THE CLASSICAL QUESTION IN GERMANY. 301 



university examinations for a degree, which comparatively few stu- 

 dents ever attempt, their record in the state examinations which nearly 

 all try, and the final and decisive test of practical life and its demands. 



Now, it is a pretty plain fact that the professors who made these 

 reports did not take the trouble to investigate the results of these 

 various tests, since it was reserved for a director of a real school to 

 collect the first reliable and comprehensive statistics on the subject, 

 and that after these reports were j)repared. The data were furnished 

 by the reports of the universities as to the number of degrees granted 

 to real-school graduates, by the reports of government examiners as to 

 standing attained in the public examinations of such students, and, 

 finally, by the reports from the present positions and sphere of labor 

 of all real-school graduates who had taken degrees from the universi- 

 ties, or who had passed into the ranks of teachers without trying the 

 university examination. We have not room to introduce the statistics 

 here. Suffice it to say that they make a very good showing for real- 

 school graduates. The point that interests us most in this immediate 

 connection is, that these facts were not ascertained or considered by 

 the university professors who reported on this subject. 



The same gentleman who collected these statistics tells a well- 

 authenticated story of Professor Hanstein, of the University of Bonn, 

 which very well illustrates the fairness, deliberation, and investigation 

 which preceded and accompanied these reports. Upon receiving the 

 notice asking for his written opinion, he remarked to his assistant : 

 " So we have to commit ourselves in writing again, do we ? Of course, 

 the gymnasia students are superior." "But, Herr Professor," ob- 

 jected his assistant, "Mr. X , who recently took his degree in 



natural science, passed summa cum laude, and he is a real-school 



graduate." "Yes ; well, he's an exception." "And Herr Dr. , the 



Privatdocent here in Bonn, is also from a real school." "He's an ex- 

 ception too," answered Hanstein. " And a few weeks ago," continued 

 his assistant, " one of our real-school students passed his teacher's ex- 

 amination in chemistry and natural history No. 1." " Exceptions 

 all exceptions ! " replied the professor. " Yes, but, Herr Professor, 

 there are only seven or eight of us real-school men altogether here in 

 Bonn." " We ? Are you a real-school graduate ? " " Yes, sir." " Well, 

 you are the biggest exception of all." And, with that, he turned and 

 left the room. The story, which is vouched for, needs no comment. 



There is still another point to be considered. The practical object 

 of these reports, as some professors conceived it, was to ascertain 

 whether the faculties were in favor of excluding real-school students 

 from the universities, and indeed the language of the request justified 

 that view. Some voted for the reports, therefore, because they 

 thought that the attendance at the universities is too large, and that 

 the exclusion of real-school graduates offers a convenient means of 

 getting rid of the surplus students. The writer visited twelve out of 



