Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-04-05

THE HERR PROFESSOR.

THE HERR PROFESSOR.
He Is an Aminble Gentleman, Modest.
Sensitive and A bominubly Dressed.
Even Germans consider the German
professor rather curious character.
The quaintncss of his appearance. his
absent mintedness. his inannlerislns in
the lecture roorl, and II hundred other
personal peculiarities are famous
throughout the fatherland.
The first thing about the German
professor to impress itself upon .Anlcri-
cans is his clothes. They don't lit
linn. The tails of his frock coat al
ways cross. and the collar is always
couple of inches or more from his
neck. The front Of the coat is gener-
ally big enough for two German pro
eressoIs.. Tie legs OF his boots, which
heswears summer and winter. are too
large to let his trousers get in COM
snunicaton with his feet nrwirter
the professor carries pudgy black
umbrella, and in, summer. pudgy
s white or blue one TO protect him from
sstlle sun. Tllis umbrella the German
:pro lessons trade mark The coat OF
sstl1e pro- t.lsua lla SO "
big. forsllint liat itscoill tsbe% Hnt totied
al'ound. him twice.
Nevertheless the professor is not al
together careless III matters Of dress.
He would sooner walk the streets in
his shirt sleeves than enter drawing
room without having both hands COW
cred with gloves OF just the proper
sladc. and he suspects OF disrespect
the student who calls upon him in a
light coat or without gloves. To call
upon II professor in a light colored
boLtal 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 Il specialist of note and an
author Of reputation, lie is, i'll 4 way,
tremendously modest. He scurries
into the lecture room through the
smallest possible crack between the
doors, lurrics TO the desk without az
palcmtIy noticing the stamping OF fest
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 anl3
Meme Hcrrcl," 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 bushes, shutters, and
CATCHES tight hold of the desk with
both hands. II in tho private semin-
AIRY a@tutlcnt asks ali unexpected ques-
ton, tlle professor gets into Il bad way
at once end 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 TO be true.
The German professor is polite and
sensitive He never forgives any neg
lect of courtesy toward him on the
part of Il student. and many student
who has been plucked in examination
knows this only too well. The pro
lessor is never SO absent minded in the
street that he forgets to bow 10 any
one of hundreds Of students who have
called upon him. He recognizes
young Freshman Schmidt always.
.and-issaurt when FIRES hman7 Schmidt
does not recognize him. Freshman
Schmidt gets hurt later when he is
trying to become Herr Dr. Schmidt,
and tie professor blocks his way with
questions that the great Bismarck him
self couldn't answer. If, however,
Young 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 mental note to the fact that
young Schmidt deserves warm place
in his heart. This bowling Gil the
street, laughing at the time worn jokes
in the lecture room, wearing proper
German coats and gloves OF the right
shade while calling, helps student
more toward getting a high degree in
examinations than good many gal
Ions of midnight oil.
Tie German professor is not so ex-
clusivcly boolsworm as is usually
supposed. He is well informed on
current events throughout the world.
He can surprise Americans with his
knowledge of Cievcland's part III
American politics and of tile condition
OF the American navy. lie can talk
more correctly and brilliantly Of the
influence of Hamilton. jefferson, Cal
houn. Clay and Webster upon their
times than lwo-Lhirds 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
lis Share of VINE, beer and cigars at
a dinner. and rarely averse l";l hand
Oh two &, skat. EIc does NOT tllnk less
of Herr Bummlcr, who comes 10 lect-
ures smelling of beer and canister
touacco. than of Herr Schulze, who
smells only Of lis unwaslled self.
In short, the average German pro-
fessor is punctilious, sensitive. liUer-
al minded gentleman with rather
quaint exterior. He is warm hearted
:.nd thoughtful. as all Americans who
have STUDIED at German universities
know. lie is simple and Unaffected,
Notwithstanding his reputation for
learning. He is kind to every student
who is Kind to him. and never misses
an opportunity to get back at 4 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 he. lives
and mourn deeply when he dies
Few York Sun.