# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S118
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

114 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

written off entirely, make such actions indefensible for economig
reasons. There are other vital considerations which make- suk
a procedure inadvisable. These are detailed in another section of
this report. a
Basic Principles 4
Some of the fundamental principles which became very clearl
during the past few years of study should be listed here. It ia
perfectly apparent that an approach which. hopes for a soltitiog
of Synod’s educational problems for the next century is unrealistied
However, the fact that it takes at least ten years to train a ministe ;
makes it impossible for our Synod to escape the necessity: fos
advance planning. Very little progress could be made until the
Board adopted a point of view which limited the program of study
to a specific future period. As long as the Church is expanding]
and alive, it will not be able to forget about its problems in pro4
fessional education for any longer period of time without suffering
disastrous consequences. a
_ A second basic principle to which the Board adhered involved
the examination of every proposal in the light of the questiogg
whether it might be mistaking mere change for progress andi
might thus be . liquidating some.of the advantages which are
inherent in the present system. In this connection the Board
adhered to the principle that every proposal for adjustment mus
contribute toward a more efficient use of our existing facilities im
a manner which would give the Synod greater volume, highes

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quality, or an opportunity to evaluate outcomes of experimenty
procedures.

A third principle which the Board attempted to apply was th
measurement of any proposal to determine whether it would ff
into the American plan of education as closely as this might ly
accomplished without reducing in any way the prospect of reaching
the distinctive objectives of Synod’s system of professional training

The Board recognized, also, that there is an inherent confi
between the established. need for a large number of ministerig
graduates and the impossibility, at graduate and professional level
of achieving the desired results through the large-scale productid
methods which are now so popular. in the general liberal art
colleges-and universities of our country. In this connection it 1
noted that a tremendously complex administrative problem woul
be involved if the Church attempted to establish a single seminat
which would be- required to produce the required number |
graduates and which would also provide for minor specialties whi
are needed by the clergy, while, at. the same time, making pr
vision for a graduate school and a school of missions. On the oth