Prussia and the German System of Education.- 17 



however, are called directly, from the ranks of the ministry 

 or of the law or medicine. 



The number of teachers varies from thirty to a hundred 

 and fifty or even more. At Berlin, there are 186 professors 

 for 2435 students ; at Vienna, 181 professors for 4608 

 students ; at Munich, 119 for 1213 students ; at Gottingen 

 144 for 711 students ; at Leipsic 112 for 1007 students ; at 

 Heidelberg, 98 for 850 students; at Bonn, 98 for 935 

 students ; at Breslaw, 101 for 946 students. 



One of the most important characteristics of the German 

 university is the professorial or lecture system as distinct 

 from the English tutorial system. Instead of a number of 

 colleges, as in Oxford and Cambridge, where the students 

 live together under moral supervision, one large building 

 with a number of halls (Horsaal) receives them during a 

 part of the day for the lectures, as they may choose to 

 attend. Attendance is left to their own sense of duty. 

 The studious and conscientious frequent four or five 

 lectures daily. When the clock strikes, they take their 

 seats in the Horsaal, unfold their portfolios and strike the 

 ink-horn (armed below with a sharp iron spike) into the 

 wooden desk, waiting for the learned oracle. After an 

 intermission of ten or fifteen minutes, the professor ascends 

 the rostrum and with the familiar address, "Meine Herren," 

 begins his lecture standing or sitting, reading or extem- 

 porizing or both alternately. Some of the hearers take 

 down in short-hand every word that drops from the mouth 

 of living wisdom. Others show their contempt for goose- 

 quill learning by merely listening or noting the general 

 heads. 



The most judicious appropriate the lecture to their 

 mind as it goes on, and reproduce it in a condensed form. 

 If the professor speaks indistinctly, some give him a hint 

 with a motion of their feet, to repeat the sentence. But 

 not all professors pay attention to this linguam pedestrem. 



[Trans. vi.~] 3 



