It was a hot and dusty day in August, 1973 when 53 students filed into a large classroom in a temporary building in the parking lot "quarry" to kick off three interesting and sometimes controversial years of classes, studies, socializing and a few parties - it all ended May 16, 1976, when nearly all of us graduated with the first J.D. degrees awarded by the University of Hawaii Law School, later named the Richardson School of Law.

The entire experience was a mix of highs and lows!

So on these web pages, more than 50 years later, is my version of the story, with photos and document images.  I've retained nearly everything from July 1973 through September 2023. This documentation, updated as needed, is listed on the "Sources" webpage.

Thanks to those of my classmates who tolerated my idiosyncrasies.  More thanks to Allen Hoe and Frank Hayashida - we explained it all at the Kuhio Grill!

Bob Schmitt  (more about the author)

Frank Hayashida explains:

"Here's the real lowdown on how the class photo was composed and taken by the newspaper guy wandering around the amphitheater on that momentous day:

While all the graduates were milling around, I noticed the newspaper photographer looking lost with consternation, and being the busybody I was and am, I wandered to him and asked if he wanted to take a photo of all our classmates in a group photo. He said that's what he wanted to do, but it was like herding cats (my description) to get that rambunctious gathering together for one great photo. I then asked him where he would like the group to gather, and I'd do the gathering up. He pointed to the spot where the photo was taken, I guess where the lighting was best for a photo.

I walked up to Waihee and told him what the photographer wanted to do, then I think I asked Bob to join us in gathering up our classmates. I told you guys that we'd form the first row with me being in the middle and our classmate buddies who we were tight with (or who were amenable) to join us in the first row. Then I shouted to the rest of our classmates to start filling up the benches behind us to have a newspaper photo taken of the first class of the law school. Then, like a herd of sheep, the rest followed, starting with the most amenable to the most recalcitrant, you know, the "haole individualists and the loners" with the paranoid not joining the group for the photo.

And that, my friends, was the origin of the creation of the group photo of the greatest first class of the law school at the University of Hawaii."

Our class celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1973 opening of the University of Hawaii Law School on September 5, 2023.  The photo below shows 21 members of our class.

The photo below shows the 1974 Lawyer's League touch football champs. Eleven on this team were our class, now in our second year.  Number 17 was our quarter-back from the AG's office, the late Larry Zenker.  Number 68 is Mickey Esposito. It has little relevance to the story of "the beginning", but I've always liked it!

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January 30, 2024