# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S593
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

or]

al Ilinois District brought their refutation against the argu-
ts and conclusions presented in the Survey Report.

ince your Board has received no assurance that the refuta-
was given any favorable consideration, it has no alternative
Ht'to assume that the Committee for Higher Education in its report
Synod will recommend the closing of Springfield. We believe it
‘be our duty, therefore, as the representatives of Synod, elected
safeguard the interests of Synod and the Springfield seminary,
tiefly to point out the following:

4’ Synod and the Springfield Concordia began life together. When
nod was organized in 1847, it asked that the institution, founded
1846, be transferred to its care. The request was granted. In
sthe very year of Synod’s establishment the institution became
€Synod’s property. Through all the years of its existence Synod has
joyed the blessing of this gift. Springfield is now accredited by
-State of Illinois as a teacher-training institution. The mere
upported statement “that Springfield has outlived its useful-
ess” does not warrant the destruction of such a source of blessing.
‘°° It is an admitted fact — admitted by those who seek to close
pringfield — that “the institution has served Synod faithfully and
ll; that its contribution to the life and work of Synod has been
otable; that, in spite of hindrances and handicaps, it has been
horoughly successful in its work.” We point out that it is indeed
trange process of reasoning which from these truths leads to the
clusion that therefore the institution must be closed. Since
en do notable accomplishments, faithful and exceptional serv-

xtinction?

‘Tt is an admitted fact-— admitted by those who propose the
osing of Springfield —that the Springfield system represents a
égitimate trend in the training of men for service in the Church.
© one who has the best interests of the Church at heart wants to
ar the way into the ministry to the men whom Springfield serves.
The proponents of closing Springfield say that they are not ad-
yocating the elimination of the system, but merely the scrapping
the physical properties where this system has been operating
exclusively. Again we point out that before the system can be
sparated from the machinery which made that system possible all
ese years, there must be definite assurance that machinery to
ry it on successfully elsewhere is available. That definite as-

en tried along this line point to many problems which will re-
e.more than mere wishful thinking to solve.

:* For ninety-eight years Springfield has done blessed and suc-
sful work. Such a fount of blessing must not be stopped up

ce, successful achievement despite hindrances and handicaps, merit

ance is not forthcoming. In fact, the experiments which have'