In memoriam: Ralph ScaneAs soon as you entered a classroom in which he was teaching, you knew that he loved it – he loved teaching, he loved law, he loved the classroom as a stage, and he loved his students. Of course, Professor Scane’s vast and expert knowledge of his subject always came through in his teaching, but one of the best things about his class was his ability to let himself and his warmth reflect through the legal principles he taught. 

In thinking about Professor Scane this week, I came across an interview he did with the UofT law school magazine.  In it he described teaching as “hard work, there’s a lot of preparation, but when I’m in the classroom, that’s not work.  It’s joy.”  I love that quote – and I know that he did find joy in the classroom, but it also brings to mind his exceptional level of preparation for each and every class he taught. 

Just about everyone I know who took a course at UofT Law with Professor Scane has wonderful memories of his extraordinary teaching, and many responded to news of his death with what might be his most famous Scane-ism: “This is a problem best viewed through the bottom of an empty scotch glass.” 

-- Excerpt from his eulogy by Nini Jones, Class of 1999

A fund has been created at the Faculty of Law in Professor Ralph Scane’s memory.  If you would like to make a contribution, please contact the Advancement Office at alumni.law@utoronto.ca.