The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-28
Communications.
A Glimpse of German Student Life.

A Glimpse of German Student Life.
Many months ago we printed a Montpelier
boys first impression of an ancient German
city. Following is a second letter giving
his impressions of German student life:
1fr. Editor will letter from the inside
OF German university be OF interest to
you? There are many interesting features
in these peculiarly German institutions.
They are so extensive and the life within
them is so active and varied that a volume
might be written and not lack for worthy
material. They have had a long period of
prosperity and show no signs of decadence.
The number of students increases the en-
thusiasm of the instructors in their cease
less labors does not wane. One becomes
impressed with the fact that the possibilities
of human knowledge are infuite and the
Germans, accustomed ever to drink deeply,
are Unsuitable when they quaf at the
Pierian spring.
Extreme thoroughness marks every de-
partment, Only men of frst-rate ability
are admitted to the corps Of instructors, and
only after years of labor and the most con-
vincng proof of success, does the instructor,
selected from many rivals become a
professor. Consequently the opportunities
for specialists are the best One becomes
dissatisfied with all work that is imperfect
Like the long drudgery of the thorough mu-
stefan, there is much slow and spirt-wasting
toll in dusty fields, where there is nothing
to stir the heart and little to stimulate the
brain; but "The best workman is the only
king" and work that is not directly prac-
tical is indispensable if one would be master.
The Leipzig University is just now most
noted for classics and philosophy. Professor
Ribbeck a name familiar to students Of
Latin the world over, is recognized as
one of three greatest living classical schol-
ars He is nearing seventy and his hearers
see with sorrow that he is physically failing.
He has stumpy, gray chin whsl1ers aud keen
eyes, which give his face an expression al
most of ferceness. He speaks forcibly but
without ostentation, sometimes becoming
impressively eloquent, always preserving
a tone of earnestness. He treats every stu
dent with courtesy. His familiar, everyday
manner seems like that of Socrates. He
does not disdain to come back over
his own footsteps to our level. DR..
Wemdt, the philosopher, another world
renowned, who has done so much in physo-
logical psychology, is small, apparently
consumptive man not much past fifty His
manner of speaking is quiet and earnest.
1t sounds peculiar at first to hear him handle
Plato, Kant, Spencer and all the rest so
irreverently. One feels the presence of
great mind and his sentences often have
the ring of eternal truth. Philosophy, in
this university, is not skeptical or peSsflas-
tic; on the contrary there is a hopefu 3ess
steady conviction that life is worth the
living, that is very wholesome in contrast
with the materialism and cynicSin in the
outside life. Not all of the $ peal1ers are
simple and natural. Some of the younger
doctors take great pains to be polished and
elegant. One professors words come tear
ing out of his mouth like noisy boys from
| school room; another RACES like maniac
hurls his syllables straight at your head
with gesture following, as though he would
nail each one firmly with one mighty blow
Nor are all the speakers interesting. Some
are incap lcitated by age, yet still give lee
lures; some though very wise, undoubtedly,
are failures as speakers. One must read
| their books. German professors are eter-
nally prosaic. One is often disappointed
when listening to great man eXpounding
Platos Symposium or Shakespeares Ham
lst or Goethe's Faust, that he never allows
his feelings to rise or let's his imagination
free, but clings doggedly to the hard facts
which he Sits and sorts and wnnows to
tie last mOlecule. The great success of the
Germans is surely due to their method.
'Fhe patient, eXhaustless care with which
Sley pass over the road, their relentless
precision and persistence are an illustration
] of hat II N ha SpipntiHp hon
scratcheth at a dust heap till she has ex-
tracted the last worm for the waiting chicks,
so the professor scratches for us, but he ex-
poets us to do the digesting and find the
poetry.
The students, with the exception of GER
tain classes, are hospitabe and patient
with our broken German. There are for
eigners of every variety. The self-styled
representative student, who is a MEM
Der of the ancient UereinS and preserves
past traditions in his manners and dress,
is indeed study. He leads great dog by
a string, wears iaunty cap, bright in the
coors of his club, and is otherwise dressed
"to the teeth" He is stout and burly, and
each added scar on his florid cheeks give
increased majesty to the lordly pose of his
head. In America he might pass for dude,
yet he differs materially from dude. He
eXcels physically in three marked particu-
lars In beer-drinking he is of all human
ity tdciie prinlus. His sword arm is very
nlRnly ueNelOpeu III muscle anu nerve, ana
he endures pain with stoical fortitude.
When, in the duel, the cold steel of his an
tagonist slashes cheek and jowl, and the
blood spurts from the swollen veins, he does
not vince. He talks elegantly of the code
of honor which constrans him to these
things. The law in all German states
plainly and fatty forbds dueling, yet as it
fosters the military spirit " the authorities
wink at it, and it is universal. | saw a man
one day who had been almost literally
scalped, the sword having cut the hair, skin
and all, from most of the forepart of his
head. The physician had carefully put it
back in place like so much sod. This valiant
student. victor or vanquished, drinks the
everlasting beer, even If he has to turn his
head sidewse to keep it from leaping
through a wound in the cheek. He looks
down upon the world and all its cares with
imperial scorn. He knows no other feeling
for the poor than contempt. Respect for
women is unknown to him. He despises
religion and every pure sentiment. Fat
and Sleek he treads his primrose path, OBJ
livious to the fact that he is blot on the
civilization Of the times Such is the re-
suit of dneling 1t brings some good, for
there are some REASONS WHY n man had hat-