578 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



of Penikese and of the other islands constituting the group 

 between Buzzard's Bay and Vineyard Sound. 



THE PENIKESE SCHOOL. 



The public will be much gratified to learn that the lament- 

 ed death of Professor Agassiz will not prevent the continu- 

 ation of the school of natural history at Penikese Island, the 

 results of which during the season of 1873 proved to be of so 

 much educational importance. A circular from Mr. Alexan- 

 der Agassiz, in regard to this, states that two or three times 

 as many persons as can be accommodated have already ap- 

 plied to be received during the coming summer, and that 

 great interest is manifested to prosecute the study of nature 

 under the eminent specialists who have been called to assist 

 in the enterprise. 



The necessity of a permanent endowment is very justly set 

 forth by Mr. Agassiz, and especially the importance of means 

 for paying for the services of specialists invited to officiate 

 as instructors. During the first season the services of gen- 

 tlemen eminent in science were offered without charoe, on 

 account of their affection for Professor Agassiz; many of 

 them, indeed, having been his former pupils. But, as Mr. 

 Agassiz remarks, this can not with propriety be counted 

 upon hereafter, and some endowment must be devised out 

 of which to pay such salaries and meet other necessary ex- 

 penses. He therefore suggests that provision be made by 

 the Legislatures of the several states for the endowment of 

 scholarships, either by the actual payment of the sum of 

 $5000 or an annual grant of $350. The payment of this 

 sum on the part of any state would entitle it to nomi- 

 nate two teachers for admission during the summer to the 

 Penikese school ; the selection to be made from among those 

 most apt in natural history. Considering the scarcity of ef- 

 ficient teachers of natural history, and its rising interest and 

 importance as an element in education, this amount is cer- 

 tainly very trifling in comparison with the result to be ac- 

 complished. 



No charge is made to the students of this school for tuition. 

 It is estimated that the board will amount to between eight 

 and nine dollars per week, and the sum often dollars will be 

 assessed for the expense of attendance on rooms and other 



