# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S661
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 77

subsidy without becoming guilty of wrongdoing. However, we
int to the following facts which might well give pause:

- a. The State has the right at any time to exercise the control
the expenditures of tax money;

‘hb. The State has a right at any time to withdraw its subsidy.
In either case disastrous results may follow. If the State
Ould suddenly demand the right to direct, control, and supervise
@ expenditures of tax money, our Church will be forced to forfeit
further support for reasons stated above, and the result would
9e the same as if the State would have withdrawn its subsidy.
congregations, having expanded their school system under
ite aid, may suddenly find themselves unable to carry on upon
withdrawal of state funds. This has in the early history of our
untry caused the collapse of church schools in some sections
the country.

The argument that the State is not being asked to subsidize
the religious teaching of sectarian schools, but only the teaching
of the secular branches is specious and invalid, for all teaching in
church schools—also the teaching of the secular branches —
becomes a part of the teaching program (curriculum, teaching,
‘and philosophy of education of the Church). Secular branches
“are taught in the light of the religious tenets of the Church.
Because it is most unwise for the Church to accept such sub-
<idy for its teaching program, even though the right to control has
been waived by the State, we as citizens should not agitate for
State support but oppose the granting of State funds for sec-
rian’ use.

Miscellaneous

A separate subcommittee was appointed by your Board to
“study the question of religious education in state- supported schools.
-This committee has not completed its findings and is not ready to
report at this time.
Synod in 1941 authorized and instructed your Board to compose
-a comprehensive treatise of the Lutheran point of view in educa-
tion to be presented by competent authorities in this field and to
-be published by your Board. While the study of this subject has
«# been begun by a committee and by members of the office, no report
can be made at this time. The very nature of the topic will require
continued and extensive study before a treatise can be published.
We respectfully call attention to the fact that the resolution
.of 1938 and 1941 to appropriate $1,000 per annum for research in
“the field of elementary Christian education was not carried out
because the money was not made available.

F. E. Mayer, Chairman
H. A. Dirrmar, Secretary