Year: 1866




Mr.. George Peabody, on the occasion


of his visit to his native town, South


Danvers, Mass, Monday, addressed the


school children, who assembled to meet


him at the Peabody Institute. as follows:


Ny dear young friends: Nearly two


generations have passed away since l


left this, my native town, with probably


less education than even the youngest


among those / now address, and with no


prospects of future success in lite beyond


that of any boy before me who possesses


good health, industry and perseverance,


with heart and mind determined to


make pure principles his guide. My


course is well known, and l fear too


much appreciated by our whole country;


but praise, even but partially deserved,


tends to stimulate to extra exertion, both


physically and morally particularly the
young. and | hope and pray that every


one who is now within the sound of my


voice may experience, as / have, the
truth of these remarks, and deserve that
pride and satisfaction which are sure to
attend all those who eonscientiously
strive to do right and to benefit their
fellow men.


All of you, my young friends, should
aim at high mark in this respect, and
undoubtedly many OF your number of
both sexes, will arrive at distinction in
society, but neither my regard for truth
or past experience will justify me in
promising any one of you that great
success which has ever attended me-
Scarcely one in an age attains to it, and
l feel most sensibly that it is only by the
guidance and blessings of my Heavenly
Father from early life to my present ad-
vanced age, that / have been enabled to
accomplish SO much for the purpose of
laying the foundations for the physical
comforts of the needy, and the promo
tion of knowledge and morality for the
present and future generations. As you
advance in life you will find that years
will appear short in comparison to those
occupied by your studies at the present
time. This is my second visit to my
native land, for thirty years, and the
period appears brief to me- Time and
generations pass moss rapidly.


Ten years ago last week, on beauti
full autumnai day, addressed from the
front of this institute the scholars Of the
Danyers schools, numbering, l think,
over seventeen hundred, and then said i
to them: Il would bid you remember
that but few years will elapse before
you will occupy the same position toward
Your own children which your parents
now hold toward you. The training you s
are now receiving, therefore, is n pre-
cious talent, for the use or abuse of which
each one will, on future day. be called
upon to give an account" This language,
my young friends, wish'equally to ap-ss
ply to you now, as / then applied it to
them. Where is now that assemblage of
nearly two thousand. scholars? In this
short space of time doubt whether fifty
of them occupy the place of scholars
here to-day. Many of them have become
husbands and wives, and nearly all have
entered upon the duties, the cares a.e
the anxieties of more mature life You
have taken the place which they occupied
in 1855, and by the great cehtennid
celebration of the birth Of our glorious
Union, in 1876, they, your fathers,
mothers, brothers and sisters, will have
taken another step forward on the stage
OF life, and You will take the places they
now I'LL, Be prepared for. that import
ant change while your present high priv.
ieges OF learning remain open 10 you.


On the 9th Of October, 1855, did not
anticipate the pleasure Of being here It
this time. but God has graciously per-
mitted me living beyond the allotted
limit of three score years and ten, to re-