1895■] Some Phases of German Student Life, What a preparation for the active duties of a university career" most of the boys have led! From three to six years under the best of instructors have they been taught most thoroughly. They must attend the gymnasium or prep, school or enter the army for two weary unsatisfactory years. Most any one would growl till the head was ready to burst rather than submit to the degradation of the poor two-year recruit. 111 the gymnasium he gets a big ration daily of Greek, Latin and Mathematics, with English or French and his native tongue as side dishes. Work here is not our high school routine, but hard, conscientious, fatiguing labor for mind or body. Very often this cramming results in the stunting of physical development and' we have a strong head on weak shoulders, the brain having grown at the expense of the muscle and tissue. Mentally he is capable of coping with the most abstruse problems of science, physically he is a wreck, yet he resolutely struggles on. While a gymnasium student his mental horizon was very narrow choice in lines of study resting with teachers alone. Upon his entry into college the field of learning broadens, and he stands confused with an almost boundless vesta of knowledge about him. From the barracks of requirements he emerges into the prairie of electives. Slavery has turned to freedom, the caged bird can now soar at his own sweet will. Freed from all restraint he begins to specialize. He takes a course from one of the four faculties. Philosophical, including Literature, Science, History and Philosophy; Medicinal, Theo logical or that of Jurisprudence, and devotes his whole life and soul to it. He can reach his ‘ ‘ Doctors ’ ’ degree in any of these, having prepared himself in those branches usually. Require ments vary in the different universities, but three is the average. Active work in the university consists of recitations or lectures of forty-five minutes each.. The hearer takes notes or not, as he chooses. In many cases the Professor talks very fast, rendering it very hard to follow him, though usually they are very con siderate of the listeners. The teacher comes to the room, delivers his lecture and then departs without saying a word to anyone. All communication with him is through the "famulus,” a poor student, who, for a small stipend, acts as go-between for teacher and scholar. Besides this hour, in which little brain work is'needed, there is the Senior or private meeting of a few choice spirits for a discus-
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