To the Examen artium and Further Studies

Abstract

The school year began again in Christiania on August 1^st. This was a new arrangement in 1819: formerly school had started on October 1^st. Niels Henrik was now in the senior class, a prefect, and had two years to go until he took the examen artium. According to custom he was now probably baptizing the newcomers, the wretched “plebs,” in the school courtyard. One of those who was now beginning his school career at the Cathedral School was Henrik Wergeland, who was to become one of Norway’s leading national poets and intellectuals. There was also a new man among the teachers: Lieutenant Erik Christian Busch was hired by the hour to teach French, and would also be responsible for instruction in writing and drawing. It was reported that his most cherished command was, “Shut up! numbskull, when you’re talking to me!” but during the writing and drawing classes he sat glued to the teacher’s desk, engaged in his own affairs. Niels Henrik had the lieutenant for French. In English, in which he was now instructed for the first time, he had his old language teacher, Adjunct Melbye. That the party-loving francophile, Melbye, who was also to have taken a journey abroad at this time, had now been removed from the teaching of French, was perhaps a first reaction to his growing inability to concentrate. Nine years later he was forced to give up his post.