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Welcome Message from the President
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Goodbye and Good Luck
By the middle of November, my situation at Potomac was no longer tenable. The faculty was demanding my removal. The students were of a similar mind. None of Irwin Shirwin’s big money people had come forward with any money. While I had completed the drafting of a seventeen page feasibility study, there was still no sign of a faculty self study. Getting the ABA even to come in and inspect did not seem likely until well into 1980 if then.
The Board of Directors gathered at the school on Sunday, November 18, 1979. I read the following statement:
“Effective immediately, I hereby resign as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Potomac School of Law.
I have also been authorized to and I do herewith, submit the resignations as members of the Board of Directors of Justice James L. Ryan and Mr. Louis A. Smith, and the resignation of Mr. William E. Schoettle as acting controller of Potomac School of Law.
I would like to offer a brief statement of the reasons which have compelled this action.
Potomac School of Law is an insolvent, unaccredited law school. Its enrollment has declined. It is in serious trouble.
I came here to help. I have served without compensation and without reimbursement of the very considerable expenses incurred by me and my staff.
I offered the one thing I felt competent to offer – the one thing I thought Potomac needed the most – hardheaded, realistic, decisive leadership.
I said that I thought that Potomac could be saved and that it could be accredited, but that it would take time, hard work, and the cooperation of the Board, the faculty and the students.
That cooperation has not been forthcoming.
Focusing on their own self interest, the upperclass students have insisted on quick remedies and the faculty has insisted on painless remedies.
This law school was started five years ago by a man named William D. Hurley, for purposes which Hurley himself never made clear.
In those five years more than 600 students have paid over three million dollars in the hope and expectation of graduating from an accredited law school.
In that time, faculty, students, and board members have permitted themselves to believe that ABA accreditation could be bought quickly, if enough money or credit could be found.
The have believed, because they wanted to believe, every rumor about wealthy patrons and sponsors, government give-away programs, and legal gimmickery.
They refuse to accept the truth about Potomac; that it has become an educational chain letter, offering images and illusions until each new wave of hapless victims is forced to participate in the scheme.
I hope for all of your sakes that my assessment of the situation is wrong.
There are many trusting, well-meaning people around this table and around this school. I have meant no harm or hurt to anyone. What I have done here was done for the common good as I perceived it to be. If my actions, my manner or my presence here have caused pain to anyone, I am sorry.
To my friends and supporters, I say thank you.
To my opponents, I say congratulations and good luck.
And to all of you, I say goodbye.
I left the meeting and went upstairs to my room in the Watergate Hotel. Student board member Dennis Mark came with me. We weren’t in the room for ten minutes when a knock came on the door. I opened it to confront a smiling contingent of Irish board members; Judge Tim Murphy, Eugene Foley, Marilyn Lowney and Alice O’Donnell. They had just resigned from the Potomac Board. I invited them in for a drink.
About forty-five minutes later, another knock on the door announced the arrival of Bob Schmidt. He too, had quit the board. We all cheered. In all, a majority of the board was in my room. Perhaps we could have controlled the destiny of Potomac, but without the support of faculty and students, it would have been more than any of us were willing to do.
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This Page was last updated on:
07/21/2006