University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-03-10
THE GERMAN UNIVERSITY MAN.
He Fights Duels, Drinks Beer and Finally
Buckles Down to Work. Exams
Are Full-Dress Functions.

Nv oA4SNASAAcs
: lures probably will go about twice
e year, once at the beginning to sig
: up in a course and again at the clos
; to get the professors signature I
: show that he has been enrolled.
he has offended the professor on th
} street it is possible that the teache
might refuse to sign the student
card at the end of the course, but tina
J would be manifestly unfair and max
the professor so unpopular as to strait
even the Germans reverence for hi
position and person.
Three years residence is the short
est time that the faculty will let ;
student remain and then come up fo
his doctors examination. The aver
age student takes a great deal longer
Some Of them take ten years. Many
never get degree. The lectures ar,
formal. No questions are asked
The professor keeps an Office hour
when he will discuss a subject with
a student.
Exams Are Functions of State.
The Doctors examination is a
full-dress affair. No matter if the
exam does start in the morning and
you know you would feel better in a
lounging robe than in white, stiffbos-
omed shirt after you have struggled
through long hours of perplexing ques-
tiOns, you must appear in evening
clothes-high hat, white gloves and all
the rest Of it.. If you pass the ex-
animation, you are received into the
circle of the dOctorate with a very
formal and dignified ceremony. Ger
man university exams are an event.
German students live in private
homes. They board at restaurants.
They like to get together in social
groups at the restaurants, but it is
always the same small group. There
is no democratic spirit among the
students. There are small clubs and
cliques that correspond in a certain
degree to our fraternities. Among
members of the group there is the best
of fellowship. But between members
of different sets there is little more
than formal acquaintance. Members
Of the same social set often tip their
hats to each other when they meet on
the street.
1t is sort of tradition at some
Of the German universities that for |
the first two years the student does
nothing but learn to drink beer and =,
fight duels. The only form of ath-
etics they have is fencing. This is
.aught and practiced in rooms CORES 1
to our gymnasium. Univer-
'ity authorities prohibit duels, but
many of them are fought on the quiet. |
The swords are only a little thicker
han watch spring. and a bone will
urn them aside. But they can and
10 cut a man up considerably. Pro-
essor Whitten says that duels take
he place of our football games to the
xtent that they are the only athletic
ontests the German students hold.
Exempt From Civil Law. !.
The university exercises practically
o control over the student, although
is responsible for his conduct. Ev-
ry student is given a pass which ,
him from civil law or authori-
es. A policeman may not arrest
student but he may restrain him,
nd, if necessary, turn him over to
lie authorities. This, however, is !
lrely done
Women may attend the German
Universities and receive degrees, :
lough not as often as men. They
,em to have a small part in the So
al life of some of the universities.
here is no social life between the
en- and women students.
The University Of Goettingen has l.,
zen attended by many noted Ameri-
ms. 1t ranks as high as if not high
than the University of Berlin,
ough much smaller, because of its
st history and its age. Over the
or of nearly every house is a sign
'ying that someone who has been y
own to the world for his place in