quarrel. The children of the poor he taught as willingly without pay as he taught others for pay. Those who learned to write, he induced to correspond with one another. The pupils were required to show him the letters and he pointed out for them the places where improvements should be made. He also told them that this was no ordinary matter. For those who could not compose a letter, he set copies so that they might apply their minds to good thoughts for the improvement of their souls. He regarded it indifferently whether he received the tuition fees or not and did not treasure up for himself anything but a good name and a clear conscience.
“New-Comer. Such Schoolmasters are few in number, and here in the woods one must be satisfied if only they teach the children to read and write; and it is very deplorable that, during the winter in severe weather, young and tender children cannot well be sent to schools a great distance from home. In the summer time one needs the children at home to work, and here in the woods the schools are closed during the summer. I have often thought that this was a great need in this land and I know of no remedy to suggest.”
In 1738 Dock gave up his farm and returned to teaching. The remainder of his life, thirty-three years, he devoted to his pupils. He opened two schools, one in Skippack and one in Sallford. These he taught three days each alternately. He encouraged the pupils in each school to write letters to the pupils in the other school. These letters usually took the form of questions relating to some incident in the Bible. Dock acted as letter carrier between the schools. This was one of his devices to promote constructive language exercises by his pupils — a practice that has found many imitators.
Dock has given by indirection the only adequate picture of a colonial school. It is not difficult to
