New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-12

y scHooI-HisroRY OF THESE INSTITUTIONS.
The school at Pcnkese. which attracted so much
attention during the last year Of the life OF AgassS
and which was discontinued year after his
death. was not the last of the Summer
SCHOOLS of America. An account OF the history OF
these institutions in this country Is gwen
below, from which it appears that they
have been large in number and varied
in purpose. This year there will be
an addition to the number. Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity will establish seaside laboratory somewhere
on the shores of Chesapeake Bay or on the coast OF
Virginia.
A LARGE GROWTH FROM A SMALL GERM.
rRoBrssoR AeAssIZ's PEEIKEsE EXPERIMENT AND
IRIS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sTATioNsIS EUROPE
AND AMERrCA-THE VILLA REALE AND THE
CHESAPEAKE MARINE LABoRATORIES-A GREAT
WORK FOR SCIENCE.
The Summer-school idea originated, so far
a. America IA concerned, at Harvard University. One
member OF tts scientie STAFF, Professor N. b. shaer,
TO another Professor Louis AgassE the ee
tabishment and maintenance during the summer Vhca
ton of seaside laboratory at Nantucket for tho Den
eft alike of university students and Of teachers of sci
enee In secondary schools. The idea lifted 80 well
with tho views Professor AgassZ in regard to methods
OF study the training of teachers of natural science
that ut set about it's fuldment me generous
interest OF MIR, john Anderson, Of New-1Ork was so
stimulated by THE TRIBUNE's account OF PROFESSOR
Agassizs plans and DESIRES that the latter In April
1873 found hmself in possession OF $4,000 ana Peni
kese Island in Buzzqrds Bay, with which to embody
his aims The Anderson School OF Natural History was
opened at Penkese July g. 1878. OF the $50 applicants
only SO could be received and OF these ~ were teacu
ers third OF them ladies' and ten OF lnen were
Young men preparing for scientific career Seconded
by an able corps of assistants including, from among MS
old pups Professors Morse Packard and Wilder, ITO
and proved Summer schools to be desirable,
but at the same time dangerous. 1ney
are desirable and beneficial In that they
furnish otherwise unattainable opportunities ana
means for the acquisition OF real knowledge and OF clear
ideas in regard the fundamental phenomena OF ma
tural sciences they are dangerous In that they oner
strong temptations enthusiastic but often tagged ana
faded teachers and students to work under or up 10
tension which may prove breaking strain Inc cure
aud labor of the session doubtless shortened the great
naturast's life During the session Professor Agassz
wrote to Dr. Dohrn, of Naples, Next year physical
chemical, and physiological laboratories will be con-
srueted" That next came, for on December
49, 1873 Louis Agassiz died. The school lived 10 hold
second session In 1874, but never third
The Penikese germ has developed along many lines.
Harvard has had Summer school OF Geology, under
Professor shalers direction. in connection with Ken
lucky Geological Survey since 1878 In that year Pro-
fessor Wilder OF Cornell mad Summer school OF Geo
logy Illinois and similar school was held IN Cleve-
land As early 1875 Harvard opened It's summer
courses, for teachers. In Botany and Chemistry. Dr.
L. sauyeurt summer school of languages reached last
year fourth session Professor A g. Packards Salem
school OF Zoology is three -four years old Professor
Jordan. of Indianapolis. at tho head of Perpateue
school of Natural Science wandrs widely In this or
other countries every Summer and excursion trips ut
and by grades, into all regions Of oloGv
and culture have organized for the Summer idleTs
ut Martha's Vineyard and Chautauqua Lake. The most
obvious aud direct results OF the Penikese experiment
are seen the spreading and popuarizDg oil Summer
science the directions above indicated; but In mar
rover field and chiefly OF interest to strictly scicn-
tfc men, influence may be detected. Several Of the
promising of the American biologists were
students at Penikese T1e data not at hand for
complete enumeration OF them or their original contri
buttons science; Is safe that leaving ont
of account the work of the AgassE and OF Dr.
Leidy the most considerable and Creditabe additions
made within the last five to emoryoiogy III Amer
lea have been made by men who among Agassiz's
last students Cambridge and Penikese. Few, II any,
them hold his doctrines regarding classification and
development; but they are at work according TO
methods which he taught and In his favOrte fields OF
study OF this little knot OF workers. two are connected
with the Museum Comparative Zoology at Cambridge
two taken the highest degree given at Harvard
that Doctor Scence three Others have gained the
Ph. D. degree-twO at Harvard, the other at Lepsc;
three have, since Agssszs death, worked In the best
German laboratories: three hold PROFESSIONAL chairs in
yersy another at the Johns Hopkins University. and
the third at University of Toxic in Japan and two
have organized Summer schools q their own.
Ii lie easy to the influence Of the Penkese
experimen-failure, some call it=-wnen we consider
that the since the Anderson School ceased
IN be at least six who were pupils there have
milton scientific naturasts. and that eight Of ASas
slzs students who were associated with him either as
Instructors pupils at Penikese have organized or
assisted In the management OF six different summer
schools OF science.
CARL vOGT AND HIS PLANS.
Blu. Agassiz had pupils In Europe before he was
known in America; and Of them. Carl YOgt was
among the first to recommend the establishment OF sea-
side geological stations only for the purpose OF for
ypring original research, but also and especially Tor
the teachers OF natural science for secondary
schools AS early 1947 he participated with Milne
Edwards the famous French BIOLOGIST, organizing
expedition to investigate coral island and to establish
UPON Ii station 20 be occupied Tor several years
The ship and station should be furnished, he says
"wth all possible things especially for dredging work.
The scheme fell to pieces owing to questions Of ei
auette. The 0Ommandern.ohiof of manOf-war IN the
ROYAL Navy would not submit the direction OF nat
uralis To the year 1852 he utterly failed In his efforts
to establish q station at Villa Frauca. In 1858 his
friend Matteucci Minister OF Public Instruction
An the Kingdom Of Italy. Matteuoci physicist
who dealt chiefly with physiological subjects. 1t
hin idea TO appoint foreign, and especially German. sol
enfino men to many of the professorships in the
Italan universities VOgt worked ont a
project for the erection OF Biological
station at Naples which he thought the most suitable
place IN all italy "The Casino Reae. at CamOnte
TO transformed and fitted up Tor such purpose, and
little steam yacht for dredging DO placed at the
disposal Of station The latter was. in the
time intended for OF school, connected with the
system Of public instruction to form teachers OF natural
history for the whole kingdom. The plan was COM
pletey worked out anc adopted by Matteucoi and
era others among the first scientific men OF Italy.
FippO de Fnipp especially did everything be could to
brng into play and talked about It, as he told me- with
: King Victor Emanuel during q hunting party. Mat
teucci afterwards left the Ministry Fiippt and he