23 



education is of inestimable value; and an institution 

 equipped for this special purpose, must either be 

 created anew or, better still, maintained if haply one 

 already exists. Should, however, the public, more 

 especally the Parliament fail to recognize the 

 worth of our alma mater, and make any encroach- 

 ment upon its appropriations, we must have where- 

 upon to fall back for the source of its revenue." At 

 this juncture it happened that, according to the 

 policy of the Hokkaido administration begun by 

 Governor Iwamura and continued by his successor 

 General Nagayama, many a factory and farm 

 originally started and for a time controlled by the 

 Government was given away or loaned to individuals 

 under certain specified conditions. The guiding 

 motive for this new departure was to encourage in- 

 dividual and private enterprise. Taking advantage 

 of this liberal policy, the Alumni Association applied 

 for the College Farm and an additional land. From 

 the moment the Association became possessed of 

 property, it assumed its present importance and 

 character. Till then from the time it was first or- 

 ganized on the return of Dr. Sato from America in 

 1886, it had been no more than an informal company 

 of young men, who were wont to meet together 

 occasionally for " social chats," to refresh their 

 memory of the merry careless days^they had spent 

 within the walls of the College or on the campus, to 



" remember all that one 



Could wish to hold in recollection ; 



The boys, the joys, the noise, the fun, 

 But not a single Conic Section." 



Indeed, how genial the very name of "Common 



