for all Kemerers with a teacher in the family and/or a family member named Melanchthon. >From Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary. copyright 1995. Melanchthon, Philipp. Orig. surname Schwartzert 1497-1560. German scholar and religious reformer. Influenced by Rudolf Agricola, William of Ockham; first professor of Greek (1518), Wittenberg, where he met and joined with Luther; at Luther's urging published 'Loci communes rerum theologicarum' (1521), first great Protestant treatise on dogmatic theology. Noted for vast learning, skill in dialectics, and exegesis, and a moderation that tempered Luther's vehemence. Wrote 'Unterricht der Visitatoren' (1527), guidelines for governance of churches and schools that were enacted (1528) in Saxony, creating FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OF MODERN TIMES; (emphasis mine - JWD) trained teachers, wrote textbooks, helped found universities of Konigsberg, Jena, Marburg. Drafted the Augsburg Confession (1530) and Apology of the Confession of Augsburg (1531), both of which became authoritative statements of Lutheran faith. Forced to flee Wittenberg (1548) but invited by Maurice of Saxony to return and reorganize university. Rejected Augsburg Interin (1548). Sought consistently to reconcile Protestantism with roman Catholicism and thus attain Christian unity.