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Carolina Story: Virtual Museum of University History

George Peabody (1795-1869) and Peabody Hall

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Completed in 1913, this building has always housed the School of Education. The university named it for George Peabody, a philanthropist who supported public education in the South. Peabody was a dry goods merchant and banker who made his fortune in Baltimore and London. His donations set a pattern followed by businessmen Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Needing a facility for training teachers, President Francis Venable secured $40,000 from the Peabody Fund with the stipulation that the University donate $10,000 annually for its support.