The San Francisco call., 1904-06-27
The Oldest University.

One seldom hears Of what is probably
the largest and oldest-and to Western
eyes the oddest-university in the
world, El-Azhar, "the splendid" at
Cairo, Egypt. While the dates of the
founding of the universities of oxford,
Paris and Bologna. for which great
antiquity is claimed, are lost in the
mists Of the Middle Ages, El-Azhar can
read its title clear from the year 975
A. d. Constantinople is the official head
Of the Mohammedan religion, but the
summit of Mussulman learning may be
secured only at El-Azhar. Thither flock
from every land owning Mahomet as its
religious guide those of all ages who
would be proficient in the Koran and
other branches of Oriental learning
More than 10000 students. according to
Frederic CORTLAND Penheld, formerly
United States diplomatic agent and
Consul General at Cairo, who has de-
scribed the university in his book
Present Day Egypt" sit at the feet of
the instructors about the pillars
The oddity of the university is mani
Tested at the first glimpse of the build
ing which houses il. The restorations
have been too numerous to leave any
indication of the original structure, but
there is no doubt of it's relation to
Mohammedanism, for lofty minarets of
Oriental type rise here and there. Lit
tie can be seen of the exterior, how
ever, for it is closely surrounded by
buildings. Within is court, the sky
its only roof. On each side are alcoves
covered by roofs supported by pillars.
The porticos about the enormous open
court are each divided into various
compartments for the separate use Of
the students of the different nations
The Algerian students have one, the
Moroccans another. the Nubians a
third the Turks another and the In
dians still another, and so on. The diff
ferent sections of Egypt each have a
separate compartment; those who come
from the testing place of the bones of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS also provided
with a section: the blind pupils,
strangely more fanatical and turbulent
than the average Mussulman, also find
special accommodation for themselves.
Although only a drive of few min
utes from the hotel district, compara-
lively few foreigners take the trouble
to visit the strange educational insti-
tuition. Many are unaware of it's in
terest. 1t is reached by the street Of
shops, the Mouski, and the narrow
lane known as the Street of Book
sellers" Picking ones way between
the conglomeration of humanity, cam
els, donkeys and Arab workmen, sitting
crossed-legged on the floor of their
! hox-lilxa Iiffla ShonS hipdipo the oY1rf-
Gus looking volumes, one reaches the
entrance known as the "Barber's Gate"
Passing a number Of students who are
having their heads shaved so closely
that they look like a French wig-mak-
er's shiny artificial poll, one gains the
interior of the building. Students and
masters who are entering are remov-
ing their shoes at the threshold Here
and there at the foot of the pillars are
seated the professors on rugs of
sheepskin. discoursing to groups Of
students squatting in half circle
about them. The pupils are listening
intently. Discussions of different
themes are going on. Not a student
turns to look at the visitor. so inter-
ested is he in the discussion. The COW
cred portions of the building are sup
ported by 300 marble pillars and each
of the instructors has his particular
pillar about which to gather his stu
dents The lecture finished, the stu
dents respectfully kiss the hand of the
instructor and hasten away to the pill
lar of another instructor to become alb
sorbed in another subject.-New York
Tribune.