_ 4 



the rudiments of knowledge, the former included 

 departments in Physics, Mechanics, Mining, Geo^ 

 logy, Architecture, Surveying, Chemistry, Botany, 

 / Zoology and Agriculture. It was the design of the 

 / Kaitakushi to engage foreign specialists as instruct- 

 ors. This comprehensive scheme of scientific edu- 

 j cation reminding one of a polytechnic institute 

 was, however, not carried out. Agriculture was 

 """ really added to the curriculum for the first time in 

 1874, while the rest of the sciences enumerated 

 above were never pursued to any extent. Most 

 of the young men, who had been sent abroad, and 

 who might have become teachers, came sadly short 

 of the general expectation. 



The introduction of Agriculture was an earnest 

 of the future development of the school into an 

 Agricultural College. Interesting as the task may 

 be, we can not follow in this place the career of the 

 Girls' School, which had also been opened in Tokyo 

 since October, 1872. Suffice it to remark that in the 

 year 1875 both schools were removed to Sapporo. 

 This town counting then a population of not more 

 than eight thousand, had been newly laid out in 

 regular squares after American fashion, and was to 

 be the capital of the Hokkaido. Sapporo is situat- 

 ed in a fertile plain of the valley of the Ishikari 

 River, a branch of which, the rushing stream named 

 the Toyohira, runs through the eastern portion of the 

 town, supplying it with all the needed water. West 

 of the town stretches an irregular mountain-chain, 

 Affording a pleasing break in the otherwise monoto- 

 nous scenery ; for on every other side the eye sweeps-' 

 over one wide expanse, unbroken for miles until it 



