguous. 'The university, law students in any section of the sir, has no money for honoraria.' Accord country, who are desirous of following ingly, the invitation was not extended." the high ideals of their profession, shall Yet this was among the well:known be prevented from learning them simply institutions of learning in this country by lack of financial means. While not and one of the most wealthy. perhaps venturing to assume the moral In a way the situation is highly responsibility of limiting the immediate creditable to the law schools. It means usefulness of the fund by declining con that every available dollar is being used tributions from any who deem its pur to do its measure of usefulness, accord posed end desirable, such an endow ing to the wishes of its donor, or the ment might with propriety and moral recognized and established curriculum effectiveness present the distinct char of the institution. What is true of the acteristic feature of a creation by the great law schools is true, in a still more legal profession, open to contribution marked degree, of the smaller ones and from all its members, regardless of those in less wealthy sections. amount, never completed but with everBroadly viewed, this situation of increasing usefulness, for the delivery affairs is not even to be regretted. It and circulation of addresses and the presents an unmistakable call to public use of any means deemed by suitable and professional duty which would not trustees expedient for elevating and otherwise have been made. The deter maintaining the highest level of ethical mination of a splendid body of pro achievement in the practice of law at fessional men that its membership be present attainable. The income of such purified from moral taint ought not, in a fund might, it would appear, be util the fitness of things, to find expression ized in supporting, in connection with in the action of any law school faculty, some leading American law school, a grudgingly forcing from other needed professorship, the distinguished holder purposes a few dollars to pay a local of which could devote to the work his celebrity for a little instruction. Nor entire time. In all sections of the coun is it in the highest degree expedient that, try or its dependencies, any excess of as at the Albany Law School, the gen income might effectively be used in erosity of one public-spirited graduate securing and remunerating suitable men should provide the funds. To any body for similar work. The highest public of students whom a speaker may chance spirit, the most generous contributions, under such conditions to meet, he repre and the widest repute and professional sents the moral backing and support standing should unite to make such a merely of a few law professors, or the fund speak unmistakably for the high public spirit of a single man. Not thus est aspirations of the legal profession of will the great legal profession feel it is the country. proper to call into practical effect its This conception, quoad myself, is a own purpose of self-preparation for a borrowed one. The head of the law higher social service. It is easily within faculty^of a great metropolitan school, its power, at any moment, to create a who has made the subject a matter of national endowment of such extent and long and careful consideration, has kindly range of application as will be in some authorized repetition of his statement:
