Catalog of the Northwestern University, 1874
1874

Catalog of the Northwestern University, 1874

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Although this issue is an excerpt from the Catalogue of the Northwestern University, it contains the same information as the subsequent bulletins do. This publication, which contains detailed information on the curriculum and faculty of each school in the University at this time, was likely published instead of any separate bulletin or circular. Due to the lengthy nature of the Catalogue, only the pages pertaining to the Law School are featured here.

At this point in time, the Law School was known as the Union College of Law and was jointly managed by Northwestern University and the now-defunct Chicago University.

Dublin Core

Bulletins
1874
1874

Scripto

The .Northwest has reached her maJority, and
is now the .Nation. rr 'The.Nation must lie in the
great valley between the mountains. 1 1 'The interest
of the .Northwest demands that she furnish all
possible advantages to her sons and daughters,
and that she educate them amidst her own
influences and interests.
(
JOINT BOARD OF MANAGEMENT.
HoN. GRANT GOODRICH.
HoN. WIRT DEXTER.
ROBERT F. QUEAL.
PRES. CHARLES H. FOWLER, D.D.
HON. THOMAS HOYNE.
HoN. E. B. McCAGG.
REv. JESSE B. THOMAS.
HoN. JAMES R. DOOLITTLE, LL.D.
FACULTY.
CHARLES H. FOWLER, D.D.
HoN. JAMES R. DOOLITTLE, LL.D.
HoN. JuDGE HENRY BOOTH.
HoN. LYMAN TRUMBULL, LL.D.
VAN BUREN DENSLOW, EsQ.
PHILIP MYERS, A.M., EsQ.
HoN. J.B. BRADWELL.
12
150 Northwestern University .
The Trustees of the University have long felt the demand
for a Law School in Illinois that should be worthy of the
State and of the Northwest, and not be second to any in
the country. It was evident that such a school could be
established in Chicago better than at any other point. It
was also felt to be wise that the School should have the undivided
sympathy of the Bar. Upon consultation it was
found expedient for the Chicago and Northwestern Universities
to unite in the maintenance of the Chicago Law
School already in existence.
The Universities agreed to share equally in the expenses
and care, and in the results of the enterprise. By this
arrangement the School is supported by two Universities,
and by an undivided Bar. On the 6th of October, 1873, the
College opened its first session under this patronage. The
brief t ime between the consummation of the union and the
opening of the Fall T erm gave but little opportunity for
securing the public attention. But the friends of the enterprise
were rejoiced to meet a class of fifty-fo~ students the
first year.
The advantages afforded by a College of Law for instruction
in the science and practice of Law are appreciated
both by the Bar and by the public. A systematic course of
study, under eminent living teachers, is quite as valuable
to the legal student as to the medical or theological. For
laying the foundation of thorough knowledge of the Law,
the advantages of the Law College far exceed those of an
office. In an office it is seldom that the student receives
the attention his best interests demand. In the College the
Professors are specially charged with this work. The value
of this instruction is indicated by the fact that about onE'
j
College qf Law. 151
hundred students go yearly from the State of Illinois to the
schools of other states, even though those schools do not
teach our system of practice, or the statutes and decisions
of our state. It is believed that this demand for systematic
instruction will be fully met hereafter in our Law College.
Students entering the Junior class are expected to have
at least a good common-school education. It is greatly to
the interest of the student to advance in general scholarship
as far as practicable. A knowledge of Latin is of
service in handling l,aw terms.
It is believed that the Law Course
course should be a Post-graduate course.
is recommended, not reqitired.
as a Professional
Such preparation
Students who have attended another Law College one
year, or spent one year in the study of law in the office of
an attorney, n~ay apply for standing in the Senior class, and
may enter it if found competent on examination by the
Faculty.
There are twelve weeks in each term, three terms in each
year, and two years in the Course.
Our plan of teaching begins, in the Junior year, with the
study of text-books, in which t.he students are daily drilled
by question and answer. From thence it passes, in the
Senior year, to lectures on specific topics or principles of
the law, with the statutes and decisions bearing· on them,
concluding with the study of Leading cases-the lectures
alternating with examinations. The following programme
of study for the two years embraces four hours per day for
152 Northwestern University.
six days in the week, for thirty-six weeks. Seniors may be
present at .Junior recitations, and vice versa; but are not
examined at the latter. Indeed, it is preferred that each
class should attend the instruction given to the other, thereby
securing four hours of tuition each day without being
overworked by an excessive amount of reading:
JUNIOR YEAR.
FIRST TERM-FIVE DAYS IN WEEK.
1st hour, 8 to 9 A. llL: 1st and 2d vols. Blackstone, Prof DENSLOW.
2d 4 to 5 P. M.: On Mondays, Tuesdays and 'vVeclnesdays, 1st
and 2d Kent, Prof. MYERS.
On Thursdays and Fridays, Stephens' Pleading, Prof. DENSLOW.
SECOND TERM.
1st hour, Blackstone's Commentaries and Langdell's Select Cases
on Contracts, Prof. DENSLOW.
2d hour, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3cl and 4th
Kent, Prof. MYERS.
On Thursdays and Fridays, Chitty's Pleading, . · Prof. DENSLOW.
THIRD TERM.
1st hour, Langdell's Select Ctises and Greenleaf's Evidence,
Prof. DENSLOW.
2d hour, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Parsons on Contracts,
Prof. MYERS.
On Thursdays and Fridays, Ch itty's Pleading, Prof. DENSLOW.
SENIOR YEAR.
FIRST TERM-FIVE DAYS I N WE E K.
