STETSON LJWTTER
Stetson University College of Law
Volume 21, Number 1, August, 1978
E. HARRIS DREW, '23,
EMINENT FLORIDIAN
It matters not how long one lives,
but how.
Justice Drew, '23, and J. Ollie Edmunds, '25,
presently University Chancellor, at a hap
Stetson reunion in the early 70's.
The papers reported that Justice
E. Harris Drew, Class of '23, died
February 9, 1978, from a heart
attack, brought on when he stopped
to help a stranded motorist and his
leg became crushed between the
motorist's disabled automobile and
the Justice's pickup truck. Of course,
the papers had to be referring only of
the demise of the corporeal entity
that was E. Harris Drew. The spirit
and influence of this distinguished
alumnus of Stetson College of Law, as
attorney, author, administrator of
justice and citizen extraordinary,
will never die.
Most Floridians will remember
Justice Drew for his nearly two
decades of service as a member of
the state's Supreme Court, which included two terms as Chief Justice.
During these two decades he participated in more than 20,000 cases and
personally wrote approximately 2,500
opinions, many of which profoundly
influenced the orderly development
of Florida from a sparsely-settled
pioneer state to one of the most prosperous and progressive in the nation.
Countless others, particularly
members of the legal profession, will
recall the Justice's significant contribution to the jurisprudence of Florida
by volunteer service far beyond the
call of duty, notably as president of
the Florida State Bar Association, as
a member of the original committee
for the preparation of the constitution
and by-laws of The Florida Bar, as
chairman of the appellate rules committee of the Supreme Court, and as
an author and lecturer on timely
subjects. The impact of his views on
Workmen's Compensation laws are
national in scope.
And then there are those of us,
alumni and friends of Stetson College
of Law, whose lives have long been
intertwined with the growth of the
school, who can never forget how unsparingly he contributed his tremendous energy and astute qualities of
leadership to enhance Stetson traditions. For eighteen years following its
inception in 1967, he was a member,
and several times an officer, of the
Board of Overseers of the College;
for the same length of time he was
a member of the Law Center Foundation at St. Petersburg, created to foster the College's interests and needs,
which he served first as president,
and then as chairman of the Board.
Whether expertly interpreting the
American ideas of equality and
justice under the law, or giving impetus to legal education as a candid
counsellor, Justice Drew ever manifested a personal integrity that has
been an inspiration and challenge to
his peers and helped to preserve the
faith of the people in legal processes.
It surprised no one who knew him
that, when he retired from the court,
he was quickly chosen by Governor
Askew to be the chairman of
Florida's first ethics commission.
The Justice died as he lived,
reaching out a hand to help a fellow
traveller. Warm, kindly, understanding and sincere, but uncompromising
in matters of right and wrong, as a
professional colleague or a personal
friend, he greatly enriched the lives
of all who came within the broad
range of his influence. His diverse
interests—disdaining scholarly accomplishments, he once modestly
described himself as interested in
"fishing, hunting, cabinet making
and mechanical tinkering"—touched
upon many facets of life and
embellished all that he touched.
Everett Cushman
Professor of Law
COLLEGE OF LAW
BEGINS 79th YEAR
Stetson College of Law will begin
its 79th year of operation on August
18, with orientation, registration and
the addition of five new faculty
members. Dean Richard T. Dillon
announced the appointment to the
faculty of Howard L. Oleck, Alfred W.
Meyer, Robert Dale Bickel, J. Baird
Letter and Keith M. Casto.
Howard M. Oleck
Alfred W. Meyer
Professor Howard L. Oleck was distinguished professor of law and
served twice as dean of Cleveland
State University College of Law. He
has also been professor of law at
Wake Forest University and New
York Law School. He has been New
York State special attorney-general
and assistant to editor of New York
Law Journal. Professor Oleck has
been in general law practice in New
York City and a law columnist with
many newspapers. He has written a
number of journal articles and books
including Modern Corporation Law;
Non-Profit Corporation, Organiza-
