sequent greater efficiency in its members; and one of the meritorious undertakings of the State Bar Association, during a brief but laudable existence, was to secure the passage of such a law. The measure was introduced into the Legislature in 1880, and was passed in 1884. By this statute a two-years course of reading was made requisite, and the power of admission was vested entirely in the Supreme Court, examinations being provided for at each term. In accordance with these provisions the Court made rules as to examinations, which have caused them to be looked forward to with some apprehension. Applicants are frequently rejected for insufficient knowledge, and a more thorough preparation is thereby induced.
In view of this legislation the Board of Trustees of the University and the Faculty of the Law Department could not longer hesitate to extend its course, and a full schedule of studies for two years of nine months each (excluding vacations) was introduced. In consequence the attendance, which had varied from one hundred to one hundred and fifty during the four preceding years, fell to fifty-seven; but after this plunge it slowly rallied, the enrolment for the year just closed numbering one hundred and twelve.
A high standard of professional ability is fostered, not only by excluding those poorly prepared, but also by furnishing the profession with those well equipped for its duties. The Law Department had already done much in this direction by sending out classes of young men far better qualified for practice than those whose preparation had been made in offices. Especially were the graduates of the school found to excel, even among lawyers of long experience, by virtue of familiarity with fundamental principles and ability to frame proper pleadings.
The high standing which the graduates of the school have taken, as well as the necessity for a more thorough preparation for admission, has drawn to the school a large proportion of those pursuing the study of law in the State. Of the three hundred and fifty-one admissions during the five years since the matter has been in the control of the Supreme Court, one hundred and ninety-eight have been through the Law School, and of the others a considerable number have made a portion of their preparation in the school without becoming entitled to graduation.
The Faculty of the school are in hearty sympathy with every movement looking toward the more thorough preparation of lawyers for practice, and a higher standard of learning in the profession; but they realize that it is not in the power of the Law Schools to force advancement in this direction beyond the slow progress of public sentiment. They may help form public opinion on this question, but cannot ignore it.
The advantages of a Law School training, and its superiority over any other method of preparation for the practice of law will be made apparent to the public by attracting as many as possible of those who are looking forward to admission, rather than by driving them into other channels of preparation; and especially necessary it is for a school dependent upon the State for financial aid to account by definite returns for the money expended.
In this view it was thought expedient to admit to the senior course those who could show a year's previous reading under the direction of an attorney and pass preliminary examinations upon the principal subjects of the junior course. At the same time the Faculty have urged strongly the advantages of a full course in the school, and have made the junior course the fullest and most fundamentally important of the two. They also urge that a student, who can spend but one year in the school, shall commence his studies there and complete his reading in an office after having become familiar with the methods of study.
The number of those who study but one year in the school has been thus decreased proportionally, until it will be possible in
