Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-09-28
VENERABLE HEIDELBERG
Tho Earliest Days of a Seat of Learning
Established in 1885.

Established in 1885.
Although no stately buildings, even
in ruin, exist to speak to us from those
early years of lIcidclberg's rising glory
there happily remains one monument
still enjoying iull vigor, and cclcbrat'
ing this present summer OF 1885, tb'
five hundrcdth anniversary of its toun
datiou by Conrad's descendant the
Count Palatine Ruprecht 1. This is
the university, hoary, but gifted with
eternal youth, Hardly black enough
could DO painted the picture OF the
moral and mental needs of the time, in
all western Europe, preceding the
birth of the first universities, ot which
that of Heidelberg was among the ear
lest. Ruprecht's long life
had been filled with futile wars ana
conflicts, but the old warrior easily
foresaw the advantages his land would
doriye from this more enduring work,
and although he wrote with marked
humility: II understand only my
mother tongue; am untaught and ig-
norant of all learning still he did his
utmost to make prosperous his infant
university. He gave strict command
that no violence should be done the
students in travelling to and from Hell
delberr, great boon in those lawlcSs
DAYS. Besides, he made the institu-
ton absolutely free to pass iudg-
mcnt upon and punish its own mem
bers, and declared it to DO in no way
subject to civil authority, a right
which German universities have, TO Il
great extent, preserved to the present
day. A rich dowry in lands AMI other
sources of income was given to the
university. The university had four
faculties, which conferred the different
degrees of bachelor, master and liccn-
tiate. and on October Is, 1886, 1t was
solemnly opened with mass attended
by all the stu Tents. The first rector
was MarSilius Won lnghcn from farIs'
where Ruprecht had found the pattern
for all that had c)ncornod his new
institution, even to the fashion OF dress
} TO be worn BY the professors. The
very hours were fixed when the learned
men called from affair shoald hold forth
but they were forbidden to fill up the
whole time with SIMPLIFYING dictatlon,
some chance being thus wisely afforded
for the breath of frc3 academic lie.
; While inheriting developed organ
ilation like that of the church, as well
rs its affection for ranks and degrees
far greater simplicity and linn tations
: ruled in the university in all that con-
: ,crned material needs. The professors
were satisfied with from one to eight
groschen (about 2l-20 cents) for each
: course of lectures, according to Its
} length, and the Inspirations paid three
! yulden $3.50 annually, u sufficiently
0 arge sum for those days, Fifty gul
; len year ($25.00 was Il tni
: salary. bnt for travelling three months
: in Italy on university business a protcs
I sor received only an additional thirty
T nine gulden ($l9.50), a modest sum IN
9 deed, according to our modern ideas
: even on the bass that money hat
9 twenty times IFS present value 70
l. the prosperity of the institution
L library was most essential, But while
+, in our dav, o private man way have
" thousands of books, Il priceless store
II house of knowle lge, in Kuprocht 3 tim
y library ofsixty volumes was considcrv
'e very large, in fact, well-nigh incxhaus'
s. IDLE. As, before the invention o
printing, the store of learning wa
confined to rare and pcrishablc manu-
scripts, on each of which small To-
tune was expended, Ruprecht felt tn
lt Importance Of protecting dealers /
manuscripts, paper and parchment
m and so he granted them the same priv
q leges that he had given to the universe
~ itself. How strange contrast to h
% course in these matters, and how viz
'st picture of those wild days, was Il
nd position taken by this Prince with I
of gard to the robberics then prevalent
a the highway! In these he share
a. openly, for he kept active two FORTH
u, robbers nests, not far from Speier,
l ne on the great road to Worms, and,
- .; the merchants passing to and from t
"a Ti far East, with costly wares, neared
I'll I'll forest, they were fallen upon and the
III goods seized to replenish the Prince
eu treasury.-C Century MGGazins