German Life and Character

Southland Times, Issue 14799, 16 November 1900, Page 2

German Life and Character

A large audience assembled in the J?irsfc Presbyterian Church yesterday evening to welcome Dr John Smyth, who had been announced to lecture on the training of the German people. The Rev. J. Gibson Smith presided ; and songs were sang at the bo* ginning of the lecture, at an interval in the middle of it and at ita close, the singers being Misses N. G. Thomson and. Murray, Mesdames Forbes- Williams and Smith, and Messrs Taylor and Grenfell, all of whom wore in capital voice and sang most acceptably. Dr Smyth prefaced his remarks by saying that never had he more devoutly wished for the gift of eloquence than on such «,n accasion, when he was to address so many who were well-known and very dear to* him. Wherever he had travelled — in Germany or elsewhere — he had always in grateful remembrance Invercargill and ivis people ; and now that he had the pleasure of being with them once again he was anxious to speak so that he might give no cause to them to regret that they had come to the lecture. It was a somewhat difficult matter he had undertaken — to represent adequately the life of a people very different in many respects from those whom he had the privilege of addi-essing. He would do his best to pourtray some ot the most noteworthy characteristic?. Perhaps the first noteworthy thing that struck the visitor to Germany was the obedience to - authority that prevailed everywhere. This was hinted at in the oft- repeated saying that the ideal distinction aimed at by a German kid was to be patted on the head by a policeman. In Germany there existed no larrikin element. The specie?: was quite \inknown. Again, a visitor could not but be struck with the circumstance that orchards were often uninclosed. Along the sides of the road grew in many districts cherry trees. Folks passed to and fro all day long, but no one thought of taking the fruit. How, I,he lecturer asked, would such trees fare if they were growing along the sides of North or East road ? The training of the youth was thorough, especially that of the boys. Education began compulsorily at the age of six, and the primary course continued till the pupil was fourteen. Nor was there any evasion, as is so common in British lands. The German authorities took good care that the provisions of the law were carried out. No exceptions were made. If widowhood were pleaded, the State paid the tees and societies for the purpose assisted the mother. The German view of the matter was very simple — each lad had, at whatever cost, to be trained so as to develop into an intelligent, profitable citizen. Schools opened at 7 a.m. and the classes continued at intervals, according to circumstances, to 5 p.m. Work began with a short prayer, followed by a hymn. Then came religious instruction. Sectarianism did not count. The German simply argued that education must be com* plete. Not only the physical and in- | tellectual, but the emotional faculties, had to be cultivated, and so every child got religious instruction — whatever the views of the parents might be. Nor did education cease on leaving the primary school. When a lad became apprenticed hui master was compelled to send him to a continuation school, where he would learn the branches of knowledge most intimately connected with the trade he was acquiring. He had no time to loiter about street corners and become a larrikin. He had to learn the reason for every process in the work by which he was to earn his livelihood and assist in the welfare of his fatherland. What a training that was, compared, for example, with what most youths got in New Zealand ! It was no wonder the Germans were in so many branches of industry excelling all other nations. The lecturer gave an interesting account of the training a scion of the upper classes got during the same ]ieriocl of life — from six to nineteen. There were — it must be remembered — very strict lines of demarcation among the Germans in their social divisions. After industrial training came the military life. Every German lad had to icarrr ttiTSTluTi«s-&sKit-^i»tpQnHibiLitieß of a soldier. He had garrison training for two years. It gave him new ideas of the world and of citizenship, and it most certainly improved his physique. He was after that ready at a moment's call to serve for the defence of his hearth and home, or, if need to, to march off to fight the foe beyond the boundaries of the empire. The upper classes were compelled to serve but one year, and that year they could select to suit themselves ; any time between the ages of 19 and 25. The lecturer continued in the most interesting way to descant on the humours of the people, the duelling of students, the gravity of the folkn in general, and the quaint customs that still survive in the rural parts ; customs reminiscent of old historical times in Britain. He sj>oke of the marvellous military strength of the empire, of the wondrous quickness with which forces numbering millions of men could be placed in the field in readiness for battle. No one country, nor two, could long maintain a footing in Germany. Its growth during the last generation had been ainivzing. A saying of Bismarck's was worth quoting: "Up to 1866 the struggle had been to make Prussia the leading state of the German Confederation ; up to 1870 the aim was to make Germany the leading country in Europe ; since 1870 the effort had been to make Germany the first country in the world." Thus the Doctor passed from topic to topic, each seeming more interesting thnn the previous one, till the hour approached the stroke of ten and warned that the lecture must be brought to a close. To Mr W. G. Mehaffey w;»s entrusted the proposing of the vote of thanks to Dr Smyth, which was seconded* by Mr John Neill and carried with heartiest applause.