Attorneys Francis L. White (left) and Aimee Forsberg (center) of the law firm of Theodore J. Forsberg, present a check for $161,000 to John Marshall Law School Dean Robert Gilbert Johnston (right). The gift, proceeds from the sale of property owned by Carl Carlson, a 1933 graduate of John Marshall, was one of seven payments to the law school from the Carlson estate. Carlson bequeathed more than $450,000 to John Marshall as a thank you for those who made his education during the Depression possible with only his signature on a promissory note.

In the height of the Depression, Carl Carlson believed in a better future through the law, but his dream seemed impossible. The son of Swedish immigrants, Carlson knew there was no way he could pay for a legal education.

Recognizing his strong desire and initiative, Dean Edward T. Lee of The John Marshall Law School offered Carlson the opportunity to study the law, asking only for Carlson's signature on a promissory note.

Carlson, who graduated in 1933, never forgot Lee's concern and generosity. He not only repaid his tuition, but also left a portion of his estate to The John Marshall Law School. With the April presentation of a $161,000 check, the law school has received seven installments from the Carlson estate the past 10 years totaling $467,000.

From 1935 to 1958, Carlson was a claim attorney for Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, today known as Amoco Corp. He lived modestly at the Central YMCA and invested in the stock market. Carlson never married, but he did buy a 40-acre farm in Wauconda. For years, he spent his weekends on the farm clearing away the gnarled trees and overgrowth.

"It was a beautiful site. The house was on an incline that looked out over an apple farm. The view was outstanding," says Theodore J. Forsberg of Barrington, a 1967 graduate of John Marshall whose father, Theodore L. Forsberg, a 1937 graduate of John Marshall, had befriended Carlson.

The last gift from the Carlson estate to John Marshall was the proceeds from the sale of that property to the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

"It is an important piece of property for us. Part of this will link the West Loop Trail and Greenway," said Andy Kimmel, a spokesman for the forest preserve district. "A portion will be for (extending) the length of the trail that will be connecting Lakewood Forest and the new Singing Hills Forest Preserve" designed for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, running, equestrian paths and a host of outdoor activities. The forest preserve district will also be restoring some woodlands and wetlands on the property.

A marker on the site will remind visitors of the vitality and strong work ethic of Carl Carlson who died in 1987.