The sun., 1881-04-24


limited fields, Tho rector oil 'he beFlh oni-
,.rsity laid his finger on announcer "u"N poihl III
,be English system when ne hweN upon inc
orootly inadequate provision lor tho enoow-
rsnt OF scientific research lie showed no"
,,ry little hal boen done Tor science ny the
snormous sums Iavlshed on the support Oh
more than a thousand ieIlowships; TINS sun
;st has becn earnestly discussed IN England
durlng tho past Jew years ana 'here Is Ii''Ic
doubt that the next step IN university REFORM
ril be such measure oi interference WIN the
college revenues no" ABSORBED lor the most
mart by idle men. that persistent anu irnitlul
work in some branch oil science OF eruuit'on
shall be essential 10 tho tenure Oh fellowship.
Prof Helmholz woulu hot uehy tha' oSloro
and Cambridge IiKo Lion anu marrow uo W
least produce gentlemon. thouRh IL IS plaln
enough. from his dry. cursory aIlusion TO THIS
claim. that ho is lar from thinking the game
worth the powder. only In TWO respects does
hsthnk 1t worth while to Initiate them. They
develop. he thinks. In q high degree. sense OF
delcacy and precision in writing which shows
nseli in the way in which they handle their
mother tongue. He intimates that one OF the
weakest sides in the education OF German
youth lies in this direction. Prof. Hemholz can
,oa also that the English universities. like tho
health Of their students. As for tho moral effect
Of the more rigorous control exercised at Ok
ford and Cambridge those who can speak from
s.perience will concur with the lecturer in pro-
nouncing it rather illusory.
While the English universities have changed
last the French universities have diyerged
most widely from the me di;eyal ype The French
faculties have become purely institutes for in
struction-special schools with definite regula-
tons for the course OF tuition quite distinct
from those institutions which are to further tho
proeress OF science Outside the lecture rooms
where attendance is purely voluntary. the
French students live without any pretence OF
CONTROL and associate with young men OF other
callings. thus failing to develop any special
,,prit d,. corps or common feeling. Prof
Helmholz would place the German universities
about midway between the two extreu1es.
Owing to their poverty they have been con-
strained to seek the help OF the State.
and have had In consequence to endure
many encroachments upon their ancient rights.
They have saved. however. far greater nu-
eeus OF their internal freedom than has been
preserved by an analogous institutions in
France OUTSIDE OF the lecture rooms there Is
no ofncial controi over the proceedings
Of the students 30 long as they do not
come III colllsion Will the kuaruidhS VI
public order. German students. however have
retained an exceptionally vivid sense oil corpo-
rate union. and or what is intimately
connected Herewith. q requirement OF hon.
orable behavior in the individual. Thus both
the university regarded as II legal corporation
and the whole mass OF students regarded as a
distinct caste are self-Roverning bodies. The
one defines the scope and processes OF the edu-
cation offered. with only a moderate degree OF
interference on the part Of tho State. and the
other regulates. by a code OF its own. social in
tetcourse and private conduct. The university
Is treated by the Government with the defer
ence due to an estate OF the realm. and the uni
versty authorities. instead OF aiming. after the
English custom. to keep undergraduates In a
state OF pupilaGe. treat them like full grown
men.
We NAV note one other point in which Ger
man ara distinguished from French and Eng
lish universities. In France and England
snscal weight ia laid on what ia called the talent
for teaching; that is the mower of explainine
the subiscts of instruction in n wsll-arranosd
and lucid manner In pari. indead an slo-
ousnt lecturer ia in snecial reouest. German
uniyersities on the other hand nav ,ittle attain
ton to the virtues OF a pedasorue-those thsy
leave to the intermediate schools and the GYM
nasium-much less do thew run after the praces
othaying instruction given ~ nossihls only nv