Word: legalism
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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While on the general subject of admissions, Dean Landis expressed great worry about the trend to requirements for pre-legal education. "There is hardly a subject that has no relation to law," he said. "Lawyers should acquaint themselves with other aspects of our civilization--art, literature, and music. The chief present need is for men with broad vision who will keep the law functioning adequately." At the same time Mr. Landis expressed his disgust for the American passion for formalistic training--the "peculiar belief" that you've to take a course in a subject to learn anything...
...Another great need is to get men with good broad legal training out into the country." Landis compared the need for supplying all classes and interests in our society with well trained lawyers to the need for hospitals to spread new medical services to grow up where adequate services are now lacking. He was proud that Harvard law graduates are serving all economic interests...
Many people feel that in the last few years the supremacy which Harvard has long enjoyed in the legal field has been for the first time seriously challenged. For Harvard this challenge has meant a reexamination of the methods of teaching initiated many years ago and to a gratifying extent the system has been found as sound today as when first inaugurated...
...last three years has, however, stimulated certain major changes. Most important is the new curriculum announced in an article by Professor Simpson in the April issue of the Harvard Law Review. To meet the increasing emphasis which the trend of the times is placing on new legal techniques, and to permit more intensive specialization in the final year, it has been found desirable to compress into the first two years much of the material traditionally studied over the whole course. The faculty committee, and in particular Dean Landis, are to be congratulated for resolutely resisting the temptation to initiate...
Harvard has refused to adopt any of the fashions now current at some law schools. Yale takes great pride in disavowing the Harvard method of studying the historical and organic development of legal concepts rather than their "practical" value in modern law offices and courts. Boast is also made by Yale of the value of small classes in which there is close association between teacher and student. But, no matter how attractive on paper, the ultimate value of any scheme must be considered in the light of the ability and personality of the faculty which is to administer...