A Touch of Humor
Capturing the lighter side of the law in these pages
Humor was a hot topic at a conference for magazine editors I attended recently.
The better alumni publications all use the occasional light touch to brighten
their pages and leaven their mix of news and hard reporting. That got me to
thinking: Is there a lighter side of the law that you experience in life and
in practice? And how might we capture that lighter side in BC Law Magazine?
Years ago when I edited a general interest magazine in Rhode Island, we published
fun facts and quirky details about the state’s many idiosyncrasies. They
were illustrated line drawings that ran in the margins on occasional pages throughout
each issue. These tiny surprises were a big hit with readers, who happily hunted
them down and turned the magazine sideways to read them.
So, here’s the idea for BC Law. I’d like you to send me
things about the law that tickle your fancy: favorite jokes, cartoons, puzzles,
anecdotes, whatever. And keep the witticisms coming as you run across new ones.
If there’s enough material, I’ll find ways to incorporate it into
the editorial mix. Join the fun and share a laugh with your colleagues by sending
submissions to BC Law Magazine, 885 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02459
or emailing them to sandervi@bc.edu.
Humor is certainly one of the qualities that recommends the cover story, Michael
O’Donnell’s account of his year in the trenches as editor in chief
of the Boston College Third World Law Journal (see
feature story). His laughter is contagious. You have only to look at Mark
Steele’s illustrations to see that. On a more serious note, this issue
asks what it means to be a Catholic law school. For answers we talked to numerous
students, administrators, faculty, and alumni. What emerged from the inquiry
may surprise you (see
feature story). Alumnus Daniel Ain’s accompanying essay on how his
experiences at BC Law inspired him to become a rabbi opens another window on
the issue.
In a different vein, we sent writer Jeri Zeder back to school, in a manner of
speaking. She shadowed eight law students during a two-semester course on how
to teach, led by Professor Zygmunt Plater. The students studied pedagogy then
applied their skills by team-teaching environmental law classes to BC undergraduates.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be on the other side of
the lectern in a classroom, Zeder’s
story tells all.
And finally, a goodbye. This issue is the last for Alfred A. Blum Jr., who,
as director of institutional advancement, has been a champion of this magazine.
Under his watch, BC Law Magazine has broadened its editorial content,
been redesigned, and become a prize-winning publication. An astute editor and
a great idea man, he will be sorely missed.
No joke.