I'll never forget the year I lived in Crothers Hall -- the law dorm at Stanford. The vast majority of us first-year law students lived there, and a few second- and third-year law students did too. It was the place where we all went through the many phases that first-year law students do. The intensity of the year was such that I'm sure most alumni have dozens of stories to tell about their times as a Crothers resident. Heck, I've probably got one for every day I dwelled there. The interpersonal bonds forged under that roof are good for life.

"Well, the time slips away, and it leaves you with nothin', Mister, but boring stories of glory days." I won't go into the Tales of Crothers '75-'76 right now, but I've got them on my mind after reading this story about Stanford's plans to build a new law dorm, and turn Crothers over to the undergrads.

It seems a wealthy donor is pushing the school to build some huge six-story buildings that would house 100 more students than attend the whole law school. With many second- and third-year students probably preferring to live off campus (at least, they did in our day), that would leave a housing complex that was only one quarter to one third law students, and two thirds to three quarters... well... normal people.

It doesn't add up. Part of the beauty of Crothers was its isolated nature. The 1Ls got to live the lives of 1Ls in all their exquisite angst and nerdiness. We grew up, and learned, a lot. Injecting a bunch of other sorts into the mix would, it seems to me, defeat the purpose.