Law's legacies to the ladies
By Maury Breecher
Many and varied are the traditions of KU's 88 year old School of Law, but most of them involve the fairer sex in one way or the other.
One of the most well known and honored law school traditions is the carrying of canes by senior law school students. While now the lawyers only carry their canes for two weeks during the beginning and two weeks at the end of the school year, there was a time when one might have mistaken a KU student for TV's Bat Masterson.
Before World War II the lawyers carried their canes, wore a derby, and white gloves constantly. If caught without his cane, the law student of the past was "arrested" and had to buy his arrester a draught of his favorite beverage to keep out of court.
Most law students and professors do not seem to know when the cane carrying custom came to KU. An issue of the UKD published March 23,1956 states "Professor Henry C. Hill introduced the cane carrying custom in 1918. It was already well established in Eastern schools."
Canes have also on occasion, served as weapons. When the KU Law-Engineer feud was at its hottest, canes served their utmost. The engineers carried out a "pillaging" April 27 of 1927. They invaded Green Hall, the Barn, as it is affectionately called by the lawyers.
The lawyers defended their citadel with canes, paddles and clubs but to no avail. Breaking through these legal defenses the engineers deposited "stink bombs" in every Barn classroom. Law classes had to be dismissed that day, reported the UDK.
Girl-watching is perhaps the oldest law school tradition. Since Green Hall was built and occupied in 1905 there have always been girl-watchers on the school steps. This tradition was practiced to such a great extent that many times, such as in 1926, the between class breaks of the lawyers
—Staff photo by Bill Stephens
were shortened to five minutes to discourage the habit.
Perhaps to make amends to KU women students, two other law traditions have developed. At Thanksgiving the law school Student Bar Association sponsors a Turkey Shoot. Coeds are persuaded to shoot a paper mache turkey with a ping pong ball shooter. the "turkey" is strung from the statue of Uncle Jimmy Green and the Law School steps. If the coeds hit the turkey they are rewarded with rock candy.
At Christmas, the SBA sponsors a Christmas Sing on the Law School steps complete with a Santa Claus. While they sing coeds are snatched to sit on Santa's lap. Once there, they tell Santa what they want and receive their presents.
Two annual affairs which have become Law School traditions include Law Day and Habeas Corpus Day. Most Law School honors and awards were presented at the annual Law Day banquet. The 1935 Law Day banquet featured Governor Alf Landon, soon to be presidential candidate, as the principle speaker. Landon graduated from KU in 1908.
This year Law Day has been reorganized. Most of the awards will now be presented at Commencement. Because of the lack of available facilities alumni will not be invited to the festivities as they have been in the past. Neither will there be a featured speaker at the banquet.
The UDK of May 6,1938 announced that the School of Law would have a 'day' of its own. Fun day would be an annual event with satirical skits, a banquet, and baseball or softball games between the faculty and the students.Later this day became known as Habeas Corpus Day.
Habeas Corpus Day has for many years been completed with a barn party or picnic thrown by Charles Oldfather, professor of law at his farm.
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