From Paris to the Swabian capital

On reform course: The Vocational School beats the university

As the senior teacher at the Vocational School, Fehling's title and position placed him on a par with a professor at a grammar school. He was obliged to teach 20 hours a week, considerably more than a professor today. However, his duties did not include scientific research - that he carried out in his free time purely out of interest.

As a pupil of Liebig, Fehling was in favour of students undergoing thorough practical laboratory-based training. The main focus of his work in his first years was thus to establish a suitable laboratory and to work on his lecture notes. Practical chemistry work was not introduced at the Württemberg state university in Tübingen until several years later - the Vocational School thus had a clear lead as far as reforming training was concerned.