# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S145
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

142 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

Ii. A STATISTICAL STUDY OF THE PARISH SCHOOL TEACHERg’
REQUIRED 1950—1980 j

The studies which are presented in this section attempt {3
establish a reliable estimate of the teachers which will be needed
in Synod’s schools. It is recognized that extremely large number, ;
of women teachers and emergency teachers have not been trained!
in synodical institutions in the past. Nor will it be possible to:
make available sufficient facilities to train all the teachers which $
these studies indicate will be needed during the next 30 Years ;
Far less than half of the indicated numbers can be trained in :
Synod’s schools even if all the adjustments which are Proposed |
in the reorganization plan work out satisfactorily. 5

It will be conceded that the future effectiveness of our Parochia]
schools will depend, under God, upon the ability of the Church ty
staff these schools with well-trained Lutheran teachers. An ap-
proach which assumes that the Lutheran schools need not be
staffed by synodically trained teachers must recognize the fact |
that the real objectives of Lutheran schools cannot be reached
unless a very large proportion of the staff members are fully cog-
nizant of, and sympathetic to, the real objectives of these schools,
It may be possible to achieve the desired results through other
systems of training, but such a possibility does not alter the funda-
mental fact that the future of these parochial schools depends upon
the attitudes and the convictions of these teachers and that a way
must be found to increase the proportion of synodically trained
teachers in the schools if they are not to suffer a major decline
in religious effectiveness.

As is the case with all forecasts, certain assumptions must be
accepted as basic to the procedure. The Board recognizes the
fact that there may be valid differences of opinion with regard
to the propriety of these assumptions.

Assumption No. 1

Full achievement of the objectives of Lutheran parochial ele-
mentary education may properly be expected only when Lutheran
schools are staffed by teachers who have adequate training in re-
ligion and an understanding of the objectives to be achieved as

well as subject-matter competence and technical training for
teaching.

Assumption No. 2

Synod will continue to accept the obligation to prepare and to
make available the number of teachers required to operate and
maintain the parochial schools which local congregations sponsor.
This reflects the historical practice of Synod.