Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-06-01
THE HERR PROFESSOR.


professor a rather curious character.
The qnaintness Of his appearance, his
absent mindedness, his mannerisms in
the lecture room, and hundred other
personal peculiarities are famous
throughout the fatherland.
The first thing about the German
professor to impress itself upon Ameri.
cans is his clothes. They don't fit
him. The tails Of his frock coat al
ways cross, and the collar is always
a couple of inches or more from his
neck. The front of the coat is gener-
ally big enough for two German pro-
fessors. The legs of his boots, which
he wears summer and winter, are too
large 10 let his trousers get in com.
munication with his feet In winter
the professor carries pudgy black
umbrella. and in summer a pudgy
white or blue one 10 protect him from
the sun. This umbrella is the German
professors trade mark. The coat of
the professors dress suit is usually so
big for him that il could be buttoned
around him twice.
Nevertheless the professor is not al
together careless in matters of dress.
He would sooner walk the streets in
his shirt sleeves than enter a drawing
room without having both hands COW
cred with gloves OF just the proper
shade, and he suspects of disrespect
the student who calls upon him in a
light coat or without gloves. To call
upon a professor in a light colored
bobtail coat is little short of an insult,
no matter at what time Of day the call
is made.
Although nearly every real German
professor is specialist of note and an
author of reputation, he is, in way,
tremendously v modest. He scurries
into the lecture room through the
smallest possible crack between the
doors, hurries To the desk without ap-
parently noticing the stamping of feet
with which the students greet him,
draws some old yellow leaves from a
little black leather sack, and with an
embarrassed duck of the head and
"Meine Herren," begins his lecture.
Anything unexpected confuses him.
If the students applaud one of the yell
low jokes from the yellow lecture
leaves harder than their fathers did,
the professor blushes, suffers, and
catches tight hold of the desk with
both hands. If in the private senIin-
airy student asks an unexpected ques-
ton, the professor gets into a bad way
at once and passes through all sorts OF
colors, temperatures, and contortions
before he can rally himself TO give the
adequate answer. In discussions he
is lamb like and tolerant till you press
him hard; then he loses his modesty,
temper and tolerance, and roars dis
approval of everything that his re-
searches don't prove 10 be true.
The German professor is polite and
sensitive. He never forgives any neg
lect of courtesy toward him on the
part Of student, and many student
who has been plucked in examination
knows this only too well. The pro-
fessor is neverso absent minded in the
street that he forgets to bow TO any
one of hundreds of students who have
called upon him. He recognizes
young Freshman Schmidt always,
and is hurt when Freshman Schmidt
does not recognize him. Freshman
Schmidt gets hurt later when he is
trying to become Herr Dr. Schmidt,
and the professor blocks his way with
questions that the great Bismarck him
self couldn't answer If, however
yodng Freshman Schmidt always lifts
his hat politely and ducks deep TO him,
the professor lifts his old fashioned
hat with old fashioned ceremony and
makes a mental note TO the fact that
young Schmidt deserves warm place
in his heart. This bowling on the
street, laughing at the time worn jokes
IN the lecture room, wearing proper
German coats and gloves of the right
shade while ealing, helps student
more toward getting high degree in
examinations than good many gal
Ions of midnight oil.
The German professor is not so ex-
clusively "a bookworm as is usually
supposed. He is well informed on
current events throughout the world.
He can surprise Americans with his
knowledge of Cleveland's part in
American politics and of the condition
OF the American navy. He can talk
more correctl Y and brilliantly of the
influence of Hamilton, jefferson, CAL
houn, Clay and Webster upon their
times than two-thirds of the well read
American men. He is equally at home
when English, French or Italian poll
tics is in question.
He is also, oftener than not, a Jolly
good fellow, anxious as any one for
his share Of wine, beer and cigars at
a dinner, and rarely averse TO hand
or two at skaL He does not think less
OF Herr Bummler, who comes 10 lect-
ures smelling Of beer and canister
tobacco, than Of Herr Schulze, who
smells only of his unwashed self.
In short, the average German pro-
lessor lsa punctilious, sensitive, liber-
al minded gentleman. with a rather
quaint exterior He il warm hearted
and thoughtful, as all Americans who
have studied at German universities
know. lie is simple and unaffected,
Notwithstanding his reputation for
learning lie is kind TO every student
who is kind TO him, and never misses
an opportunity 10 get back at stu
dent who has offended him His low
able and unique personality attracts
TO him large following of students
who buy all his books while bo lives
and mourn deeply when he dies
New yorl, Sun