Crowley, William F.

English

University of Montana

Montana Law Review Volume 50 Issue 2 Summer 1989 Article 1 July 1989 Professor David R. Mason William F. Crowley Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr  Part of the Law Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation William F. Crowley, Professor David R. Mason, 50 Mont. L. Rev. (1989). Available at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol50/iss2/1 This In Memoriam is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Law Review by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. IN MEMORIAMDavid R. Mason1901-1988Professor Emeritus David R. Mason, eighty-seven, died at his Mis-soula home December 24, 1988. His death ended a unique and outstand-ing career in Montana legal education and law reform.Professor Mason was a faculty member at the University of MontanaLaw School for forty-one years, from 1927 to 1968. During that time hetaught, on one occasion or another, every course offered in the lawschool's curriculum, and was, at the same time, continuously active inmovements to reform and modernize Montana law. In addition, he servedas a special assistant to the United States Attorney General, as ChiefTrial Attorney of the War Division of the United States Department ofJustice, and as a member of the board of the National Council of Human-ities by appointment of President Lyndon Johnson.David Mason's absences from the University of Montana Law Schoolwere always as brief as he could make them, although he received manyinvitations to move to larger institutions. During a visiting professorshipat New York University Law School, he was pressed to remain, becauseits Dean was certain that, working in such a large commercial center, Pro-fessor Mason would soon be recognized as a national authority on thethen newly-adopted Uniform Commercial Code. David Mason chose toreturn to the University of Montana.Although he taught a wide variety of courses, Professor Mason is bestremembered in Montana for his long identification with Civil Procedure.He was the principal architect of the Montana Rules of Civil and Appel-late Procedure and devised a system, still in constant use, for referringquestions of Montana law from the federal to the Montana courts to en-sure uniformity of interpretation.David Mason made an indelible impression on each of the more thanone thousand students who passed through his classes. He is the oneteacher every one of them remembers with a vividness that time hasnever diminished. His knowledge of his subjects was so broad and exact,his reasoning so clear and precise, and his teaching methods so crisp anddistinctive that for graduates of even fifty years ago, specific incidents inhis classroom are still fresh in memory. Students' reactions to his rigorousdemands for complete preparation and clarity of analysis ranged all theway from intimidation to exhilaration, but the final impression he left in1Crowley: Professor David R. MasonPublished by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 1989232 MONTANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 50their minds was always deep, lasting, and bright.Former students and other friends of Professor Mason have estab-lished two memorials, the David and Helen Mason Scholarship, to begiven annually to a promising law student, and the David Mason CivilProcedure Award for an outstanding student essay in the field of CivilProcedure.-William F. CrowleyEditors Note: The Montana Legal community also remains indebted toProfessor Mason for his service as Faculty Advisor to the Montana LawReview and his many contributions to legal scholarship published in thisReview. For a bibliography of Professor Mason's Montana Law Reviewarticles please see the Cumulative Index in this issue.2Montana Law Review, Vol. 50 [1989], Iss. 2, Art. 1https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mlr/vol50/iss2/1

Professor David R. Mason

University of Montana School of Law

Montana Law Review
Volume 50
Issue 2 Summer 1989 Article 1
July 1989
Professor David R. Mason
William F. Crowley
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr
Part of the Law Commons
This In Memoriam is brought to you for free and open access by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana
Law Review by an authorized editor of The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law.
Recommended Citation
William F. Crowley, Professor David R. Mason, 50 Mont. L. Rev. (1989).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol50/iss2/1
IN MEMORIAM
David R. Mason
1901-1988
Professor Emeritus David R. Mason, eighty-seven, died at his Mis-
soula home December 24, 1988. His death ended a unique and outstand-
ing career in Montana legal education and law reform.
Professor Mason was a faculty member at the University of Montana
Law School for forty-one years, from 1927 to 1968. During that time he
taught, on one occasion or another, every course offered in the law
school's curriculum, and was, at the same time, continuously active in
movements to reform and modernize Montana law. In addition, he served
as a special assistant to the United States Attorney General, as Chief
Trial Attorney of the War Division of the United States Department of
Justice, and as a member of the board of the National Council of Human-
ities by appointment of President Lyndon Johnson.
David Mason's absences from the University of Montana Law School
were always as brief as he could make them, although he received many
invitations to move to larger institutions. During a visiting professorship
at New York University Law School, he was pressed to remain, because
its Dean was certain that, working in such a large commercial center, Pro-
fessor Mason would soon be recognized as a national authority on the
then newly-adopted Uniform Commercial Code. David Mason chose to
return to the University of Montana.
Although he taught a wide variety of courses, Professor Mason is best
remembered in Montana for his long identification with Civil Procedure.
He was the principal architect of the Montana Rules of Civil and Appel-
late Procedure and devised a system, still in constant use, for referring
questions of Montana law from the federal to the Montana courts to en-
sure uniformity of interpretation.
David Mason made an indelible impression on each of the more than
one thousand students who passed through his classes. He is the one
teacher every one of them remembers with a vividness that time has
never diminished. His knowledge of his subjects was so broad and exact,
his reasoning so clear and precise, and his teaching methods so crisp and
distinctive that for graduates of even fifty years ago, specific incidents in
his classroom are still fresh in memory. Students' reactions to his rigorous
demands for complete preparation and clarity of analysis ranged all the
way from intimidation to exhilaration, but the final impression he left in
1
Crowley: Professor David R. Mason
Published by The Scholarly Forum @ Montana Law, 1989
232 MONTANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 50
their minds was always deep, lasting, and bright.
Former students and other friends of Professor Mason have estab-
lished two memorials, the David and Helen Mason Scholarship, to be
given annually to a promising law student, and the David Mason Civil
Procedure Award for an outstanding student essay in the field of Civil
Procedure.
-William F. Crowley
Editors Note: The Montana Legal community also remains indebted to
Professor Mason for his service as Faculty Advisor to the Montana Law
Review and his many contributions to legal scholarship published in this
Review. For a bibliography of Professor Mason's Montana Law Review
articles please see the Cumulative Index in this issue.
2
Montana Law Review, Vol. 50 [1989], Iss. 2, Art. 1
https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/mlr/vol50/iss2/1


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