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 fields, there are twenty-two mission stations in the home field, ever depending on the General Board, (as well as the district Boards organized in each of our conference districts) for support and encouragement. These are nearly all located in the larger cities of the United States and Canada.

Educational Standing with the Early Mennonites

Among the Mennonites of the first generation of those who reached America, numbers of them had the benefit of good educational training before they left the Fatherland. This fact is verified by the kind of books they brought with them and carefully read when reaching this country. The ability to produce others after their arrival here is another evidence of their educational refinement and culture.

Wherever the pioneer located, originally in Pennsylvania and later in Maryland, Virginia and Canada, his books seem never to have been left behind, but were carried with him to whatever nook and corner of the New World he journeyed to find a home. Among these were usually the large quarto size Family Bible, the works of Dirck Philips, the large and comprehensive Martyr Book by Van Braght, Menno Simons' works, with also Psalm books, prayer books, and hymn books by different authors.

Children were taught to spell and later to read and write by the use of a speller and reading book combined. The German letters were first learned, both in print and script form. From these the slow