The Education of Karl Witte; Or, the Training of the Child Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV Is My Son's Education Finished? So far as I am concerned, it is. I have long withstood those who asserted that it was finished, but now I must admit it is. When he was eleven years old, several professors at Goettingen thought that it was not necessary for me any longer to accompany my son to his lectures, that he behaved perfectly well, was attentive, made the proper notes, and I, therefore, could spare myself the trouble. None the less I used to go with him, made all the preparations for the lectures and all the reviews together with him. Later, at Goettingen and at Heidelberg, I stopped it all, but I proceeded very slowly and imperceptibly, before leaving him entirely to his own actions. Only after he had made his appearance several times as an author in difficult matters, evoking respect and applause, only after he had received honors, such as are usually bestowed upon a real savant of advanced years, only after Our Majesty, the King, and his minister considered him worthy to undertake a two-years' scientific journey at the expense of the state, and that he, then sixteen years old, was fully able to take care of himself, -- did I make up my mind to consider his education finished so far as I was concerned, and resolved at last seriously to consider my own health. However, not to be too rash and do things prematurely, of which I had constantly been in fear, I wrote -to our honored monarch that from considerations which I adduced I should like to keep my son another year with me, in order that he might have an opportunity to prepare himself as thoroughly for this distinguished mission as he had formerly prepared himself for every important change in his intellectual life. His Majesty gave the necessary consent with a...