# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S636
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

52 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

019] A New Library Building at River Forest

When Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, was dedicat
in 1913, the institution offered a teacher-training program of six
years to a student body of 188. At that time, space was provided
for shelving about 8,000 volumes in a student library and reference:
room, with seating space for thirty readers.

Today, with an enrollment of 430 students, the curriculum has;

been expanded to an eight-year program of teacher training. Duress
ing these years of expansion, Synod has granted additions to the.
Music Building, Dining Hall, Dormitories, and Administration?
Building. However, no provision has been made for adequate!
housing of a comprehensive collection of books and periodical:
vitally necessary for the educational program of today. At presé
the library has approximately 15,000 volumes, but this number
should increase very rapidly within the next several years, ©

The library’ is now located in three rooms and basement : of
the Administration Building. The reading room is the former
chemistry classroom (now located in the Music Building), and the
overcrowded stacks are in a small classroom and basement, Neither!
room is of fireproof construction. These scattered and inadequa
physical accommodations make it extremely difficult to furnish.
good library service for the proper training of Synod’s parochial#
school teachers. Dr. Russell of the University of Chicago state 4
the following in his report based on a careful study of our school’
“The library is at present inadequately housed. As soon as con :
ditions permit and financial resources are available, a new building=;
should be constructed for the library. This is the most urgentl
needed expansion of the institution’s plant facilities in the opinio
of the survey staff.... The deficiency in the library alone woul
probably be important enough to warrant the examiners for ‘th
North Central Association in recommending at this time agai
the accreditation of the institution.”

In its report to the Fort Wayne Convention, 1941, the Board
Higher Education recommended: “That the convention make av:
able the necessary funds, so that the minimum standard for sa
factory housing of library facilities and equipment may be esta
lished. Unfortunately your Board is not in a position to state or
recommend a definite sum for each institution without furth
detailed study as to minimum requirements at each instituti
Nevertheless it is urged that a resolution be adopted authori
the Fiscal Conference and the Board of Directors, upon the recom:
mendation of the Board for Higher Education, to grant the neces:
sary financial aid during the next triennium as to re-arranging anc

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