Rev. Thos. Baker

My dearest Grandpa

[First sentence illegible] shall perhaps[?] from you any further suggestions on this matter. [??] thought and [?]there [???] to make by your estimation. [?] should it not be much to Willie's advantage for several reasons to be permitted to [?] the remaining half even if his school days in attendance at the central school [free?] [?] few of these reasons, which appear to me to be visibly exceeding [?] I will beg before you. If he were wise there are many [?] which I would without [?] upon myself partly devote to assisting him, and every other day at last I should be able to insure as to what he was doing at school which I am sure I can safely say that his Uncle John has not devoted two hours to assisting him in his studies in as many year, indeed for a farmer with his large family and hearing difficulties it could not reasonably be supposed that he would. Minnie being much his senior could exercise considerable control over him during my absence in the way of seeing that he studied instead of running about during his mornings and evenings. At Uncle Johns, Lottie is too near his own age and Aunt [Julia?] perhaps thrown ill health is too [indifferent?] to pay much attention to her own children let alone to him. [Fred?] Puckridge who it was supposed was going to be a companion for Willie in attending this school at a distance of about two miles to which they were lately sent for the mutual benefit of both as it was said, had when I was there last, quit the school entirely and was working for a neighbouring farmer under such circumstances. Willie has not much of an example for diligence in study you will agree. Further, the town and city schools are undoubtedly very much better for a pupil at his age (even wether [sic] they are far advanced or not) than a country school can be, which in many cases to my own knowledge dwindles down almost to an A.B.C. class in the busy times. I walked from Paris station to Uncle John's to talk with Willie about improving this, his last chance to obtain a little learning and he gave me an earnest promise that he would be dutiful and diligent if he came to London [??] better that a few months[???] the rest off and make him almost more at ease and be the subject ridicule of the other boys of the [school?] in which he is apprenticed.

I am sure you will be aware that at present pairs of [?] primarily interested in advising you [?] for though it is undoubtedly a [?] transaction for Uncle [to do?] it could not be as [?] but we should be [most?] willling to do the best we could [??] the same terms though [?] understandable for him [???] hardships [won?] and trifle more, I only offer this for your consideration [???] to be spoken of as instrumental in trying to make a change as it might cause [???] Uncle John and I. Please excuse great haste from your affectionate Grandson ( we hope Grama is better)

John P. Baker