The herald., 1897-05-23
cor IN Docroa's DzcnnH
How an Americas woman surmount'
Cd Obstacles IN Germany

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I'd Obstacles in Germany
An American woman who has talxer
her Ph. D. It 0ottingen writes in pri.
i vats letter the following account Of hei
work In getting her doctress degree and
the festivities afterit:
THE cablegram told you that passed
the much-dreaded ordeal cum laude. Oi
course. you wish to know all about it
but the tale 10 80, long II can only be
given In broad lines. You remember
when I came to Gottingen two years &c
wrote you that the Junior professor in
German would not admit me to his
seminary or his lectures, but the head
of this department, dear old Professor
Heyne, told me not to attempt to concili-
ate him; that he would give me all the
work necessary to obtain my degree,
When the permission came from the cul-
tue minister at Berlin to be examined
the objector, although by myself and
powerless, thundered and roared both
publicly and privately, ana thus brought
the whole woman question to the front
again. The faculty, headed by Profess
sor Heyne, decided that the whole mat
ter must be kept from me. but, as is al
ways the case. 1t got to my ears and. OF
course, greatly increased my anxiety.
All the trouble and delay, added to the
effects of my hard work, almost caused
a physical collapse. but by force Of will
l managed to keep my nerves under, and
have come through In fairly good shape.
1 feel that have done my last pioneer
work in any cause 1t is too wearing on
both body and spirit Henceforth shall
leave such work to those who have the
philanthropic reformatory temperament
THE examination itself was about
what you would expect 1t to be--as test
of knowledgein in three different subjects
a farce If you are not known by your cx-
aminers. which is usually the case In
your Nebenfacher. The Germans are
very glad to get cum laude.' Person
ally, am satisfied, but for the cause
should have felt happier over magma
From my observation, / think I have
done much more work than the average
student, and without conceit can say
know something about my subjects in the
German sense of knowing.
When I returned to the waiting room
at the close of the examination e p. M }
I found 1t full of people Of both sexes,
with flowers and laurel wreathe Dur
AAS hy dOoCASC iIiy AouOiduy ldQ Auh6
my door with garlands Of evergreen and
arranged the flowers which had arrived
in the meantime on the table in the mid
ole Of the room. Then, chape-oned by
Mr.. and Mrs. -, l was taken to the
finest restaurant in the town for supper.
When 1 came to dinner at the pension
the next day 1 found my chair wound
around with greens by the servants, and
one after the other of the Tiechgesell-
schaft came to me with flowers, which
were put around my plate in such pro-
fusion that could hardly see over them.
The climax was reached when one of the
German Phi. DIS came in with laurel
wreath. tied with the colors Of the phil
osophical faculty, which he put on my
head. to the great glee of the rest. felt
bit Silly. but 1t made jolly time and
showed the good will Of all.
Il have been banqueted by the Amer
leans at the rooms of two of the lady
members of the colony. Besides all this.
a banquet was arranged for me at my
apartments entirely German. The menu
consisted Of al! kings Of butterbrod,
black, brown and white, 'belegt' with
every kind Of cheese, wurst and echin-
ken. with potato salad and eggs and
beer After these substantials. the long
table was removed and smaller one was
laden with punch bowl, wine glasses and
all sorts of bon-bons and cakes. A
speech was made in honor of the new
doctor. who responded as gracefully as
she was able. Student songs, a very
amusing mock examination, etc., fol-
lowed. In this company were my pri-
vate tutors. with their wives. and some
other German friends. s."-Nation.