The Penn's Grove record., 1886-01-23
THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPSIC
Interesting Groups of Young Men
who Gather Early--SoIdiers in
School.

Architecturaliy the university Of
Leipsic is by no means imposing. Some
of the buildings are very old, having
belonged originally to the Pauline con-
ven. Uid, qGaIIr frescoes, centuries
old, still appear upon the walls OF the
long, vaulted passage through which
one enters the street into the large
court around which the buildings are
situated. From this court entrance Is
gained to the many lecture rooms with
which the university is provided. One
standing in this court and taking a sur
vey of the surrounding buildings vii
be quite apt to have his attention taken
by a ROY of windows at the south end
of the court and far up from the pave
ment. These windows are furnished
with strong iron CRATES. There is the
students prison. The man who ma
wtffates in a German nnup .sy is
aca. liable chiefly to tpe ~ r
the, IT, must nave ule
means of enforcing its laws.
The scene that this large court pre-
sents during the intervals between the
lectures is often an interesting one.
Hundreds OF young men (some of them
not so young) throng the staIrways and
pous ont upon the rough stone pave
ment. One is munching a biscuit. he
has been up late perhaps. the previous
night and did not have time to get his
breakfast. Another is lighting a cigar
All have small black portfolios under
their arms. They gather In groups.
Here is a group with caps Of bright red.
There is another with white caps, and
yonder another with blue. They are
the ''corps Students" who stick with
the strongest fellowship TO each other
and have nothing to do with members
Of other corps, except To- and then al
exchange of swords cuts. But the corps
students are In the minority, and they
only serve here in the court to add a
dash of color to the dark mass made up
of others more soberly attired.
Here and there a soldier with his gay
uniform helps to brighten the picture.
For under the p~stArnal government OF
Kaiser Wilhelm. thoEgh every man
'uust 60 ais share of military service, 1t
is wisely arranged that he may often
serve in the army and attend lectures IN
the university at the same time. These
soldiers. with their swords at their side.
and portfolios under their arms. give a
hint at the true character OF German
life that is worth considering. 1t IS 8
curious sight also to see a soldier enter
the room of a lecturer upon theology,
hang up his cap and swgrd against the
wall, and sit braced up in his still uni
form, making notes OF a lecture upon
Genesis; notes that present to the eyt
an Overwhelming mass OF German and
Hebrew. .
A letter devoted to the Leipsic uni
yersity would be worse than incomplete
if nothing were said about the hour
devoted to the lecture. The lecture
rooms are by no means picturesque
They are furnished with plain benches
and desks, the board running along thu
back of one seat serving as a desk fol
the seat next behind it. There is every
thing necessary for work, nothing Iol
ornament-everything lat is necessary
except fresh Of. one advantage abou
the Lecture hour is that 1t is iortyafvt
minutes long. Fifteen minutes are a.
lowed for the students to get into thei
places and for the professors TO ge
from one room to another. Before tn
fifteen minutes are over every n Is II
his place, or, at least, is expected to b'
there, The late conner, who dlsturb'
the quiet by entering the oom amlnut'
after the lecture has begun, is greeted
with a shutting of the feet and misses.
A glance around the room at any o
these lectures will reveal the fact tina
amonR the 100 or 200 present othe
lands are represented besides Germany
There are a few Englishman. more
Americans, here aud there a Russian
or a Swede, and a few Japanese. No
lsnQ ago one of these yellow-skinne(
orientals, who had taken notes OF TIN
lecture in German, was seen reading
and translating his notes IN Engllsl
for the benefit Of an American who ha'
been SO unfortunate as not to understant
the lecture. Aud yet the Japanese mr.
barbariansl :
And now the portfolios are opened
the note books spread out upon the
desks. the little ink-stands taken out o
the pockets and everything is in readi
ness, At the proper second the pro
lessor walks into the 70 takes hi
place upon the platform and, withou
waiting to get his breath, says: "Msin'
herren," and the lecture is begun. HI
speaks for a short time perhaps rcpidly
then takes his notes and begins to reaC
sentence after sentence slowly, for M
audience to copy in their notes. ID
forgets himself and rea Is faster thar
the students can write. Instantly hi
voice is drowned by a loud shutting O
the feet, mingled with Kisses. The
students mean no d~lscourtesy. 1t is
only the customary way of intimstinG