Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
LEIPSIC UNIVERSITY JUBILEE
INSTITUTION WILL SOON CELE-
BRATE 5OOTH ANNIVERSARY.
Second Oldest Of the German Uni
Observation-Disclosures Leads in
the Number of Years.

From the Boston Transcript.
Leipsic University has no age OF thou
sand years to celebrate but in the words
of the druggist II has had something
just as good In a few weeks it will be
celebrating its JCOth birthday with great
eclat Leipsic is the second oldest OF
German universities Its only senior is the
University of Heidelberg which was
founded in 1886 For twenty-five years
Heidelberg was the only university eX-
listing in Germany-that is to say. I'm that
part of the continent now bearing the
name of Gernany-whereas students from
middle. north and east Germany. as well
as those from the east and north of Et!-
rope streamed for the most part TO the
celebrated old seat OF learning al Prague.
the golden" However. friction arose
between the various nationalties repre-
sented
The first register was signed by forty
six professors and $50 students. During
the early days of it's existence it was not
very largely frequented. The number of
students matriculating every term varied
between fifty and 200. and, as in the
course of the first decades. there was
about one professor to eight students, the
attendance at lectures was hardly a sat
isfactory one An internal trouble. from
which the university suffered for many
Years. was it's lack of revenues. and as in
addition to this it failed TO keep pace
with the lassical tendencies of the times
il fell into a period of decay.
Rector Kaspar Borner.
/, was not until the decade between
15io and 1850 that the university was
dra gsed from the mire into which it had
fallen by the energetic attitude of the rec
tor kaspar Borner. He introduced the
study OF the classics in the University Of
Leipsic. succeeded in obtaining a rich en-
dowment from Duke Moritz, founded the
university library and botanical gardens
and filled the chairs with new prOfes sors.
This progress was not a lasting one.
Many circumstances. which II would take
too much space to enumerate herp-wars,
academic differences. the jealousies Of
rival universities and various other
causes-aided in hindering the develop
ment Of the university.
II was not until the eighteenth century
that It again gained a certain fame
through the work it devoted to German
literature. the study OF which found a
center here. Gottsched and Gellert at
tracted many. and at this period that
student was entered on the rolls of the
university who. together with Tycho de
Brahe and Leibnitz. has remained the
most famous of all Leipsic students
Goethe From Goethe's description of
student life at Leipsic we know that
the academic circles of Leipsic at that
time.
On Modern Basis.
II was not until the nineteenth century
that the University of Leipsic became
Furnishing seat of learning. 1t was en-
tirely reorsanized and placed on modern
basis, AT the same time il was endowed
with the necessary means. The compile
ton of the huge buildings and institutes
forming the university took several dec
AIDES to accomplish Today il is recog-
nized as forming one of the centers of ed
ucational life III Germany and the CIV
iliZed world. After Berlin and Munich it
has the greatest number OF Germa nj
students. On its teaching staff are found
celebrities such as the philosopher. Will
helm kundt: the brilliant jurist, Binding:
the historian. Karl Lamprecht; Wilhelm
Ostwald the renowned scientist has only
recently vacated his chair, owing To ad-
vancine age. The university has become
pruteSe of both the people ard govern
ment OF SaNony. which supply all its
requirements with willing and liberal
hand. The university is justified in cele-
bratine its JuOth birthday with due pomp
and ceremony. Even in foreign countries
many = student who once sat at the feet
of Dle alma mater at I.eipsic will be with
her in spirit and sympathy on this festive
aston.