382 



8CIENCE. 



[Vol. IX., No. 220 



centennial celebration. The friends of the col- 

 lege are in hopes, that, now that these obstacles 

 to rapid development are made known, they may- 

 be speedily removed. 



A MOVEMENT HAS BEEN STARTED lo found a 



laboratory on the New England coast, where stu- 

 dents, teachers, and investigators may find facili- 

 ties for the pursuit of biology. It is now some years 

 since the brief episode of the Penikese laboratory, 

 which was founded by Mr. Anderson and intrusted 

 to Professor Agassiz. During the interval, sum- 

 mer schools of science have multiplied, and afew 

 of them have successfully maintained their modest 

 usefulness. Of these, one of the most prosperous 

 as well as most needed was the seaside laboratory 

 established at Annisquam, near Cape Ann, six 

 years ago, by the Woman's education association, 

 with the co-operation of the Boston society of 

 natural history. It has given instruction to no less 

 than 102 students, men and women from many 

 states, who were for the most part teachers. The 

 instruction has been almost wholly gratuitous, and 

 the equipment of the laboratory meagre ; but the 

 opportunities offered have been sought and prized. 

 As the association does not give permanent sup- 

 port to any of its enterprises, and as its committee 

 in charge of the laboratory was convinced of its 

 utility, they sent a circular letter to teachers of 

 science in different parts of the country, giving an 

 account of the work done, and asking for opinions 

 as to the need of such an institution. The letters 

 received were full and explicit, showing a deep 

 interest in the project of founding a seaside lab- 

 oratory of broader scope. The committee then 

 called a meeting, at which there was a large 

 attendance of naturalists, the majority being 

 officers of New England colleges. At this meet- 

 ing the discussion showed a unanimous approval 

 of the work begun at Annisquam and an emphatic 

 resolution to extend and perfect it. To execute 

 this resolution, a committee was appointed with 

 full powers to establish a laboratory on an im- 

 proved and permanent foundation. This com- 

 mittee, which consists of Prof. Alpheus Hyatt, 

 (chairman). Prof. S. F. Clarke, Mr. John Cum- 

 mings. Dr. W. G. Farlow, Prof. E. L. Mark, Miss 

 S. Minns, Dr. C. S. Minot, Prof. W. T. Sedgwick, 

 Mrs. C. C. Smith, Mr. B. H. Van Vleck, Mr. Sam- 

 uel Wells, and Miss A. D. Phillips (secretary), is 

 endeavoring to raise fifteen thousand dollars, half 

 the sum to be used for the land, building, and 

 equipment, the other half to be applied as a guar- 



anty fund for the expenses during five years. It 

 is to be hoped that all those will respond liberally 

 to this appeal, who are interested in improving 

 the methods of education and in contributing to 

 the advancement of science. Subscriptions may 

 be sent to any member of the committee, or to the 

 treasurer, Mr. Samuel Wells, 31 Pemberton Square, 

 Boston, Mass. 



The advantages of the prospective laboratory are 

 manifold. The demand for natural-history teach- 

 ing has rapidly increased in America. Colleges and 

 schools are seeking teachers competent to give in- 

 struction in botany and zoology ; but teachers have 

 difficulty in fitting themselves in these sciences, be- 

 cause they lack opportunity to obtain suitable train- 

 ing. An additional obstacle to the thorough and 

 practical study is, that many of the most impor- 

 tant tjpes of plants and animals are exclusively 

 marine, having no inland representatives. It is 

 impossible to give good biological instruction with- 

 out immediate familiarity with the principal types 

 of living organisms. The new laboratory is in- 

 tended to offer practical training in biology with 

 special reference to marine forms. It is hoped 

 that its work in this field will render it a valuable 

 factor in education. The laboratory will also 

 supply collections and materials for class-work to 

 schools and colleges. Advanced workers and 

 specialists will have facilities such as have not 

 existed in this country hitherto, although they 

 have been available in the different biological 

 laboratories sustained by Germany, France, 

 Austria, Italy, England, Scotland, Holland, 

 Sweden, and Eussia. The inestimable benefits 

 which have ensued from the discoveries of 

 biologists, and the profound influence of their 

 science upon modem thought, fully justify the 

 attempt to found a laboratory for biological in- 

 vestigation. The experience of the marine stations 

 in Europe, of the summer school at Annisquam, 

 Mass., referred to above, and of the more southern 

 laboratory of the Johns Hopkins university, have 

 established beyond dispute the great value to edu- 

 cation and to science of such institutions. The 

 proposed plan of the laboratory, which will be 

 opened this summer if the necessary means are 

 obtained, may be briefly described so far as settled. 

 The management will he intrusted to the follow- 

 ing board of trustees : Prof. W. G. Farlow, Miss 

 Florence M. Gushing, Prof. Alpheus Hyatt. Dr. 

 Charles S. Minot, Miss Susanna Minns, Prof. 

 William T. Sedgwick, Samuel Wells, Esq. It is 



