10
THE HESPERIAN
M
GERMAN UNIVERSITIES.
Tho historian Doellingcr once said that
there was no university in America equal to
a third class German university. Although
1 was in a German university when I read
that statement and appreciated fully all tho
advantages offered by the institution, 1 re
call that I was exceedingly indignant, and
declared that "the old man did not know
what ho was talking about."" Since then I
have given his remark many a sober second
thought, and am now inclined to think that
perhaps from one point of view he was right.
If the German university be the standard we
set before us, then there may be some truth
in what Doellingcr said.
But what is a German university and how
does it differ from an American institution
bearing the same name ? To make the dis
tinction clear to one who is familiar only
with American universities, universities
where comparatively little graduate work is
done, is not an easy task. "What I may say
in these pages should make clear the fact
that there is a great difference, even though
that difference be not fully comprehended.
The indiscriminate use of the term "univer
sity" increases the difficulties of a task
otherwise difficult enough. Fine buildings,
a large corps of instructors, and a large body
of students do not constitute a university ;
although these things are to be found at
every successful university. It is the know
ledge of this fact that renders amusing the
newspaper comparision sometimes instituted
between the number of universities in this
country and in Germany. The number of
institutions in this country bearing the uni
versity title is very great ; the number doing
true university work is very small. Instruct
ors who are specialists and graduate stud
ents who are specializing are the two
things without which a German university
would not be a university. With us a man
is in the university when he is doing under
graduate work ; in Germany he does not en
ter the university until he has completed
what might be called his college course.
Should the University of Nebraska abolish
its undergraduate departments and employ
all its resources in giving graduate instruc
tion to students who had BA. degrees from
colleges in good standing, it would be doing
tho work done by the German university.
It will be many years before that thing will
be possible, and meanwhile the university
will continue to devote tho most of its time
and energy to work that is not university
work simply because there is no one else to
do it.
We hear much at the present time about
the university being a place where one can
study anything. That is comparatively true
of the German university, but at the same
time it should be noted that it is not a "!Nor
mal University'1 nor yet a so-called "Business
College. " Moreover it does not teach every
thing to everybody, but only to the select
few who by years of careful training are
prepared to do really advanced work. The
confusion in the use of tho term "univer
sity1' in this country is doubtless due to the
fact that emphasis has been laid upon what
is taught, and not upon how it is taught
and to whom it is taught.
The three or four thousand students found
at each of the great German universities are
men who have completed tho courses in the
gymnasia or realschulen and are devoting
their whole time to special work. The
break between tho college and the university
is very marked and often hasji bad influence
upon the students. In the gymnasium, or
college, the boy is kept strictly under control
both intellectually and morally ; when lit
leaves the gymnasium for the university all
restraints are removed. It is easy to for
see what tho consequences would be in man
cases, and in many cases these consequences
actually follow, and more than one young
man is ruined by his newly found freedom.
To enter tho university and to take one's
degree are difficult tasks ; to remain in the
institution after you are onco there is u
easy matter. To conform to the rules and