The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-28

Although we are familiar with me names
of many distinguished Russian scientists
and men of learning, very little Is known IN
This country about the scale and aim OF
the arrangements for promoting the higher
education in the Cars dOminOns. We
have read, therefore, with unusual interest
an article on the subject IN the last NUMBER
of the Scottish Review by contributor VINO
has attended lectures in the university OF
KieY, and who has consequently ODlalheo
his information at nrst mana.
TIE Russian university system is OF COM
paratiyely recent date, the first experiment
i'm this direction having been made less
than a century and nalf ago. There are
now. however. eight universities IN the
Russian Empilp, exclusive Of D0rpat IN the
Baltic provinces, and HelslngiOrs IN Fin
land. Dorpal, which IS just now passing
through a crisis of change, has always
hitherto been more German than Rus
sian. It's 1892 students IN 1888 lnclu-
ded l.179 Protestants, mostly OF Ger
man descent, $50 Jews, and only %
orthodox Russians. The eight Rus
sian universities, named IN the order Of
their foundation, are Moscow, hazan,
Charyoy, st. Petersburg, Kiey, Odessa,
Warsaw and Tomsk. All Of these are en-
dowed by the state, and have TO great eX-
tent been organized AFTER the dermaD
system. At the head OF each university
stands a rector, who holds the place Tor four
wears. and Is eligible for reappOntment.
Tine rector is assisted by board composed
of the deans of the four faculties, an in
spectOr, and an official 10 look after the
domestic economy. What is called the
Council of the University consists Of the
professors under the presidency OF the rec
tor. Upon this body dey0lyes the duty Of
selecting names 10 be submitted to the
curator, or provincial supervisor of educa-
ton, and TO the Minister of Public Instuc-
ton for appointments TO vacant posts Of
READERS" and professors, as well as canqi-
dates for honorary degrees. All scientific
societies connected with the university also
come under the control Of the council.
The faculties in the Russian universities
were originally only three, but are now four,
namely, law, medicine, philosophy, physics
and mathematics. The University OF ST.
Petersburg has a faculty Of Eastern Ian
guages, but none of medicine. There are
fye distinct classes Of teachers, namely, the
emeritus professor, the ordinary or full
professor, the extraordinary professor, the
decent and the lectOr or reader, A profess
sor keeps his appointment for a term of
twenty-five years, after which he may be re-
appointed for five years more. At the close
OF thirty years service he must retire from
the regular staff, but may retain the title Of
emeritus professor, and may deliver lectures
for one or two additional periods OF i've
years. The incomes of Russian professors
vary widely. The ordinary and extraordi-
nary professors are paid three and two
thousand rOubles respectively, but they re-
ceiye IN addition fees, which constitute the
variable element The rector gets fifteen
hundred roubles extra, and the dean Of each
faculty six hundred. The h0norarium of a
decent varies still more, being mainly de.
pendent on the bounty OF the Minister of
Public Instruction. The docents are the
class rom which professors are chosen.
The five chief universities employ about
three hundred and nifty professors Of both
grades and two hundred and ten dOcents,
with some twenty lectors. In Russia, as in
Germany, the rivalry between professor and
decent 10 generally wholesome. Ii keeps the
former from relaxing his exertions, while II
stimulates the latter to incessant activity.