New-York tribune., 1879-10-25
RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES.
THE OLD EDUCATION AND THE NEW.

TFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
BERLIN, Sept. 2.-The starting point Of the Rus-
sian student troubles is so graphically described
and with so much apparent truth traced OUT by
writer i'm the Dcuische Eaadschdu. that abridge-
ment Of his experiences and conclusions may pos
siby Ue of interest and value to American readers.
The author believes ne cannot more strlkngiy IL
lustrate the condition of affairs IN the Russian un-
versites Of the old regime than by short account
of the Impressions he personally received as as'udent
at the University of St. Petersburg the year of the
taking Of Sebastopol, the Autumn of lso5. The
circumstances, that induced him 10 enter the Uni
yersty were extremely characteristic OF the condl-
tons then existing, but fortunately now steadily
going to ruin. The University OF DOrpat, at which
German exclusively spoken. was compelled 10
require from the student an extent of knowledge OF
the Russian language which the author could not
show. In ST. Petersburg. where all lectures and ex-
amnatOns were in Russian, the knowledge of the
Russian language, on the contrary. was "A secondary
consideration. aud there was 40 difficulty N getting
through the examination for adnltt by the ard
Of passab fluent French. In respect 10 the phoog-
ical portion, this examination about on the
level of the third class OF ordinary German
school. Greek was not required Of the would-be
jurist and when he insisted on being examined IN
this language his knOweC ge of the first ten verses
of the Odyssey made so great an Impression upon
the examiner that he gave the fifth bail five was
the best mark as a matter Of course with regaru
to Latin, the ability TO translate a few sentences
from Cesar OF Livy lthe choice between these au-
thOrs was left to the STUDENT sufficient Only
the mathematical branches and examination IN
Russian history seemed 10 be seriously undertaken.
The latter was conducted by UstIjov. the Imperial
historian and panegyrist of the Car Nicholas. an
old gentleman universally hated for his arrogance
Of
Guiding Threads muss be literally recied. and
VINO, moreover. seemed specially Interested III OBJ
serving that the young men undergoing eXamiLa-
tion showed their respect for the person Of the ex-
aniner. who PrIvy Councillor while most of
The professors were only Councillors # state. by
reciting standing Rector P.etnev, who appeared
for a moment durug the examination, was vOuch-
safed special consideration by teachers or pupils
everyone knew that the aniable friend and exc
cutor Of the poet Puschin only there for FORMS
sake, and all power and decisive influence rested
with Alexander Ivauoyit-ch. the al powerful chief
inspector of the students and declared favor-e of
the Curator Muss n Puschkn. To his iufsence
and authority TIN, uttssly unoducated man. wlo
was moreover prone o. brutality on all cfsious.
owed the energy with winch he admins ered di,ci-
pine and force teachers aud pupils To appear ac-
coriing To etqaettc.' That this " accordance with
etiquette nust b. the principal condltl)no Of pros
porous deye o9nent of theAlma Mater aud her pupils
WAS so entirely beyond doubt. that Alexander Ivan
ov.t,cA thoucht be- could announce the ausp. s'ouS
result of the tur.e days examination for admission
ia no shorter or more ap?r pirate phraseology than
bv the classic formula Iuaa-hte seby5 fo.mu-
schIti Have a uniform made.
CHARACTERISTICS or IHG STUDENTS.
The company in which received these glad tld-
ings was 80 strangely composed II deserve, ispe Ial
II IL. b IA I..
Alexander lyanoyi,.ch end his assistants oicu-
lated the result # tho examination; the business
was done 50 mechanically that each examiner uuf
figure the so-cail.d BALI after tie name OF each
individual examined and from these figures thc
average was estImatrd-thrse nc least must be OBJ
tanned 10 get through. My companions were an
immensely tall Prince. adorned with dagger and
clad in q high Circissiau cap b1rie-cd WIKI lamb
skin and a red Armenian coat. who spoke Russian
sill worse than his ueigb'r. Jew rnagni itocntly
attired IN violet silk robe who possessed the adj
vantage Of being able 10 express himself with t)er-
able hu.ncy IN French. Both gentlemen intended /
10 devote themselves 20 tie study of the Oriental I
languages, n dld also the fourth member OF onr .
party. a youth with a German name, W ho, as he /
said really wished 10 study evangelical Theology.
bat had been unable to execute this design. lie /
was tue son Of an imperial kiicnen o;lclal. and As
such belonged 20 class to whom academic study l.
had been expressly forbidden by command of the /
Emperor Nchoils. At the Protestant Universities I
Of Doruat and lIe.sngfors. they had been pedant.c
and CONSCIENTIOUS enough 10 strictly observe Tails /
order aud in conformity VITA 10 to reject Herr 4
Y ar 81. Petersburg. Herr y. was mauicn- |
iated without difficulty, for tho reason that I
his two older brothers Lad already stu /
died. and that there was no cau.e 90 ireat own |
brothers differently Tie mairiculaton this time /
was conducted ina particularly formal manner, /
because it was to be combined with another acf, /
the introduction of the newly established faculty .
for the study of the Oriental languages. Before /
an assembly. in which the new teachers. at least /
one half Of whom belonged 90 the Mussulnan tlth /
and had been summoned from tie AsiSt-c tro' ier, /
played the principal part a German jew, Dr.. .
Chwol-ohn, was considered the most eminent /
scholar of the faculty. a chorus Of fat priests and
,acrlstans sang their Gospoli homiu, Kyrie eeison.
Then followed a speech. which began and ended
with the mention Of the imperial. noble, AID ars-
tocratc patrons of the favored university. ard
praver for the Imperial family Gnaliy all present,
including nv two neighb0rs. the MahOmetan Prince
aud the Jew from the laurie coast, were >prinsled
with holy water The day after the lectures began.
Alexander Ivanovitsch's timely bestowed coun-
sci had enabled the nOvices To- BE- IN possession
of the dress which was to symbolic academic fee
dom and eiflce the distinction between the Na-
horietan. Jewish aud COuriand subjects of Ills
Majesty.
TuF UTTER LACK or PArRrorT-Nr.
As entered for the tirsf time the long. dark cor-
ridor In " hch the students remained during the
intermssions. wls surprised at the sight Of TWO
feld-pieces with which several men VINO looked
ike subaltern officers were husylnZ Themselves.
4 comrade asked me II meant 70 take part IN the
Observation-Disclosures IN which il obligatory
only upon the older students. On inquiry learned
thar the late Emperor at his last visit 10 the Un-
rer.itv shortly after the ON break Of the war hid