10 Prussia and the German System of Education, 



In theology, there are still two degrees, that of the 

 Licentiate (corresponding to the English Bachelor oi 



Divinity), which confers the right of public teaching in 

 the university, and thai of D.D. The latter is the highest 

 academic honor and hence much rarer than the doctor's 

 diploma of any other faculty. It may he acquired by the 



regular process of a written work and Latin debate, in 

 which every member of the university can attack the 

 published theses of the candidate ; but it is now generally 

 given honoris causa, as an acknowledgment of dis- 

 tinguished literary merit, or of eminent usefulness in the 

 church. 



The Gymnasia, unlike the colleges of England and 

 America, confer no degrees. 



There are three classes of teachers in the universities. 



1st. The ordinary professors ; who are regular members 

 of the faculty and receive a full support from the state 

 independently of the proceeds of their lectures and can be 

 elected to the academical senate and the rectorship. 



2d. The extraordinary professors ; who have no seat in 

 the faculty nor in the senate, and have a smaller income 

 but are generally promoted to a vacant regular professor- 

 ship. 



3d. The private lecturers (privatum docentcs) ; who have 

 passed through the examen rigorosum and deliver lectures 

 like the regular professors but are without appointment 

 and generally receive no salary from the state. They de- 

 pend therefore, upon the fees for lectures or private 

 tuition or extra literary labor. Unless they have means of 

 their own or eminent popular talents which attract crowds 

 and secure sometimes a special appropriation from the 

 minister, they drag out a very weary existence. 



Most of the professors must pass through these stages 

 before reaching the honor and benefits* of a regular or 

 ordinary professorship. Some few distinguished men, 



