The sun., 1880-08-01
The Alleged Decay Of German Uni
versities.

That the Capitalization OF Germany would
materially affect its university system
might, no doubt, have been predicted, but the
change seems to have been remarkably
swift and profound. The great majority OF
those provincial seats Of learning which
have in times past reflected so much honor
on the fatherland are undergoing, 1t Is said,
a process OF rapid decadence, to the profit OF
three or four officially favored institutions,
such as Leipzig and Bonn, and particularly
Berlin. The fact OF this decline and its causes
are set forth in the pages Of Macmillan by
an English scholar, Mr.. A. T. s. GOODRICH,
who has for some years resided as q student
at one OF the minor universities.
A number of agencies have cooperated in
impairing the independence, the dignity,
and the usefulness OF a dozen institutions
which were once the objects Of local encour-
agement and pride. and among whose names
those of Heidelberg, Gottingon, Halle,
Jena, and Tdbingon are most familiar. In
the first place. the academic jurisdiction
formerly exercised over students by the
university courts for offences committed
within the town, a jurisdiction correspond
ing to that vested in the Vice -Chancellor's
Court at Oxford, was last year abrogated
by Government authority. The result was
an immediate diminuton by one-fifth OF
the total number OF students in one
OF those universities affected by the
ordinance, and from all OF them many
migrations took place to seminaries
still possessed OF university jurisdiction,
among which. by an astute stroke Of official
favor, Berlin is included. Another thing
which deters the student from matriculat-
!nS at institutions located In the smaller
provincial towns, Is the uncertainty whether
a regiment will be stationed there during
their years OF study 1t Is found extremely
advantageous to reckon the time Of COM
pulsory service In the army in the univer-
sity course, and an astonishing falling off In
the attendance Of students took place last
year at Heidelberg. owing mainly to the
fact that the Government had neglected to
place any troops in garrison at that point.
1t appears. however, that another specific
reason may be given for the exceptional de-
cay OF Heidelberg, and that is the habit of
extravagant expenditure introduced by Eng
lish and American students, who are par
tlcularly fond OF that institution. Their
presence and the scale OF living established
by them have led to general exodus on the
part OF the needy and hard working men
who constituted the typical German under
graduate of thirty years ago.
All other objections, however, to the pro-
vincial universities seem Insignificant COM
pared with the relatively meagre and per-
functory tuition which there is a growing
tendency to furnish at these places. Al
though the cost OF living in Germany has
probably trebled within quarter OF a CEN
tury, there has been no increase whatever
in the stipend OF teachers at some OF the
minor seats OF learning. Mr.. Coop
RICK cites the case OF professor,
whose reputation In one branch OF
study Is European, whom he found
living with his family on something
under 5000 a year. He mentions another
teacher Of distinction who was both professor
OF fine art and archaeology and curator of a
university museum, O man who has lee
tured ably for a score Of years, yet who is
at the present moment In receipt OF only
S225 year from all academic sources The
deplorably straltened circumstances OF
these men were accounted for upon the
ground that they had written nothing"
as II a professors duty were to write rather
than to teach. That even this explanation
was inadequate, Is shown by another exam
pie, that, namely, OF a professor who is also
prolific author, and who assured Mr.
GooDRICR that his present salary, $3.50
year, would be so much increased by writ
ing rs to enable him to marry. "And
what" 1t was asked, twill the whole amount
ber Possibly $780," was the reply To
earn this sum, plainly insufficient for the
maintenance OF a family, even In the cheap
est provincial town, a man OF first-rate
parts and wide reputation was working, we
are told, In way certain to permanently
injure his health. When such Is the posi-
tion OF regular professor, untitled to a seat
In the governing body OF his university we
are not surprised to learn that the privat
docenteH or private teachers can hardly
manage to live at all without drawing on
outside resources. 1t follows that by two