# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S276
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

276. PARISH EDUCATION

tivities of the Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools, par-
ticipating in workshops for research in teaching religion and
helping to finance a study of students’ reactions to certain ques-
tions regarding the content of the religion courses at Lutheran
high schools.

Since the Saginaw directive divided the responsibility for the
promotion of high schools between the Board for Parish Educa-
tion and the Board for Higher Education, it was felt that some
clarification of the respective responsibilities of each board was
necessary. Accordingly, a joint meeting of the two boards was
held.

In view of the difficulty of joint promotion of Lutheran high
schools, Dr. J. W. Behnken ruled that the Saginaw directive
should be interpreted to mean “That the synodical Board for
Parish Education in consultation with the Board for Higher Edu-
cation be definitely instructed to enter upon active support of
a program of general education on the high school level.” This
ruling was agreeable to both boards, and the following four
Statements were adopted by the boards to clarify their respective
responsibilities in this area:

1. The Board for Higher Education has jurisdiction over the
high school departments at our synodical schools.

2, Since the Board for Higher Education has been assigned a
jurisdiction over synodical teacher training, any potential pro- We
gram for synodically trained high school teachers is the concern
of the Board for Higher Education.

3. The Board for Parish Education has the responsibility to
carry out the three resolutions of Synod (1944) re: Lutheran
secondary schools, promoting and guiding this work as it promotes
and guides the work of our elementary schools.

4. As long as Lutheran high schools are in the nature of con-
gregational projects, the Board for Higher Education has no direct Be
contact with them; they are under the supervision of the Board Ss

Na Parish Education. ‘4

With this clarification of its responsibilities, the Board for
Parish Education increased its activity in behalf of Lutheran
high schools. The Board first sought the assistance of District
Boards of Christian Education in surveying their respective fields.
Some Districts had indeed given leadership in this area, but not
all District boards were assuming this responsibility. At the joint
meeting of the Board for Parish Education and the Board for
Higher Education it was emphasized that local high schools are
under the general supervision of the District boards. In view of
this fact District Presidents were to be urged to have congrega-