Barre evening enterprise. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-1898, 1898-05-18
GERMAN PROFESSORS.
They Arc Very Learned, but They Are
Also Very Human.


Also Very Human.
The fact that the German professors
as a rule do not pay much attention to
their personal appearance does not by
any means indicate that they are in
sensible to their high social position.
Indeed, one of their marked characteris-
tics, which they share with their coun.
trymen of all grades, is their keen sense
of rank and station. Appointments to
university positions are eagerly sought,
and to obtain them often involves "a hard
struggle and years of tedious waiting.
When a man has worked his way uE
gradually through the various grades of
doctor, lehrer, oberlohror, privat do
cent, Observation-Disclosures professor, or.
dentlicher professor, geheimrat and ex.
oellenz, his conception of his own i'm
portance is not likely to decrease, espe.
cially in country where great defer
ence is paid to rank. lie is likely to re-
sent anything, therefore, that shows
apparent Indifference or contempt for
his social Importance. An illustration
of this was an experience of an Ameri.
can lady of my acquaintance. She went
to call on professor in order to get his
signature to her university book. Either
from thoughtlcssness or ignorance she
made no special toilet for the occa-
sion, and, worst of all, appeared with
not only her gloves but also small
package in her hand. The learned man
was not only exceedingly cool, but posi-
lively rude in his manner, yet the next
day, on meeting her under other Cir
cumstances he was almost overpower-
ingly gracious and polite.
A call upon a professor, whatever
may be the occasion, is very formal
matter, and an examination is such a
solemn ceremony that the prescribed
rules for dress and conduct are almost
as numerous and strict as those for a
presentation at tho court of st. James
No student would dare endanger his
success by not driving around to tho
professors house in carriage OF GER
tain class, and arrayed in full evening
dress, with high hat and white gloves.
AS an illustration Of the type OF pro-
fessor who fully appreciates his own
I learning aud Importance take this IN
stance: A certain learned man whose
name is familiar on both continents was
recently lecturing on the history OF
| philosophy. When he came to consider
the state of philosophy at the present
day, he concluded his lecture with the
remark, "At present there are really
only two philosophers OF any note III
Germany-the other one lives in Ber'
lin"
Now this same distinguished scholar
has received the title of eXcellenz,
which is very rarely conferred ON pro-
fessor. Flo is connected with one CT the
smaller universities, and cnce received
f1atterine invitation to go to Berlln
but his own university and toWnspeoplf
made such strenuous efforts to retain
their celebrity that, in his own mlnc
at least, tho question of his gong OF
staying had become one OF national I'M
nortarce, One day some workmen Wer(
repairing the street near his home, ant
he was naturally much disturbed by the
noise. Hastily throwing open the win
dow. he called out angrily to the WORK
men, "If you don't go away and stol
that noise, shall 90 to Berlin after all. ;
The fact that the German professor
not merely pure intelligence, nor ye
always schoene seele beautiful soul)
as his countrymen say, might be Illus
trated in numerous other ways. Among
his many human frailties none is usu
ally more pronounced than his frequen
tendency to belittle and disoredlt tn
work of other men in his own partlc
Mar 'department. 1t is we'll known, TO
instance, that Of the specialists in Ger
tain branch CT theological learning II
Germany no two arc on speaking terms
Mutual envy as well as the odlnm thee
logicum may serve to explain this stat
of affairs Roanoke Cclleglan'