1st hour, D to 10 A. M.: Equity
Cases,
Constit.ntional and Statutory,
2d hour, 5 to 6 P. M.: 1st and
Cases on Real Property,
Jurisprudence and Leading Equity
Hon . JAS. R. DOOLITTLE.
. Hon. LYMAN TRUMBULL.
2d Washburne, and Tudor's Leading
. Judge HENRY Boonr.
College qf Law. 153
SECOND TERM.
1st hour, Statutory Law, and Adams on Ejectment,
Hon. LYMAN TRUMBULL.
EquiLy Pleadings and Chancery PracLicc,
Hon. JAS. R. DOOLITTLE.
2d hour, 3d Washburne, and Wharton's Criminal Law,
Judge HENRY BooTJI.
THIRD TERM.
1st hour, Lectures on Statutes, and Practice in U. S. Courts,
. TRU)fBULL and DOOLITTLE.
2d hour, Wills and Probate, General Review, BooTir and BRADWELL.
Also lecturers on Medical Jurisprudence, Patents, Criminal
Law, and other specialties.
BOTH YEARS.
Saturday, 9 to 11 A. M.: Moot Court Trials, Prof. DENSLOW.
Wednesday, 10 tu 11 A. M.: Moot Court l\'[oLions, Prof. DENSLOW.
Saturday, 2 to 4 P. M.: Examples in Conveyancing-, Abstracts, Contracts
and Office Practice, Prof. DENSLOW.
That the students may be versed in the practice of Law,
Moot Courts are held every Saturday morning. In these
they are taught to apply legal remedies according to the
different forms of action, to bring suits, draw papers and
pleadings, and take the various steps incident to bringing a
cause to trial; then to try it according to the rules of evidence,
including the arguments, charge, verdict, motion ln
arrest of judgment, writ of error, etc. Real cases are
selected, and the forms and dignity of a real trial preserved.
The trial takes place in the presence of the classes, whose
members act respectively as counsel, jurors, witnesses, and
officers of the court, and before a Professor who sits as
154 Nortliwestem Univenity.
judge, with the double aim of illustrating the legal
ciples involved, and explaining the rules of practice.
exercise is always interesting and profitable.
prm-
This
On Saturday afternoon an example lesson is given m
examination of abstracts of title, and drawing contracts,
deeds, wills, pleadings, and the legal instruments required
in office busin ess.
The grammatical accuracy, rhetoric, elocution, and
courtesy of deportment of the students will receive such
attention as is deemed adapted to correct faults of style,
without suppressing individuality, in which so often lies the
secret of power. The students will be encouraged to organize
societies, holding their sessions weekly, for the discussion
of questions of political policy and economy, and
for becoming acquainted with parliamentary rules.
lJ]QJQJ'H{JJ.
Students will find their own books. Arrangements have
been made by which they may be supplied at the lowest trade
prices. Many of the students obtain the use of hooks from
the numerous law offices in the city, on favorable terms.
Those who buy their books usually prefer to retain them,
and thus begin a library; but, if they choose, they can sell
them at the close of the term, at slightly reduced prices, in
which case the n~t expense for books will be small.
In addition to the daily and weekly examinations, the
students will be examined at the close of the year in the
presence of the Faculties and Trustees of both Universities.
Juniors who show a satisfactory acquaintance with the
subjects required will be advanced to the Senior class.
Seniors found worthy will be recommended to graduation.
Oollege ef Law. 155
L The location of the Law College, in Superior Block,
fronting on Court-House square, in the heart of the great
metropolis of the Northwest, and in the immediate vicinity
of all the law offices and of the Courts, State and Federal,
which are almost constantly in session, affords to the student
who wishes to obtain employment during office hours, and
to become acquainted with every phase and variety of
business, advanta.ges unsurpassed.
2. The College is a department of the University of
Chicago, and also of the Northwestern University, and the
students are admitted free to the libraries of both Universities,
and to all public lectures delivered to undergraduates
in the Li.terary Departments of either.
3. Students in the Law College can also unite with any
of the regular classes at the Universities, and pursue any
of the studies taught there, without additional charge.
4. The students are admitted free to the Law Library of
the Chicago Law Institute, located in the Court-House.
1. Students at the Union College of Law sha11 hereafter
be classified as "regular" attendants, or "casual."
2. No casual attendant shall graduate or receive the
Diploma of this School, unless certified by the examiners
to have passed a remarkably good and unexceptionable
examination.
3. Students absent at more than one recitation of their
class per week, and not furnishing a satisfactory excm,e, in
writing, at the next recitation of the same class, shall be
deemed casual for that week, and checked on the roll as
such, but may remove such check by attendance at three
lectures of the class to which they do not belong.
156 Northwestern University.
4. Students neglecting to comply with any exercise
required of them_i n the Moot Courts, or in Office Practice,
for more than two weeks, will be deemed casuals for the
said two weeks.
5. Students marked as "casual" for half the weeks of
the term, will be deemed casual for the term; and students
casual for two terms, will be deemed casual for the year.
The roll of both classes will be called by the several
Lecturers at the hours of 9, 10, 4 and 5.
Tuition for one term,
" two terms,
" three terms,
Graduating Fee,
Board in families, per week,
Club Boarding much less.
$25.00
40.00
50.00
10.00
4.00 to 6.00
' I
.A young man expecting to find the field of his
activity in the .Northwest is at advantage in being
in sympathy and oneness with its spirit1 and in
having the friends of his school=days about him
in the struggles of later life.
“Catalog of the Northwestern University, 1874,” PLRC Collections, accessed March 28, 2024, https://plrccollections.org/items/show/352.