OCCASION FOR WRITING
THIS LITTLE BOOK
Friend Dielman Kolb:
The thought has frequently occurred to me, gone and returned, that you should (if you have the time in the future) some time write down for me the art and method employed in keeping school by our friend Dock. How he receives the children into school. How he manages various children in different ways. How he treats them kindly and lovingly that they both fear and love him. That they love one another. Also of their letter-writing. How he trains them to maintain silence. How he uses shame as an incentive to teach diligence. Also how he draws childlike pictures for them to practice. In fine, I should like to have you describe it to me briefly or at length, in such a manner that if he should depart this life we could give a just description of him, partly for the glory of God and partly for the instruction of other schoolmasters and of their successors, how it is possible to educate the youth. This I think would be well worth printing, during his life-time if he be willing, or afterward. At least I should like to send it to Germany if he should be unwilling to see it printed during his life. I consider it important, for it is desirable to know how to instruct children in letters and religion. While you could not use your pen I have gladly excused you, but now you have no such excuse as
