Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10
URGES
SCHOLARLY IDEALS
Necessity for German Univer-
sity Reform Conceded
by Educators.
BY OTTO BROK.
special correspondence Of the CHICAGO DAILY

Special correspOndence of the Chicago Cd Daily
the Chicago Daily News. Inc.
BERLIN, Germany.-The necessity OF
reforming the German universities has
long been recognized by most German
educators. Many reform proposals have
been discussed, but no other plan has
found so much attention as that of DR..
Eduard Spranger, professor of phi
losophy and education at Berlin Univer-
sity, who proposes renodeling of the
German university somewhat along the
lines Of the American system.
2 . Old Type Disappearing.
Spranger points out that the UNIVERSE
ties have become mass institutions"
They had been established as institutes
for students with purely scientific am
billions, for an intellectual aristocracy,
which does not primarily seek to obtain
economic advantages from university
education. The ideal student, according
to the old German university system,
IS the young scholar who is ready to
devote his life to science. This type
OF student is no longer prominent at
the universities. Perhaps 1t never was,
but there was at least a majority of
students who tried to conform to it, At
present even this cannot be said.
More and more students visit the
universities with the exclusive desire of
increasing their material chances in life
by university training Their interest
in science hardly exceeds curiosity:
they do not dream of devoting their
lives to it. Furthermore, the universe
ties themselves have changed They
seek to get closer to real life by intro
duclng new matter into the curriculum.
Branches of human knowledge like
social service and sociology, which are
not sciences in theoretical sense now
are taught at virtually all universities.
thus reinforcing all those factors which
tend to change the type of students.
American College Is Model.
The old system has become in
adequate. On one hand, it treats every
student as prospective scholar; and,
on the other, 1t cannot offer much to
the mass OF students whose only aim
is to acquire useful knowledge. Accord
ing TO DR.. Spranger, any university
reform must aim at Offering ample
opportunity to the future scholar as
well as to the future business man or
oInclal. How can this task be fulfilled2
Or. Spranger points to the American
college as model. This, he contends.
offers good amount Of useful knowl-
edge, and at the same time Is an ex-
cellent preparation for future sci
entists. In addition to this a certain
compulsion in the college prevents the
wasting of money and time on people
who go to universities for the purpose
OF having good time.
Why not establish collegelike insti-
tutioEs at German universities, asks DR..
Spranger? The man who does not de-
sire TO go into science would receive a
broad cultural background, good rep
ertoire CT useful knowledge, and the
future scientist who passes through col
lege In order to do research and indie
pendent scientific work would no longer
be hindered by the great mass OF STU
dents who are much below his own
level.
Such p change might also have a
wholesome influence on the teaching
staff of the German universities. DR..
Spranger courageously admtts-as Tar
as know, for the first time-that not
only the intellectual level OF the stu
dents has gone down within the last
few decades, but also that of the In
structors and professors. In the college
there would be good use for this latter
type which has small value IN the re-
search departments. These, on me
other hand, could be provided WIN
only first-class scientists and couio
again become what they were-lnSI-
tutions of pure science.