# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S62
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

62 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

greetings and congratulations. Monday, June 3, was set aside as
Alumni Day.

The Springfield Seminary and the Missouri Synod have been
joined with one another for the past one hundred years. When
Synod was orgarlized in 1847, it asked that the Seminary, founded
the year before, be transferred to its care. The request was granted.
In the very year of Synod’s organization the Seminary became
Synod’s property, and, officially at least, the first institution for
the education and training of Synod’s future pastors.

A detailed history of the Seminary, with many illustrations,
and a roster of the officials, faculty members, and graduates, had
been prepared for the celebration by Professor W. A. Baepler.

The heavenly Father’s grace and blessing has rested upon the
Springfield Seminary throughout these one hundred years. By
that grace, in spite of many vicissitudes and difficulties, it has
constantly and continuously been a source of blessing to the Church,
and we pray that it may continue in blessed and fruitful service
for many more years to come.

Faculty

Changes have again taken place in our faculty. In June of
1945, after nine years of service to the Seminary, Dr. H. B. Hem-
meter retired from the presidency. He was succeeded by the Rev.
G. Chr. Barth of Cincinnati, Ohio, who assumed the office in
December of 1945. In the interim Dr. R. Neitzel served as acting
president.

Pursuant to Synod’s resolution which makes it mandatory upon
the Board of Control to take action when professors reach the
‘retirement age of 70 years, the Board placed Dr. R. Neitzel upon
the “honorably retired” list. After obtaining the consent of the
Board of Electors for the Seminary, the Board engaged Dr. Neitzel
for part-time service, to continue as the Lord gave him strength
and energy.

Since the retirement of Dr. Neitzel created a vacancy in the
faculty, the Board of Directors granted the request of the local
board to issue a call for nominations for the chair of Homiletics
and Catechetics. From the list of candidates proposed the Board
of Electors chose the Rev. Mark J. Steege, S.T. M., of Readlyn,
Iowa. Rev. Steege accepted the call issued to him and was installed
as professor on February 16 of this year.

In addition to Graduate Paul Bretscher, the Rev. E. C. Pautsch
and the Rev. George Klein are serving as assistants.

The arrangement between the Finnish National Church and
our Synod, whereby the Finnish brethren make our Seminary the
center of their ministerial educational activity, continues, with the
Finnish students under the special supervision of Prof. Alex-
ander Monto.

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