Where did Rutherford go to school?

by VM44 26 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  VM44

  hi blondie,

  Good suggestions. A poster here has supplied me with a list of schools in the area that exist today. We would need to know what law schools were in the Boonville area around the years 1885-1890.

  I did find it significant thought that it was written that Rutherford finished his Academy education. That would indicated to look for schools that had "Academy" in their name.

  How Rutherford passed the bar is by passing an oral exam given by a panel of lawyers. That was allowed at the time.

  I believe that Rutherford's law education was completely obtained through on the job training as he worked in the law office.

  --VM44
• 

  Merry Magdalene

  Kemper Military Academy in Boonville, founded in 1844, is one possibility--http://www.umsystem.edu/whmc/kemperms.html

  This was where Judge Roy D. Williams (1881-1972) went to school before going on to the University of Missouri. He did not attend law school either but learned in the law office of his father, was admitted to the bar in 1906, and set up private practice in Boonville.

  This is off-topic, but while trying to find more info on Rutherford's education I ran across this and found it interesting as I had not seen it before:

  Before Pastor Russell’s death, the Pastor had dismissed Rutherford from --http://www.biblestudents.net/history/lest_we_forget.htm

  ~Merry
• 

  Merry Magdalene

  This is rather interesting too (though not very helpful):

  Before September 1939 when the Bar Examination was invented to torture law students, lawyers were admitted by application to a circuit judge. The judge would then impanel some local lawyers and examine the applicant. Proof of graduation from the 8th grade was the only educational requirement. Very few of the early lawyers in Missouri had attended college, even less law school. Becoming a lawyer was mainly a matter of informal apprenticeship. Prospective lawyers would clerk for a local lawyer for a couple of years and would also read the law while assisting the lawyer. "Applicants read Blackstone, Greenleaf, and Chitty, and generally attended court sessions, listened to the trials and read the pleadings." (Hulston, An Ozark Lawyer's Story, page 117). Presumably the examination of the applicant tested his knowledge of substantive and procedural law and legal theory. The quality and reputations of the early lawyers of Greene County reveal that the admission procedure was effective. However, the only accounts we have of any early examinations are the following ludicrous and probably mythical tales as recounted by Hulston, supra, at pages 118-9:

  "A young attorney had studied assiduously for the examination. The day of his examination arrived. He appeared before the circuit judge.

  Q. "What is the principal concern of a lawyer?" was the first question.

  A. "Collection of his fees," replied the young lawyer.

  Q. "What is the first duty of a lawyer after admission to the bar?" was the next question.

  A. "Buy everyone a drink," responded the young lawyer.

  And with that answer, he was promptly admitted, and the court immediately adjourned to celebrate the event.
  --http://www.smba.cc/SMBAHistory.cfm

  That had to have been Rutherford! LOL

  ~Merry
• 

  VM44

  LOL! That is a good find Merry!

  I am now more convinced that Rutherford never attended college or law school, and now we see that at the time it was not necessary to become a lawyer.

  Rutherford probably knew that he could not go up against a fully law school trained lawyer in a court of law.

  For instance, is there any indication that Rutherford practiced law or appeared before a court in New York State? No, none whatsoever!

  The lawyers who handled the Watchtower cases were a Mr. Sparks, a Mr. Moyle, and a Mr. Covington. These are the names one reads in the court transcripts. Rutherford might be present, but never as the one who speaks before the court.

  But what about the time Rutherford spoke before the Supreme Court of the US? Yes, that is true, but one only has to be admitted to the bar, as Rutherford was, and be a lawyer in good standing to speak before the Supremes. Additionally, when Rutherford did speak before the Supreme court judges, his arguments were theological, Rutherford finished speaking early so that he could answer questions, but he was disappointed when no questions were asked, and his argument was ignored.

  I think we are getting a clearer understanding of the legal side of Rutherford the person.

  --VM44
• 

  VM44

  And then there is the claim made by Rutherford of his being a "Member of the New York City Bar"!

  It is a true statement, but misleading!I will start a new thread on this topic tomorrow.

  --VM44
• 

  M.J.

  http://www.freeminds.org/history/mystery_years.htm

  Just as the Watchtower history, the Proclaimers book, states Joseph Franklin Rutherford was born November 8, 1869. It further notes that he entered college when sixteen although not saying which college (there were several in the area), says he was under the tutelage of a Judge E.L. Edwards whom Missouri handbooks indicate had been a state supreme court justice. Consulting the history and other works shows that in 1889 when twenty years old he was made an official court reporter, and he obtained a license to practice law on May 5, 1892.

  If it's true he entered college at age 16, there was probably enough time for him to get a 4 year degree. But as you mention, he probably would have boasted about it.

  The University of Missouri, about 60 miles away from his boyhood home near Versailles, had a law program but you had to be 19 to enroll, or be a college graduate. http://www.missouri.edu/history/law.htm There isn't a chance that he went through it.
• 

  r51785

  I also wonder if one's admission to the bar could be helped by political connections. Remember that Rutherford was politically active in the campaigns of William Jennings Bryan. Perhaps his political positions reflected that of his mentors and he benefited from the old boys network.
• 

  Kenneson

  I hope the following link will be helpful.

  http://www.freeminds.org/history/mystery_years.htm
• 

  Farkel

  Most if not all of the comments on this thread are very accurate. The simple truth is this: Rutherford never went to college, let alone Law School.

  He despised "secular education" (because he didn't have any) and that in part, is why most dubs are/were uneducated dupes of Rutherford's rants against it.

  The majority of the current GB are high school graduates or less. All but a few of them are from the Rutherford school of "thought" (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).

  "Higher Education" (a perjorative term in WatchtowerWorld) is "evil."

  They prefer "Lower Education(tm)", I guess. This type of thinking has and will hurt them. Idiots can no longer survive in this modern world. I know. I'm one of them.

  Farkel
• 

  gumby

  Idiots can no longer survive in this modern world. I know. I'm one of them.

  Farkmeister, your no idiot. You might have missed education you could have had, but you can still get it. I know your 58, but you have many years left. It's the shits to have to do it now, but it can be done. I'm a damn hypocrit for saying this as I don't have any intentions on going to scholl or taking any longterm courses. I might attend a 3 day seminar, but that's about it.

  I've been racking my brain to come up with a novel idea for dough... and got an idea. I'm gonna give it a go and if I can make it work. It has to do with a little shop in my yard and some wood tools in it, some manzanita, the internet, e-mails to store owners..,..and no it ain't no ugly wood furniture or birdhouses either dammit!

  You can do about anything you want cuz yer a brainy bastard....you just gotta get the ummph behind ya and so do I. We needs inspired.

  Gumby