The State and National Law School was an early practical training law school founded in 1849 by John W. Fowler in Ballston Spa, New York ( Saratoga County). It was also known as New York State and National Law School, Ballston Law School, and Fowler's State and National Law School. In 1853 the school relocated to Poughkeepsie, New York (

Dutchess County Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later organ ...

). The school closed in the 1860s.

History

Founded in 1849 by John W. Fowler, the school was one of the first in the country to provide practical training for law students, rather than just academic lectures on legal theories. The school began in the former Sans Souci Hotel in Ballston Spa, but only stayed in the facility for three years. The school was under supervision of a Board of Trustees appointed by the New York State Legislature. The National Law School used very advanced teaching methods for its time. "There, students were assembled into mock courtroom scenarios, playing all of the roles witnesses, bailiffs, jurors, and attorneys. The professors were the judges, and the teams of attorneys were given a set of facts to work with to build their case." In 1849 the law school briefly hosted the Beta Proteron Charge of Theta Delta Chi fraternity.Theta Delta Chi International Fraternity,
Theta Delta Chi's history of growth.
" The institution struggled financially and also encountered problems with its facilities in Ballston Spa. President Fowler made the decision to relocate the law school to Poughkeepsie in late 1852. In January 1853 the school opened for its first term in Poughkeepsie. The reasons given for the move as stated by the trustees: "The building in Ballston is old and the rooms are cold, while in Poughkeepsie our accommodations are comfortable and pleasant. The village to which we have removed is much larger and more pleasant than Ballston, containing six or eight flourishing Literary Institutions, of which four are Female Seminaries. The people of Poughkeepsie furnish, besides these Libraries, adequate funds to place the institution on a high and permanent basis."

Degrees granted

The board was authorized to confer upon each graduate the degree of LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws).

Closure

The law school closed in the early 1860s as the result of declining enrollment caused by potential students joining the military during the American Civil War.

Notable alumni

Despite its short tenure, the law school produced many prominent alumni: * Chester A. Arthur, 1854, President of the United States *

Sullivan Ballou Sullivan Ballou (March 28, 1829July 29, 1861) was an American lawyer and politician from Rhode Island, and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered for an eloquent letter he wrote to his wife Sarah a week bef ...

, 1852, Union Army officer featured in Ken Burns's "The Civil War" *

Levi W. Barden Levi Witter Barden (September 3, 1820August 31, 1915) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served five years in the Wisconsin Legislature, representing Columbia County. Biography Barden was born on September 3, 1820, in Benton ...

, 1852, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate * Washington Bushnell, 1853, Illinois Attorney General and member of the Illinois State Senate * Angus Cameron, 1853, United States Senator from Wisconsin * Charles S. Cary, 1850, Solicitor of the United States Treasury and railroad and banking executive *

Julius Curtis Julius Bolivar Curtis (December 10, 1825 – June 10, 1907) was a lawyer and judge in Fairfield County, Connecticut, practicing for over fifty years. He was a member of the Connecticut Senate representing the 12th District from 1858 to 1859 and ...

, 1850, judge, and member of the Connecticut Senate *

Benjamin W. Dean Benjamin W. Dean (January 26, 1827 – July 6, 1861) was a Vermont attorney and politician. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives and as Secretary of State of Vermont. Biography Benjamin Willey Dean was born in Manchester, Vermont ...

, 1849, Secretary of State of Vermont *

Ralph Hill Ralph Anthony Hill (December 26, 1908 – October 17, 1994) was an American runner. He set an American record over the mile in 1930 and won a silver medal in the 5000 m event at the 1932 Olympics. Hill studied at the University of Oregon when ...

, 1851, United States Representative from Indiana * William W. Grout, 1857, United States Representative from Vermont. *

Tim N. Machin Timothy N. Machin (August 1822 – December 20, 1905) was an American politician and attorney who served as the 10th Lieutenant Governor of California from 1863 to 1867. He previously served in the California State Assembly, representing Tuolu ...

, 1849,

Lieutenant Governor of California The lieutenant governor of California is the second highest executive officer of the government of the U.S. state of California. The lieutenant governor is elected to serve a four-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms. In addition to l ...

Samuel D. McEnery Samuel Douglas McEnery (May 28, 1837 – June 28, 1910) served as the List of Governors of Louisiana, 30th Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana, with service from 1881 until 1888. He was subsequently a United States Senate, U.S. senator f ...

, 1859, United States Senator/

Governor of Louisiana A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

* John F. Miller, 1852, United States Senator from California * Henry Wilbur Palmer, 1860, United States Representative from Pennsylvania *

James Innes Randolph James Innes Randolph, Jr. (October 25, 1837 – April 29, 1887) was a Confederate army officer, lawyer, and poet. Early life and education Randolph was born in Winchester, Virginia and attended Hobart College in Geneva, New York and was a g ...

, Lawyer, poet, topographical engineer, and Confederate Army major. Most famous poem was

I'm A Good Ol' Rebel "I'm a Good Ol' Rebel", also called "The Good Old Rebel", is a pro-Confederate folk song and rebel song commonly attributed to Major James Innes Randolph. It was initially created by Randolph as a poem before evolving into an oral folk song and wa ...

Niles Searls Niles Searls (December 22, 1825April 27, 1907) was an attorney, politician, and the 14th Chief Justice of California. Early years Searls, whose last name is also sometimes spelled as Searles, was born in Coeymans, New York. His father, Abraham ...

, 1849, Chief Justice of California Supreme Court * Lionel Allen Sheldon, 1853, United States Representative from Louisiana *

Julius L. Strong Julius Levi Strong (November 8, 1828 – September 7, 1872) was an American politician from Connecticut who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1869 to 1872. Early life and education Strong was born in ...

, 1853, United States Representative from Connecticut * Ormsby B. Thomas, 1856, United States Representative from Wisconsin *

Henry D. Washburn Henry Dana Washburn (March 28, 1832 – January 26, 1871) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a colonel and was breveted twice as brigadier general and major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Wood ...

, 1853, United States Representative from Indiana * William Brewster Williams, 1851, United States Representative from Michigan

References

{{authority control 1860s disestablishments in New York (state) Defunct private universities and colleges in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1849 Law schools in New York (state) Education in Saratoga County, New York Poughkeepsie, New York 1849 establishments in New York (state) Defunct law schools

History

Degrees granted

Closure

Notable alumni

See also

References