Items of Interest January 22, 1916 Issue

Items of Interest

An illuminating survey of the progress of legal education in the United States during the past fifteen years, an almost revolutionary period in this subject, was given at the fifteenth annual meeting in Chicago of the Association of American Law Schools by its president, Dean H. S. Richards of the University of Wisconsin Law School, in his opening address. He said in part:—

"While we have made some notable advances in the past fifteen years, the legal profession is still the easiest to enter, and for that reason is still attracting many undesirable men. The bar examinations lack uniformity, and in general, by the type of question used, make it easy for unfit men to come to the bar, and furnish the opportunity for commercial cram schools. We should as an association give our active encouragement to the movement for the adequate study of the history of our law, and a comparative study of the basic juristic principles of all the great systems of law. At the time of the organization of this association there were ninety-six law schools in the United States, with 12,516 students. In 1915 the reports of the bureau of education show one hundred and twenty law schools. The number of students in residence schools in 1915 was 21,885, an increase of 75 per cent in fifteen years. At the time of the formation of this organization the members reported 6894 students, or a little over 55 per cent of all law school students. At present this association represents but 39 per cent of all law students, instead of 55 per cent, as in 1900. It is significant of standards when the better law schools, measured by standards of equipment, standards of admission and graduation, are gaining so slowly, as compared with schools outside the association, all of which are unable or unwilling to comply with the standards of this association."

The annual meeting of the American Society of Landscape Architects was held in New York City last week. There were reports on professional practice and ethics as well as other matters of policy and publicity. Among the latter are prevention of diversion of park areas to other purposes and the encroachment on public areas, the preservation of great scenic features such as Niagara Falls, the regulation of bill boards, and pending legislation regarding the administration of United States national parks. A committee reported in favor of "a bill to establish a national park service department under the charge of a man appointed by the secretary of the interior and to establish an appropriation of $100,000 for that service." The American Civic Association and the American Society of Landscape Architecture are responsible for the bill, which continues: "It further provides that in the granting of leases and concessions, and in the general management of said parks, monuments, and reservations, no action, unless specifically provided for by future enactments of Congress, is to be detrimental to the fundamental object of these aforesaid parks, monuments, and reservations. The object is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of said scenery and objects by the public in any manner and by any means that will leave the whole unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

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