# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S448
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Table 6

TOTAL PRETHEOLOGICAL ENROLLMENT AT
‘PREPARATORY COLLEGES aa

1943-44 ... 1983-34 .....!...
1942-43 . 1932-33
1941-42 . 1931-32
1940-41 1930-31
1939-40 1929-30
1938-39 1928-2
1937-38 1927-2
1936-37 1926-27

, 1935-36 1925-26
1934-35 1924-25

Current Capacity of Institutions .
What relationship exists between the estimated optimum en

ment of 1,000 and the actual plant capacities at the preparato:
institutions?

It might be surmised that if the system could accommodate
tween 1,400 and 1,500 students in 1927, it would have a capacity.
"no smaller than this amount, assuming that no changes in -capaciti 5
had occurred since that time. As a matter of fact, dining hall and’
classroom accémmodations are ample for more than 2,000 studen
' Dormitory accommodations are provided for 1,300 to 1,500.
additional 100 day students are ordinarily present at these prepari
tory schools. The system thus can accommodate 1,400-1,600 student Re
without the need for additional dormitory facilities. This repré-
sents excess plant capacity of about 40-60 per cent. It should. b
said that not all of this Space is vacant at the present time. Numerou:
non-theological students are in attendance at some of thesé schools

Are Many Small Schools Desirable or Necessary?

The preceding figures clearly indicate that. the present capacity. of:
our institutions is too large for Synod’s work of pretheological tra

ing. If this argument alone were adduced, Synod might decid ,

immediately that for purposes. of economy and efficiency the physi al? ;

educational system. For example, it will be necessary to inquire;
whether there are inherent advantages in a system of many smalf!
schools rather than of a few large ones. The historical developmse nt
of Synod’s educational system gives little indication of purposefu
planning for many small colleges. ‘The majority of the colleges we
founded by Districts or even individual pastors; Synod as a’ bodys@
‘founded only Concordia College, Austin, Tex., Concordia College, ibe
Edmonton, Alberta, and Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn. With thei
- years, the problems of the District colleges increased, and one. by 0
they were offered to Synod. . In acquiring them Synod app
quite aware of the danger of needless multiplication of educa
facilities, but transportation was poor, parents were reluctant to sé