New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-10
AGASSIZ'S ACADEMY.

! CIRCUMSTANCES or THE GITT or PENikHb-oh
scRrTroN or THE IsLAND--NErHoD or INSrRUc'
TON TO BIZ PURSUED a SCHOOL "ilHoo'
| BOOKS.
! lpRoN THE sPEcIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE IkBthb'
PENIKEsE, July THE gift of this island for
the purposes school Of natural history was 20 recep
that the circumstances attending It must yet De iresh ia
the memory OF readers Of THE TRIBUNE. Anything moro
than brief rcoapuatoD OF the facts viii Therefore
DO unnecessary In the early part OF March last Bo'
ton correspondent OF TIE TRIBUNE who Is now with tho
Yellowstone Expedition, gave for the rst time the De
tails Of project the part OF Prof Agassz for round
ing a school Of natural history at Nantucket At that
time app caton OF Prof Agasz State aid 20 the
Museum OF Comparative Zoology az Cambridge was he
fore the Massachusetts legislature aud the enterprises
Of that distinguished naturalist made the subject
Of extended comment THE TRIBUNE. which attracted
the attention Of Mr. John Anderson or SewYork, and
resulted IN his gift for the purposes OF science OF the
island OF Penkese, valued az 100000 and IN addition OF
$4,000 in money, found the school upon the island
Penikese-alsO written Penequese-s an island nearly
due south OF Bedford, distant from 1t about IS
miles, and contains about being three-1uarers
| OF mile in length and half mile n breadth At the
time its discovery in 1904 by Capt. Gosnod IT. az wen
as the adjoining islands OF the Elizabeth group appears
to have been well wooded but the fcw trees no" upon
it of recent planting. These islands are All teie
but OF il the soil naturally more productive than
/
present year has left it green covering About 10
sheep and sleek cattle give evidence Of ITS good
pastursge Vast ocs OF gulls have made III shores
their resort they and their nests having been protected
from guns and boys for many years. During all hours
Of daylight the voices OF these and other birds OIL the
air, aud tho tameness OF the gulls and swahOwsls
almost embarrassing TO the visitor VINO y apt to BE-
startled with their wbirrng wings within perhaps lew
inches OF his ears ADD TO these an extraordinary
abundance OF tOads and you have an inventory or
nearly all the animal life except human, on the island
St. Patrcs mission against snakes would here have been
unnece sssry though there IL said 10 be colony OF
these reptiles Nashawena, the next island To IN"
westward OF South American species. probably miro
duced there by the wrecng OF frutladen vessel upon
its shores Even Of the ordinary Insects-"s' beetles
butterflies aud moths, there is comparative scarcity
Upon this happy isle Prof. Agassz is undertaking. an
experiment Of far greater significance IN certain re-
spects than any opening Of educational institution
that has hitherto been attempted This school s 10 be
distinguished from all others as being the school without
books the school OF nature where pupils are o learn by
experiment and by direct handling and examination tue
intrinsic characteristics OF animal anatomy aud pyslo
Ogy The following extract from acireuar addressed DIV
Prof Agassz TO applicants for admission to ihe school
indicates these leading features;
must make hard work condition Of a continued con
nection with the School, and desire particularly 70 in
press 1t upon the applicants for admission, mat PeDke1
Island Is not 10 be regarded a. sunint resort oi ie
alton. do not propose 10 give much instruction IA MAJ
tiers which may be learned from books nor DO wl'h
books to be read during the summer session OF e st'
on Penikese Island want on the contrary 10 prepare
those who shall attend 70 o6serre t9r megse'.es tna'
they may be able TO make the most al ne op
porunlues for study IN nature ia NhaesII pr. " t,
country they may reside there are hardly two adon-
ing schoOdistrcts in which the same oOJects may 10
collected for examination.
II will no doubt appear TO manv, wearsome pro
sit for hours before specimen Without any 31
a very general direction what to do Wild D.. Nomu'
therefore, advise all those who wish ONLY 10 DC taug1l
natural history IN the way Ia which u - generaily
taught, by recltations to give up thelr Intention Vi
Nv plan will further imply the Obligation on the part
home aud use as basis Tor teaching OIner- the
propose 20 teach myself, with the assistance OF
many Of my scientific friends. My object iu adopting
this course is not only give what consider "a De the
best instruction, bat also 10 show how teaching shond
| be conducted by competent teachers.
The number OF applicants far exceeded the anticlpa
lions of Prof Agassz, and any possible means for ae
commodating them upon the plan projected They were
principally professors and teachers in normal aud hgh
schools and colleges and there is scarcely State In the
Union that is not represented among them But Prof.
Asassz decided that he could only take 50 students In
ALI: and for only % will accommodations be ready 10
morrow some three weeks at least being required
for the completion OF the building they "a occupy
For the difficulties OF building at Penikese are peculiar
and the work itself is unique. Considering tue dien
ties and the very brief period since Prof. Agssh came
into possession the island the that has beea
made under the direction OF the architect Mr. Robert H.
Slack of Boston, exceedingly credltabe. onehaf OF
the building which in fact will be double one,
connected by large lecture and dining hall, is
ready for occupancy The portion completed II
OF two stories long by Is wide ana az the other
half is TO be similar description will answer Tor
both The lower story is TO contain % aquar1ums ana
working tables one for each student; the upper story
the separate dormitories. Each student Is 70 have
charge and be responsible for his aquarium II he
does not show sufficient intelligence 10 keep his pond IN
order his paceor hers for there is considerable pro-
portion Of ladies among the applcants-~ll be for
feted.
The building already presents more remarkable arcm
tectural prominence than anything on the Islands IN
Buzzard's Bay. 1t rs ornamented with hooded gables,
which cover outside stairways at both eDds-thls ea
ture IN addition inside stairways Offering means Of
exit in case OF fire. Additional safety VIII be provided
I'm the matter OF fire by fresh water tanks overhead
these precautions being deemed necessary the IRE de-
partment Penkese is not otherwise strongly organ
led Everything had to be brought TO the island by sail
ing vessels aud those OF large draft cannot reach the
wharf The gorkmen OF all kinds that were brought to
the island had be specially housed aud provided for
in every respect The trip TO the island almost always
included some seasckuess the part OF the landsmen
employed and consequent difficulty IN procuring work
men, Labor Of more than usual skill Is required ia ~
ting building OF unusual character one % IT'S pecnl-
artes being system OF salt water hydraulics for sup
plying the aquarums In other respects there has been
vast amount OF detail for the boarding and
subsistence many people az distance from New
Bedford the OF supplies, and the results though
not all that could have been accomplished with longer
time will at least to demonstrate the feasibility OF
one OF the most extraordinary experiments IN education
that has ever been attempted.
The yacht spue, presented 70 the school by Mr.. C. W.
Galloupe OF vessel OF 30 tons and valued At
S}0OOO-has just arrived.
COUNTERFEIT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS
CINCINNATI July 9.-John W. Gregg, alias
John W. Young, made an attempt yesterday. 20 obtain
money from the POst-once here upon a counterfeit
order purportng 20 be from Oshkosh, Wisconsin He