The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-13
LOUIS AGAss1z, TEACHER.
A Fund being Raised for the Asassiz Museum.

q Z una Delng RAISED LOT the Agassiz Museum.
Louis Agassiz, teacher" was the sim
pie heading of the will of this great schol-
ar and scientist. In his life he commenced |
the collection and preparation of Museum
of comparative zoology which should rival
the celebrated collections of the Old World |
and be an open school to all the teachers |
of the land And now that he is dead and |
gone those who hold his memory in rever-
ence and desire to perpetuate his great and
good deeds in the cause of learning and
science propose to make this Museum his
perpetual monument, and they ask that
the teachers and pupils of all the schools
I'D the land take part in this memorial, and
that on the birthday Of Agassiz, the 28th
day of May, 1874, they shall each contrib
ute something, however small, to the Teach
ers' and Pupils Memorial Fund, in honor
OF Louis Agassiz the fund to be kept sep-
arate, and the income to be applied to the
expenses of tie Museum.
The Hon Newton Bateman, our State
Sup't of Public instruction, has issued to
tie teachers, pupils and people of this
State a lengthy and eloquent circular on
this subject, in which he says:
The Museum is not only collection of
natural objects, the largest and choicest on
this continent, if not in the world; it is
also an organized school of natural history,
open to all the teachers of the land, and
the income from the proposed fund is to
enlarge, perfect and carry on that school,
and so, to multiply and diffuse its benefits
more and more widely in all the States
awakening throughout the country strong
and genuine interest in natural science, and
giving an intelligent direction to that inter-
est, through the ever increasing numbers
of picked men and women who shall there
be trained and qualified for the work Of in
struction.
Not dollar of this memorial fund will
be diverted from its sacred purpose or
used in the prosecution of any merely ten
tatiye schemes. The work is already be-
yond the domain of experiment and theo-
ry. Its illustrious founder has left on rec
ord, in detail, his plans and wishes for the
comprehensive development and final con-
summation of his own conceptions. Those
plans are in the hands of the worthy son
what more could be said in his honor p
of the great naturalist, and distinguished
few of his intimate personal friends, who
will see that they are carried out with all
completeness and fidelity. No visionary
institution now invites our confidence and
cooperation, but one as pronounced and
definite, as stable and sure as Harvard
University itself.
As Agassiz belonged to no one city,
State or country, but to the whole repub-
tlic Of science and letters, so, most fifty,
this memorial is commended to scholars
and teachers of both sides of the ocean
But here was his home, here most of his
mighty works were done, here for a quar-
ter of century he lived and taught, here
he died and with US will be his sepulchre
forever. To us of the United States be-
longs therefore, of right, the post of honor
in this enterprise. No appeal in behalf
of good cause ever had a more
distinguished heralding. The head
of the National Bureau of Education, and
Of the Smithsonian Institution, join with
the very elect of our country's scholars,
teachers, superintendent, men of science
and citizens Of culture, in nearly all the
States from sea to sea, in commentator OF
this object.
The teachers and pupils of Illinois are
invited to participate in this work of love
and gratitude for one whose toll began be.
fore the oldest scholar now in any schoo
was born, and whose silent influence has
been potential in securing some of oul
latest and best school legislation. That
the response will be liberal and enthusias-
tic, | know the State and her grand army
of teachers too well to doubt On Thurs
I. day. then, May %, 1874, the anniversary
of his birthday. let every teacher and
pupil, in every University, College, Acad
: envy, High School, Normal School, Graded
| School and District School, public and pri
: vate, in this whole Commonwealth. lay al
. offering, no matter how small, upon the
grave Of Louis Agassiz
e Each teacher is requested to explain The
matter fully to his school, and then leave
the question of giving, and the amount, tt
be decided by each pupil for himself. N
one shonld be urged-none but voluntary
S gifts are wanted 1t is suggested that the
Il amount contributed by each schoo
: in the country be forwarded in on,
:. sum, and in like manner that tn,
several amounts given by tn
schools in cities and villages be aggregated
and forwarded by one remittance. Par
e ticular attention is invited to the reques
J, OF Mr.. Barnard in respect to the exact ad
n dress, ETC., of each school, so that due &C
acknowledgement may be made.
AL remittGRceS should be addressed t
e James NJ. Barnard, Treasurer, Room 4
d 3 Exchange street, Boston, Mass
NEWTON BATEMAN.