650 



POPULAR SCIENTIFIC LECTURES. 



mlttoil toachr-rs. In the original meaning of 

 the word, a doctor is a " teacher," or one 

 whose c:vi)a( % ity as teacher is recognized. In 

 the universities of the Middle Ages any doc- 

 tor who found pupils could set up as teacher. 

 In course of time the practical signification 

 of the title was changed. Most of those who 

 sought the title did not intend to act as teach- 

 ers, but only needed it as an official recogni- 

 tion of their scientific training. Only in Ger- 

 many are there any remains of this ancient 

 right. In accordance with the altered mean- 

 ing of the title of doctor, and the minuter 

 specialization of the subjects of instruction, 

 a special proof of more profound scientific 

 proficiency, in the particular branch in 

 which they wish to habilitate, is required 

 from those doctors who desire to exercise the 

 right of teaching. In most German universi- 

 ties, moreover, the legal status of these habil- 

 itated doctors as teachers is exatly the same 

 as that of the ordinary professors. In a few 

 places they are subject to some slight restric- 

 tions, which, however, have scarcely any 

 practical effect. The senior teachers of the 

 university, especially the ordinary professors, 

 have this amount of favor, that, on the one 

 hand, in those branches in which special ap- 

 paratus is needed for instruction, they can 

 more freely dispose of the means belonging 

 to the stiite ; while on the other it falls to 

 them to hold the examinations in the faculty, 

 and, as a matter of fact, often also the state 

 examination. This naturally exerts a certain 

 pressure on the weaker minds among the 

 students. The influence of examinations is, 

 however, often exaggerated. In the frequent 

 migrations of our students, a great number 

 of examinations are held in which the candi- 

 dates have never attended the lectures of the 

 examiners. 



On no feature of our university arrange- 

 ments do foreigners express their astonish- 

 ment so much as about the position of pri- 

 vate docents. They are surprised, and even 

 envious, that we have such a number of 

 young men who, without salary, for the most 

 part with insignificant incomes from fees, 

 and with very uncertain prospects for the 

 future, devote themselves to strenuous scien- 

 tific work. And, judging us from the point 

 of view of basely practical interests, they are 

 equally sin-prised that the faculties so readily 

 admit young men who at any moment may 

 change from assistants to competitors ; and 

 further, that only in the most exceptional 

 cases is anything ever heard of unworthy 

 means of competition in what is a matter of 

 some delicacy. 



The appointment to vacate professorships, 

 like the admission of private docents, rests, 

 though not unconditionally, and not in the 

 \ / last resort, with the faculty, that is with the 

 body of ordinary professors. These form, in 

 German universities, that residuum of former 

 colleges of doctors to which the rights of the 

 old corporations have been transferred. 

 They form as it were a select committee of 

 the graduates of a former epoch, but estab- 

 lished with the co-operation of the Govern- 



ment. The usual form for the nomlnatT'n 

 of new ordinary professors is that tl.> hu-uitv 

 proposes three candidates to Government ior 

 its choice ; where the Government, Lowtvi-r, 

 does not consider itself restricted to tho 

 candidates proposed. Excepting in times of 

 heated party conflict it is very unusual for 

 the proposals of tho faculty to be passed over. 

 If there is not a very obvious reason for 

 hesitation it is always u serious personal re- 

 sponsibility for the executive officials to 

 elect, in opposition to the proposals of com- 

 petent judges, a teacher vho has publicly to 

 prove his capacity before large circles. 



Tho professors have, however, the strong- 

 est motives for securing to the faculty the 

 best teachers. The most essential condition 

 for being able to work with pleasure at the 

 preparation of lectures is the consciousness 

 of having not too smuJ. a number of intelli- 

 gent listeners ; moreover, a considerable 

 fraction of the income of many teachers de- 

 pends upon tho number of their hearers. 

 Each one must wish that his faculty, as a 

 whole, shall attract as numerous and as in- 

 telligent a body of students as possible. 

 That, however, can only be attained by 

 choosing as many able teachers, whether 

 professors or docents, as possible. On the 

 other hand, a professor's attempt to stimu- 

 late his hearers to vigorous and independent. 

 research can only be successful when it i 

 supported by his colleagues ; besides this, 

 working with distinguished colleagues makes 

 life in university circles interesting, instruc- 

 tive, and stimulating. A facility must have 

 greatly sunk, it must not only have lost its 

 sense of dignity, but also even the most or- 

 dinary worldly prudence, if other motives 

 could preponderate over these ; and such u 

 faculty would soon ruin itself. 



With regard to the spectre of rivalry among 

 university teachers with which it is some- 

 times attempted to frighten public opinion, 

 there can be none such if the students and 

 their teachers are of the right kind. In the 

 first place, it is only in large universities that 

 there are two to teach one and the same 

 branch ; and even if there is no difference iij 

 the officirl definition of the subject, there 

 will be a difference in the scientific tenden- 

 cies of the teachers ; they will be able to di- 

 vide the work in such a manner that each has 

 that side which ho most completely masters. 

 Two distinguished teachers who are thus 

 complementary to jach other, form then so 

 strong a centre of attraction for tho students 

 that both suffer no loss of hearers, though 

 they may have to share among themselves a 

 number of the less zealous ones. 



Tho disagreeable effects jf rivalry will be 

 feared by a teacher who does not feel quite 

 certain in his scientific position. This can 

 have no considerable influence oa the official 

 decisions of the faculty whcu it is only a 

 question of one, or of a small number, of tho 

 voters. 



The predominance of a distinct scientific 

 school in a faculty may bccoruo more injuri- 

 ous than such personal interests. When tho 



