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us, one of us, and present to you, personally, in a pleasant form, that token of their feelings.

They chose this pitcher; on it is inscribed our wishes. May you pour from it, unto your latest life, the waters of sweet contentment, kind remembrance, and pure happiness. May it remain by you as the evidence of former days of usefulness and duty, not unremembered by us all, and gladden your eyes, and cheer your heart, with the perpetual good wishes of those young hearts who now beg you to accept it. It is their simple but heartfelt gift. Accept it from our innermost hearts.

Our assistants, my fellow-scholars, each and all of us, unite in wishing you, now and ever, the best of earthly and heavenly wishes; long may you live for usefulness, honor and happiness, and as we may never meet you again in our old relations, may we yet all meet in that grander hall of instruction, where the great Teacher can purify our souls with the light of all truth, and lead us in his ways of pleasantness and his paths of peace.

Mr. Cumston replied very appropriately, and the exercises closed with singing.

ON PRESENTATION OF A VASE AND FLOWERS,

AT WEST NEWTON.

At the third triennial convention of West Newton State Normal School, held July 26, 1848, after the "Salutation" from the Principal, Miss Sarah A. Clark, a member of the school, stepped forward, and made a presentation to him of a silver vase filled with flowers, in the following words:

MR. PEIRCE: The present members of the Normal School would offer you, in behalf of yourself and lady, this vase. We do not offer it for its beauty or value, but. simply because we love you, and wish to express our love to you. Take it, then, as a memorial of our deep and abiding sympathy; as a testimonial of our gratitude for your unceasing efforts to benefit us. And, above all, take it as a pledge that we will endeavor to profit by your instructions, that when you shall appear at the great gathering of souls, your crown may be wreathed with Normal blossoms, bright and pure as those now before you!

Mr. Peirce rose to receive it, and replied:

I accept the valued gift, my dear pupils, with deep-felt

gratitude and pleasure. My heart is too full now to utter You who know me will understand my feelings, even

more.

though I take it and say no more.

ON PRESENTATION OF A GOLD PENCIL,

AT DANVERS.

Mr. E. Valentine having taken his leave of District School No. 11, in Danvers, Mass., the scholars showed their appreciation of his services by presenting him with a beautiful chair and gold pencil. Master Walter Fairfield, on making the presentation of the pencil, addressed the teacher as follows:

MR. VALENTINE,-In behalf of a large portion of the lads, your late pupils, permit me to tender you this pencil, as a token of our warmest gratitude and respect for your character as a teacher, a friend, and a man. Let not our delinquencies, to which we have been quite too prone, obliterate from your recollection what little of good you may have discovered in us; but, unlike the records you shall make with the pencil, may it be engraven on the tablet of your memory in such a manner that distance or circumstance, nay, nothing save the finger of time, shall ever be able to erase it.

And as the last ray of the setting sun lingers upon the hilltops, leaving its warm and genial influences upon flower and herbage long after that luminary has sunk beneath the horizon, so, we trust, the hallowing influence of the choice lessons of wisdom imparted to us through your teachings, and the gentle spirit of kindness ever manifested towards us, shall linger with us while our being lasts, and be felt by posterity long after our sun of life shall have gone down forever.

The reply of Mr. Valentine was very nearly as follows:

Beloved pupils, I hardly know how to express my gratitude to you for this beautiful golden gift, whose office it will be hereafter to inscribe the thoughts as they flow from the inmost workings of the soul. How often I shall have occasion to recall your kindness! How often, as I record whatever may transpire in the future scenes of my life, shall I be reminded, by this noble gift, of the masters of District No. 11!

If, in past years, I have done aught that has rendered your

ascent up the hill of science easy, or done anything that has given your morals an onward course, receive it, beloved pupils, as coming from one whose pleasant duty it was to do all in his power to prepare you for future usefulness.

I say again, kind friends, receive my many thanks; and as the shades of darkness have fallen around us, and we are about to separate, - you to return to your several homes to go on preparing for future usefulness, — may we inscribe excelsior on our banners, and love on our hearts, hoping that we may have many pleasant meetings on earth, and at last may we meet in heaven.

ON PRESENTATION OF BOOKS,

AT WATERVILLE.

