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both sexes, averaging over eighteen years of age. 

 Among his corps of assistants were the noted 

 teachers, Charles C. Burnett, and John M. Manning, 

 both graduates of Brown. A new building was 

 erected and again and again enlarged, partly at the 

 Principal's expense. Distinguished divines were 

 invited to address the Society for Missionary Inquiry, 

 and distinguished orators and poets the Literary 

 Debating Society. Crowds of alumni and friends 

 attended the annual graduating exercises similar to a 

 college commencement, making the town joyous as 

 on a festive occasion. In 1858 occurred the semi- 

 centennial of the Academy, and it was made a 

 Jubilee Celebration, Hon. Benjamin F. Hallet, an 

 alumnus, giving the oration, George C. Burgess 

 the poem, and Mr. Jenks the historical address. 

 The year following he spent five months in travel 

 abroad, visiting the principal cities and places of 

 interest, and delighting in the great Cabinets and 

 Museums, to which a letter of introduction from Pro- 

 fessor Agassiz proved an open sesame. During the 

 Civil War many of his pupils enlisted, and the 

 School, like all other institutions of learning, felt the 

 depressing effects of domestic strife. Afterwards 

 high schools and normal schools, established and 

 maintained at the expense of the State, took the 

 place of academies, and private schools one after 

 another ceased to exist. Notwithstanding all this 

 Peirce Academy continued to flourish until the year 

 1 87 1, when the Principal, having completed his 



