The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-03-14
DR.. ANDREEN'S LECTURE
ON LIFE Ar SCANDINAYIAN UNI
YERSITIES.

ON LfFE Al SCH FLAt CNA"
.s VERSITIES.
Brilliant Description of Student Life In
Northern seats of Learning Was Yale
Representative at Dinner of Vi est
Gothic Nation Mt Upsala Experiments
with swedish "Punsch."
| DR.. Gustav A. Andreen, of the depart
! livered a lecture Tuesday evening in
the Sheffield course at North Sheffield
! hall, which was of interest for its brill
| liant descriptions of student life at the
great Scandinavian universities BY
the kindness of DR.. Andreen large
part oflthis lecture is given below
During the last decade the attention
of the educated English speaking world
has been drawn to the north, to the
Scandinavian countries mainly for two
reasons.
In the first place there is more wide
| spread and deeper appreciation OF the
early Icelandic poetry and the Morse sa-
gas, a literature which in it's simplicity
and grandeur is now recognized as oc-
cuyping an important position, not only
| in the literature of the Germanic races
but also in the literature of the world.
After Ulfla's Bible we find in the north
the earliest literary movements of the
Germanic race in a literature in which
may be traced many of the character
istics, beliefs and traditions which our
forefathers, whether they lived in Ger
many, Great Britain or the north held
| in common.
Again the modern world has Wit
messed with interest and admiration the
wonderful rise of the Norwegian htera-
ture. which at one bound as 1t were,
has taken it's place among the nations.
Biornsen and Ibsen have become house
hold words and some German and
English critics consider the latter IN
some respects to be the greatest living
dramatic author.
A subordinate reason which, hoWev-
err. is not without its Importance for us,
is the presence Of about five million
scandinavian Americans in the United
states, who indeed have become good
Americans, but yet with affection and
appreciation remember the country In
Europe from which they have sprung
OF late, students from America VINO
formerly spent their Wander Jahre'
only at German universities, have be-
gun to pursue their studies in other
countries as we'll, in England, France,
Ita1v and Greece Not a few have
found their way to the universities on
the Scandinavian countries, not only on
account of the reasons given above, but
also on account of the general excel
lence of these northern seats of learn
ING. which have given us such names
as Lime, Berzelius, Bugge, Brandes
and others.
Among the universities Of the Sean
dinayian countries the University of
TTpsala claims the seniority being
founded in 1477, fifteen years before the
discovery of America. The others were
founded as follows The University OF
Copenhagen, In Denmark, in l479, OF
Iund in southern Sweden, 1863 and of
Christiania in 1911 Besides. some de-
partments or faculties" of university
work have their seat in Stockholm, IN
IGottenburg in Sweden and In Reyk1aVik
in Iceland. AS the latter is situated
near the sixty-fifth degree of latitude
north of the southern point Of Green
land. this institution is apt to remain
the northern most one of the world.
Perhaps we in this connection also
ought to mention the University of Abe
in Finland founded In 1910 during the
reign of Queen Christina of Sweden,
and removed to Helsingfore In 1871
Up to the time Finland passed into the
hands of Russia In 1909, the influence OF
this university was predomlnatlhgly
Swedish and even yet 1t has much lefi
OF it's early inheritance, Now tha'
Finland is despoiled of its autonomy by
the heavy hand of Russia, this univer-
sitv will no doubt gradually lose Its
Scandinavian character.
The universities of the north resemble
on the whole the universities of Ger
manyA There is no Undergraduate
body. The preparatory examination
called student examen," which admits
the candidate to the university, is
passed at one of the numerous prepara-
tory schools, all of which are controlled
German Gymnasien. The examination
for student examen" is not quite
equivalent to the one for A. r. at oul
hest American universities. The TAX
ing Of this degree is usually made the
occasion of great celebration. The
students now leave the restrictions OF
the ordinary Gymnasium" behind
them. they are no longer schoolboys
hereafter they are to rely upon them
selves. decide for themselves pursue the
studies of their own choice. Wher
thus becoming of age" as 1t were
mentally, they have the privilege OF
wearing the Student cap as an out
ward token Of their nativity. In Swe'
den this is a white cap with dark RIB
bon at the base. In Norway and Den
mark black for every day wear; and fol
fhoiday use the Danes wear cap witt
a red ribbon at the base, the Norwegian
students black cap with long tasse
which hangs down on the shoulder.
The day on which the senior class o.
such a gymnasium receives information
as to who have successfully passed
their student -examen''-which infor
-,,o+io, iN given ont some time before
co,nmencement-is one of intense ex
pectation and excitement. In one of tn
cities of Sweden I watched one Of these
scenes which may well be called typi
9Th pf hn n