THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL. 35 



"even though another questioning circular should 

 reach you shortly." 



During the early part of the winter of 1872, Prof- 

 essor Agassiz had contemplated opening a school, of 

 similar character to that which Penikese proved to be, 

 on the Island of Nantucket or some point upon the 

 mainland, perhaps at Wood's Hole. He had even 

 printed a circular which advertised a "Course of In- 

 struction in Natural History, to be delivered by the 

 seaside, in Nantucket, during the summer months, 

 chiefly designed for teachers who propose to intro- 

 duce the Study into their Schools, and for Students 

 preparing to become Teachers." He had selected 

 his corps of instructors and lecturers, and assigned 

 them the branches which he wished them and which 

 he saw they were most fitted to teach: It contained 

 the names of N. S. SHALER, COUNT L. F. de POUR- 

 TALES, DR. H. A. HAGEN, A. S. PACKARD, F. W. 

 PUTNAM, J. A. ALLEN, SPENCER F. BAIRD, THEODORE 

 LYMAN and many others. By the donation of Mr. 

 Anderson, the location of the school was now defin- 

 itely settled; and the work pushed forward with the 

 greatest vigor. It ^vas this same advertisement, in 

 substance, that was sent to the pupils and friends of 

 Penikese. 



The work of preparing Penikese for the school to 

 be held there, was commenced on the 2Oth of April, 

 at which time a site for the buildings was selected 

 and a general plan of operations arranged. In show- 

 ing the dispatch with which Professor Agassiz con- 

 summated this as in fact he did all of his plans 

 his grand, culminating life work, a few words from 

 one of his reports says: "The plans were at once 

 completed, and by the i6th of May the contract was 

 made for the building. On the 28th of May the 

 timber arrived from Maine in New Bedford. There 

 the building was framed. On the 5th of June the 

 first cargo reached Penikese, and the first building 

 was raised on the i/j-th of June." We have seen, in 

 a previous chapter, how the school began upon the 