During the exercises of a collation, at the close of the fall term of the Waterville Liberal Institute, Nov. 12, 1847, Miss Sarah J. Goodale, on making a present of books to the Principal, thus addressed him :

DEAR TEACHER, — In behalf of the teachers' class of the Waterville Liberal Institute, with which you this day honorably close your arduous and very successful labors as Principal, I present you these beautiful volumes. They are presented in token of our high respect for you as a Christian and a scholar; and especially of our deep gratitude for your faithfulness and zeal in imparting instruction, and the affectionate solicitude with which you have ever regarded the highest well-being of all your pupils.

These Poems your excellent literary taste will perceive to be among the most gifted productions of the American mind; and this Holy Bible, whose great and glorious truths make wise unto salvation, this Book of all books, we know you

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will always suitably prize.

Please, then, on this parting occasion, accept our gifts, and keep them as mementos of the donors, who sincerely hope, though we should never more meet on earth, we may have the happiness of meeting at last in heaven, where the bond of friendship knows no separations, and the word farewell is never spoken.

On receiving the books, the Principal thus replied:

It is impossible for me to express adequately my feelings, on receiving such noble gifts as these, in token of the affec

tionate regards of my pupils. The unexpected honor the teachers' class has been pleased to do me on this occasion will constitute this scene one of those bright spots in life around which my memory will delight to linger. Both the intrinsic value of your presents, and the circumstances under which they are bestowed, call forth my most grateful acknowledgements.

These Poems, so beautiful in expression and excellent in sentiment, I shall ever delight to peruse; while this elegant Bible I shall esteem above price, and hereafter, as I shall go to its inspired pages for instruction, my enjoyment will be heightened by the most pleasant recollections of its donors.

Although we must separate, never more perhaps to meet on earth, we rejoice that we can do it with the kindest wishes for each others' welfare.

My young friends, take with you, on the voyage of life, truth and love. FOLLOW THE RIGHT, and God will never fail to give you his richest blessings.

ON PRESENTATION OF A GOLD RING AND WATCH

CHAIN,

AT SALEM.

A splendid gold ring and watch-chain were presented to Mr. Weston, Principal of the South Phillips School, Salem, Mass., on Saturday, Nov. 25, 1848, at the close of the morning session, by Benjamin S. Price, in behalf of the school. The following was his presentation speech:

MR. WESTON,The scholars of the South Phillips School have authorized me to request your acceptance of a gold ring, and also of a gold watch-chain.

I have, sir, great pleasure in performing this duty; and, in their behalf, beg leave to assure you that they offer them not for their intrinsic value, but as testimonials slight, but all that is in their power to offer, of the respect and affection which they entertain for you.

The ring has, in all ages, been considered as a pledge of affection; as such a pledge from grateful pupils, we offer it to you; - and may this chain be emblematical of that chain which we hope will bind the hearts of instructor and pupils in mutual love.

Mr. Weston returned his thanks by some very excellent remarks.

ADDRESS TO GENERAL TAYLOR,

AT NEW ORLEANS.

At an examination of the Girls' High School of the Second Municipality, Dec. 2d, 1848, the President elect, being in attendance by invitation, was presented to the assemblage by Recorder Baldwin, and afterwards addressed as follows, by Miss Perry, in behalf of her fellow-pupils :

I HAVE been deputed by my classmates, dear general, to express to you the pleasure we experience from a sense of the high honor conferred upon the school by a visit from the distinguished chieftain who has been elected by the votes of freemen to preside over the destinies of our great republic.

It is, indeed, a source of gratification, when one of our own citizens visits the school; but how much is that gratification augmented, when we receive as our guest one who has rendered both himself and his country illustrious by his brilliant military achievements, and who is now about to entwine the graceful olive with the laurels which already encircle his brow. We trust, moreover, that you feel and acknowledge the truth of the celebrated reply of Madam De Genlis, when asked by Napoleon how he could best serve the interests of France "By the education of her daughters." Pardon us, sir, for hoping that, under your auspices, at least one bureau may be established at the seat of government for the cause of education, upon which we have been taught the perpetuity of our institutions depends, so that a new civic flower may be wrought into the chaplet which you have earned upon the field of battle.

And when, in after years, we see your name associated with some of the most glorious deeds which have adorned the pages of our country's history, what delight and gratification will thrill our hearts, as memory brings back, among her choicest reminiscences, the hour you spent at the Girls' High School of the Second Municipality of New Orleans.

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