THE UNIVERSITY AS A SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP. 175 



formed in this century that of the gymnasial professoriate. 

 Hitherto the teacher's office in the Latin schools had been filled 

 entirely with theologians, and was a transition step to the priestly 

 office. The new gymnasium demanded professionals. Its teach- 

 ers are not candidates in theology with a general philosophical 

 and philological training, but learned philologists, mathemati- 

 cians, naturalists, and historians, with now XJrofessors of modern 

 philology, geography, etc. The introduction of the examination 

 pro facuUate docendi in Prussia in June, 1870, marked the new 

 demand. The special purpose of the philosophical faculty was 

 from this time on to prepare specialists for teaching in the gym- 

 nasia. The philosophical faculty has now adapted its teaching to 

 this new situation, and its purpose has been further so changed, 

 in fact, that aside from the ultimate practical turning of its at- 

 tendants into the teacher's office, it trains them to be merely 

 learned scientific men. The instruction in the philological, his- 

 torical, mathematical, and scientific branches is of a kind as if all 

 who took part in it intended to devote themselves to scientific 

 research as their only calling. Justification for this course has 

 been sought in the consideration that recruits for scientific re- 

 search are in fact found among the attendants ; that gymnasium 

 teachers have an important share in scientific work ; and, finally, 

 that the object of gymnasium teaching is really preparatory drill 

 to scientific thought, and therefore a strict scientific training is 

 the most important requisite of a German gymnasial teacher. 



The priority, the historical course of which is sketched above, 

 appertained to the philosophical faculty, but did not remain lim- 

 ited to it. The theological and juridical faculties had a part in 

 it, and the medical faculty in particular, the course of which 

 runs parallel with that of the philosophical, since it stands in close 

 connection with it through the natural sciences, or as a science is 

 strictly included in it. We are now no longer concerned with the 

 transmission of an established doctrine, but with the search for 

 natural or historical truth; and to approach a participation in 

 this work is now regarded in all the faculties an essential part of 

 the duty of an academical teacher. 



When we regard the results of this development, there first 

 appears an extraordinary prosperity of scientific investigation 

 which proceeded in Germany chiefly from the universities. While 

 our people in the seventeenth century stood away behind their 

 western neighbors, they have gained, since the remodeling of the 

 universities in the eighteenth century, a very eminent, in many 

 instances the leading, place in all departments of scientific work. 

 That this is due chiefly to the universities is attested by evidences 

 both at home and abroad. Here scientific investigators have 

 found favorable surroundings for quiet work, the necessary ex- 



