From Cotton Mather's "Upon the Good Education of Children"

Sirs!

A Little Book to assist, The Education of Children, is now in your Hands. But can they be well Educated, if their Parents never send them to SCHOOL? This is a point that seems now to call for some Inculcation…. You will therefore pardon my Freedom with you, if I Address you, in the words of Luther:

"If ever there be any Considerable Blow given to the Devil's Kingdom, it must be, by Youth Excellently Educated. It is a serious Thing, a weighty Thing, and a thing that hath much of the Interest of Christ, and of Christianity in it, that Youth be well-trained up, and that Schools, and School-Masters be maintained. Learning is an unwelcome guest to the Devil, and therefore he would fain starve it out."

But we shall never long retain the Gospel, without the help of Learning. And if we should have no Regard unto religion, even the outward prosperity of a people, in this World would necessarily require Schools and Learned. Alas, that none are carried with Alacrity and Seriousness to take care for the Education of Youth and to Help the World with Eminent and Able men."

But the Freedom with which this Address is made unto you, is not so great as the Fervour that has animated it. My Fathers and Brethren, If you have any Love to God and Christ and Posterity; let [Godly] Schools be more Encouraged. ..

"Upon the Good Education of Children," by Cotton Mather (1708).