The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-03-07
GERMAN UNIVERSITY LIFE.


0-s.MAN U DIVERSITY LIFE.
(Continued.)
(By Karl R. Moench. Ph. D.
"Gaudeamus igitur, Juvenes dun
sumus;
Post jucundam juventutem,
Post molestam senectutem,
Nos habebit humus."
Let US rejoice whilst we are young;
After a pleasant youth,
After troublesome old age,
The earth will claim u.s."
In order to continue in the proper
spirit our last article concerning Ger
man University Life, the words of the
oldest student Latin song are running
in my mind, and after humming all
the verses Of this immortal melody, /
feel in the right spirit to continue
my article from last week, and to
tell the readers Of the Times some
thing OF the unique influences so diff
ferent from America, which sur
round the German University stu
dent.
It must be felt in order to be full
" appreciated for in my estimation
after much travel and school expert
ence in different countries, nowhere
on the globe does University life so
appeal to me as that in my native
land. So often has our University
life. been misunderstood and misrep-
resented that l not only feel it is my
sacred duty to defend and to explain
some of the old customs maintaining
at our universities, but the JOY of re
counting the "reminiscences, whenever
the opportunity affords, so fills me
with joy that feel this seeming ego
tism will be pardoned by the reader.
The last article found the German
student finishing his college career
aftern nine years of hard labor under
the strictest rules of discipline. With
his testimonius maturitatfs in
his pocket, which means that
he is prepared to enter any
university in the Empire, fol
example let us say that, by the ad
Leipsic University. Almost instantly
the college boy finds the bonds OF
to home and college, un1oosed, and
he is as free as a bird, for his life
mine the metal Of which the young
man is composed. Therefore, he does
not stand under ironcIad rules and
regulations, for it is presumed that
he rigid discipline Of college life has
trained his mind and fixed his habits
and that now the time has arrived
for evolution and development and
ty and glory unless there is freedom
Of thought and action.
With the blessings Of parents and
friends, and the largest sum of money
ever before in his pocket, however a
quite insignificant sum compared
with the amount given the American
boy when he leaves home for the
university, the German student be-
gins his university career. The first
thing after arrival in the Uni
versity city, he rents room
according to his means, registers his
name on the university roll, pays his
matriculation fee, and receives his
card, the most important document
for the next three or four years as we
will see later. Let us suppose that
he has decided to make phi1ology
his 1ife's work. He will, of course,
map out his plane of study for the
first semester (half year, with the
assistance of some professor to whom
he has been specially recommended.
He then visits in turn every professor
whose lecture he wishes to hear, and
paws to him a certain stipulated sum
which he receives due receipt, or
akes such arrangements with the
'ofessor as are acceptable to both.
He is now ready to begin work.
Textbooks are no longer required
since the entire course of study
consists of lectures.
The students keeps for each pro-
fessor a separate notebook, in which