Seeing the post about LaSalle the diploma mill reminded me of La Salle Extension University. They were founded in 1908 and were based in Chicago and offered business degrees and a law degree (by correspondence). If you click on the Wiki link, there are a number of prominent graduates of the law school who went on to become prominent politicians and successful lawyers (including trail blazing African American attorneys). http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Salle_Extension_University Kind of an interesting and valuable part of American history. Provided an opportunity to people (long ago) to earn a law degree by distance learning.
Totally legitimate . . . and one of the last American purveyors of the LL.B. (Bachelor of Law) degree.
. . . and Stephen Barrett, MD, founder-operator of the generally reliable and valuable site, www.quackwatch.org
A couple of articles called the school the forerunner to the University of Phoenix and other for profits. Apparently, very financially successful at its peak (in today's dollars). If you Google images, there are wonderful matchbook covers and early advertisements. One encouraging people who wanted to be socialist attorneys (pre WWII).
Good find, Garp. I wasn't aware till reading this good article (goo.gl/VS9ya) that they had apparently successfully sued National Home Study Council (earlier name of DEAC), but eventually the FTC leaned on them so heavily, they folded. "Are you the ten pin or the ball?" asks one of their classic ads. --John Bear (hopefully the ball)
I think the La Salle "most versatile student ever" award should go to Barry Melton - rock guitarist extraordinaire and criminal defense lawyer. Barry "The Fish" Melton is lead guitarist on all Country Joe (McDonald) and the Fish recordings and wrote songs for the group. I enjoyed them plenty, back in the 60s and the years that followed. Mr. Melton is still musically active and has gigs in several countries to his credit, including Italy, Russia and Thailand. In 1977, he enrolled in La Salle's law program and finished his JD at Ocean University, another correspondence school, passing the Bar Exam in 1982. He's had quite a distinguished, high-profile legal career, as you can see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Melton J.
