# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S109
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES 109

8. Change from DC to AC Current

Since the erection of our original buildings at Bronxville most
of our electric current has been provided by our own generating
plant. We now find that it would be advisable to purchase all
electric current from the Westchester Lighting Company for the
following reasons:

1, A new special rate of 2 cents per kilowatt hour has re-
cently been made available to us provided we purchase all current
from the Lighting Company. This would effect an annual saving
of approximately $1,500. ,

2. By the use of AC in place of our present DC current
a better service will be rendered to our faculty and students.
At present lighting for classrooms has often been unavailable when
needed, because our generators do not operate in the daytime.
Furthermore, there has been a variation in the quality of the
light from moment to moment.

3. The capacity of our boilers for heating purposes will be
increased by about 22 per cent if they are relieved of the light-
ing load..

We therefore petition Synod for permission to eliminate our
generating plant and convert from DC to AC current at a con-
version cost estimated to be from $6,000 to $8,500.

9. Conversion from Coal to Oil

Up to the present time, coal has been used as fuel for our
heating plant. An examination by engineers reveals that con-
version to oil as fuel will mean an annual saving of approximately
$2,500 in fuel costs and $3,000 in firemen’s wages, & total annual
saving of $5,500. Estimated cost of this conversion is between
$8,300 and $8,700, according to contractors’ figures. Assuming the
cost to be approximately $9,000, the saving of $5,500 a year repre-
sents a return of 60 per cent on the investment during the first year.
Our Board therefore petitions Synod to authorize this change from
coal to oil as fuel.

10. Sprinkler System for Bohm Hall

A matter of vital concern to Synod is the need of adequate fire
protection for the students at our schools. At Bronxville we have
a fireproof dormitory for our college men and a system of automatic
sprinklers in our girls’ dormitories. However, Bohm Hall, our
original dormitory, erected in 1910 and now filled to capacity with
127 high school boys, has no fire protection other than hoses on
each floor and a warning system. Our Board. believes these
measures are inadequate and therefore requests Synod for per-