Student and Private Teacher 63he would follow when he entered the university, because the rector failed
to note the field of study for those he inscribed in 1740.^9 Still, it is more
than likely that he attended courses in philosophy from the very beginning,
if only because philosophy was the first subject for all students.^10 Even
students intending to study theology, law, or medicine first had to study
philosophy as a preparation for one of these "higher" faculties. That Kant
studied philosophy at first therefore does not mean that he intended to study
philosophy as his main subject. Since he was most interested in the clas¬
sics during his last year at the Collegium Fridericianum, it is likely that he
intended to make classics his occupation. Yet fairly early in his studies he
changed his mind and concentrated on courses in philosophy.
Christoph Friedrich Heilsberg (1726-1806) began his studies one year
after Kant. His first contact at the university was Johann Heinrich Wlömer
(1728—1797), who happened to be such "an intimate friend of Kant" that
they at times shared the same quarters. At the instigation of Wlömer, Kant
took Heilsberg under his wing and gave him "books about modern phi¬
losophy and reviewed at least the most difficult parts of all the recitations I
took with Ammon, Knutzen and Teske. All this he did out of friendship,"'l
in other words, he did not charge him for his tutoring. Kant also tutored
several other students for money — but not just for money. Those he helped
returned the favor in other ways as well. They provided him with luxuries,
such as coffee and white bread. When Wlömer moved to Berlin, another
student, Christoph Bernhard Kallenberg, gave Kant free quarters and con¬
siderable support.^12 Kant was also supported by his uncle, the shoemaker
Richter, who had taken in Kant's little brother when their father died in
- As Heilsberg put it:
Kant lived very frugally; real need he never had to suffer, even though there were times
when he had to go out while his clothes were with the menders for repairs. At those
times one of the students would stay in his quarters and Kant went out with borrowed
coat, pants, or shoes. If a piece of clothing was completely worn out, the fraternity had
to collect money and buy a new piece, without this ever being put into account or be¬
ing returned.
Kant was not given to drinking or fighting, both of which were common
among the students at an eighteenth-century German university.^13 He
does not appear to have taken part in any of the spoofs that the students
engaged in. Thus he did not take part in the so-called Pantoffelparade in
which the students, lining the exit of the churches in Königsberg, osten¬
tatiously looked over and critically evaluated the young ladies as they were