the class, who listen to him with far more critical attention than to any instructor. It shows his progress; and the spirit of rivalry in every student's breast forbids that student to allow another's progress to be greater than his own.
As additional incentives to earnest work, four prizes, amounting in the aggregate to five hundred dollars, are awarded each year. These prizes are subscribed by public-spirited citizens of Buffalo, who are interested in the school. They are of two kinds,—one kind being to reward excellence in general scholarship, the other to reward mastery of some especial topic as evinced by a written thesis. There are two prizes of each kind,—a first prize of one hundred and fifty, and a second prize of one hundred dollars. These prizes are known as the first and second "Clinton" prizes, or the prizes for excellence in scholarship; and the first and second "Daniels" prizes for excellence in some topic relating to Constitutional Law. No student is allowed to receive two scholarships, and the faculty reserves the right to withhold in its discretion any of these prizes in case the work of the student shall not be of sufficient merit. There is a twofold aim in them: the principal one is of course that they will operate as an incentive to study and legal thought; another and almost as important a one is that with them worthy and needy young men may pay part of the expenses of their legal education. Of the practical result of the first of these views mention will be made presently. Of the second it is important to say something here. No one need hesitate to come to the Buffalo Law School for pecuniary reasons. The policy of the school is so liberal in this respect that it is almost unique. By this is not meant to be understood that the school is free; far from it. Those who are able to pay must do so; but with those who are struggling for education, arrangements can be made to carry them for the time being, upon their payment to the school of its fees, with moderate interest, when and as they shall be able. In addition to this, in a large city fair board can always be obtained at moderate rates, and the student may thus for an extremely small sum live with a reasonable degree of comfort.
It remains to speak of the results attained by the school. That many should be perceived after so short a time is of course not to be expected, but there are indications of progress which cannot be mistaken. In June of this year the first graduating class received their degrees. Prior to that time many had taken their examinations for entrance to the bar. The faculty of the school watched the examinations of these men with anxiety, because they considered it a test of the efficiency of their own instruction. The result, however, was gratifying; they were rewarded by seeing all of their men pass these rigid investigations with high standing,—some of them the honor men of the classes. But more important than this mere incident of legal life is the judgment of the practitioners, whom the students serve as clerks. They are said to be young men with whom many matters may be left, and the shoulders of their superiors thus relieved of the burden. Attorneys speak of them as handy men around the office. They are clerks competent to institute an ordinary suit, take statements of witnesses, and post their employers thoroughly and effectually about the case on the eve of trial. In general, they can talk to clients in the offices about their deeds, mortgages, and leases, and advise them in ordinary matters what to do with them. Of their grasp of legal science there has yet been no opportunity definitely to ascertain. None of them have as yet appeared independently in the courts. But there is evidence in some of the theses which have been written, to warrant saying that their comprehension of law in its letter and spirit is, taking into consideration their years and amount of study, comparatively thorough and accurate. The prize essay of the class of 1889 on "The Policy and Effect of the First and Second Clauses of Article XIV. of the Amendments
