Mr. Reis died
before his son was ten years old; but his grandmother and guardians
afterwards placed him at Garnier's Institute, in Friedrichsdorf, where
he showed a taste for languages, and acquired both French and English,
as well as a stock of miscellaneous information from the library. At
the end of his fourteenth year he passed to Hassel's Institute, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, where he picked up Latin and Italian. A love of
science now began to show itself, and his guardians were recommended to
send him to the Polytechnic School of Carlsruhe ; but one of them, his
uncle, wished him to become a merchant, and on March 1, 1850, Reis was
apprenticed to the colour trade in the establishment of Mr. J. F
Beyerbach, of Frankfort, against his own will. He told his uncle that
he would learn the business chosen for him, but should continue his
proper studies by-and-by.
By diligent service he won the esteem of Mr. Beyerbach, and devoted his
leisure to self-improvement, taking private lessons in mathematics and
physics, and attending the lectures of Professor R. Bottger on mechanics
at the Trade School. When his apprenticeship ended he attended the
Institute of Dr. Poppe, in Frankfort, and as neither history nor
geography was taught there, several of the students agreed to instruct
each other in these subjects.
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