The Ties That Bind: George Peabody Establishes Medal for Outstanding Students

George Peabody created a fund to be used for prizes and medals for pupils at the two high schools located in the area of his birth: Holten High School in Danvers and Peabody High School in South Danvers (now Peabody).

In 1850, when the town of Danvers voted to create its first high school, it was decided that there should be two high schools – one in Danvers proper and one in the south parish of Danvers (the future South Danvers/Peabody). Students spent half the year attending class at the Danvers school and half the year at the school on the upper floor of the Town Hall on Stevens Street.

In addition to his initial gift of $2,000, George Peabody pledged $200 annually
to award scholars with prizes. The School Committee of the Holten and Peabody High Schools of Danvers received the following letter in 1853:

“GENTLEMEN: - In acknowledging the compliment paid me by giving my name to
the High School of the South Parish, in Danvers, it is my wish to confer on the
schools, over which your preside, some more substantial benefit than appertains
to a name.

My first thought was to make a small gift to the school which bears my name,
but I understand that the gentlemen composing the Committee selected by the
town, are equally connected with both schools, and I have, therefore,
determined that the pupils of both shall alike participate in the benefit of my
humble offering...

I would also suggest that the number, and consequently the value of the
prizes be not determined until after the examination, as the number of
deserving pupils will doubtless greatly vary, and if the number of prizes be
not a limited one, the meritorious candidate may feel that however large the
number of competitors, a prize is within the reach of each one.”

The first Peabody Medal was awarded in 1855 to 13 girls and four boys from South Danvers, including two of the city’s school namesakes (Thomas Carroll and Samuel Brown), a future librarian of the Peabody Institute’s Sutton Room (Mary Floyd), and Peabody’s first female School Committee member (Mary Harrington). The other recipients were: Helene Aborn, Mary P. Burding, Mary J. Lowe, Mehitable Proctor, Elizabeth D. Crane, Elizabeth Tilton, Elizabeth Southwick, Elizabeth L. Evans, Emily H. Poole, Emily A. Lambert, Sarah A. E. Proctor, George A. Osborne and George S. Osborne.

The Danvers School Committee wrote: “It is hoped that each and all, thus favored, will feel a strong and sincere determination to have their subsequent deportment and standing in life such as will do them credit, and thus honor the Peabody Medal and the generous friend to whose liberality and thoughtfulness they are indebted for this act of encouragement. By habits of industry and perseverance, by acts of kindness, by manly and upright deportment, and by fidelity in all of life's relations and duties, they will best their appreciation of the gift and the giver."