# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S229
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

252 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

order to use both the time and the campus available for this worth,
while purpose. These have met with varied success,

It would seem that Synod ought to make use of its very ex.
tensive investments on the various campuses of the Preparatory
institutions. Great benefits could undoubtedly be achieved if good
teaching staffs could be made available for the in-service traiy;
of ministers and teachers who would find it possible to take re.
fresher courses in such summer sessions. Such faculties could be
recruited from the existing faculties at our seminaries, teachery’
colleges, and preparatory schools, and it should be Possible, in
addition, to secure outstanding teachers from the ranks of oy
own clergy and from the ranks of American colleges and univer.
sities, where summer school transfer of instructors is a well-es.
tablished practice.

Because it believes that a proper development of these avail-
able resources would bring inestimable blessings to the work of
our Church, the Board for Higher Education recommends that

a. The preparatory institutions be authorized to use their

synodical facilities for conducting summer schools for the
in-service training of pastors and teachers in their area,

b. The Board for Higher Education be directed to assist these

schools in the use of their campuses for such purposes, by
helping to secure personnel, by assisting in the preparation
of an adequate program where possible, by co-ordinating
the programs of the various institutions, and by assisting
these schools financially where that becomes necessary,

ec. An annual appropriation of $5,000 be placed at the disposal
of the Board for Higher Education for this purpose annually
during the next triennium.

Budget Allocations for Building

Synod now has in its system of colleges and seminaries no less
that 110 buildings exclusive of 140 faculty residences. These build-
ings range in age from one to one hundred years.

It is perfectly obvious that such an extensive system of build-
ings devoted to the cause of higher education will continue to re-
quire replacement and expansion. In its Centennial Convention,
Synod had before it requests which totaled more than five million
dollars for construction on the various campuses. In addition, the
local areas were undertaking during the past five years an addi-
tional construction of approximately two million dollars. At the
time of the Centennial Convention, when it was faced with urgent
requests for such a large sum of money, Synod found itself without

any available funds for the requested replacement of obsolete facil-

ities or the construction of new ones.
Because this situation has always obtained when requests for
building funds were made, Synod has followed the practice of

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES 253

ising a special collection whenever additional construction or
replacement was required in its educational system.

Since it is known now that additional expenditures will con-
tinue to be made for such purposes, the Board for Higher Edu-
cation recommends recognition of this fact and recommends

That Synod authorize an annual allocation in the amount
of $250,000 from its regular budget to be placed in a college
and seminary building fund.

The Board for Higher Education recommends further

That disbursement from these accumulated funds be made
only triennially after approval of specific projects by the Synod,
upon recommendation of the Board for Higher Education, as
provided in Section 6.143 of the present Handbook.

Tuition

It has been traditional for Synod to charge no tuition to stu-
dents who are preparing for the ministry or the teaching profession.

During the early days of Synod’s educational activities, the
general body was able to pay all of the costs of operating the insti-
tutions except the cost of board. Accordingly, the only fee which
was paid by the student was a fixed charge for board. Students also '
purchased their own books and personal supplies, of course.

Within the last two decades the educational system has had
to expand to such an extent that it is no longer possible for Synod
to bear all the costs of operation at a given institution. The costs
of engineering services, the cost of janitorial services, the cost of
most utilities (except fuel), much of the cost of administration
(office expense, secretaries, bookkeepers), and much of the cost
of upkeep of grounds, drainage, landscaping, pavement of drives,
and many other extensive operating expenses of the institutions
have to be born locally out of funds collected from the students
themselves or from Supporting agencies in the vicinity of the
college.

The sums collected for these purposes are necessarily mount-
ing. The situation will be readily apparent when we mention, for
example, that fixed fees for a student at one Preparatory college
(not including board or special fees of any type) total $100 an- .
nually; at another college these charges total $140. The figures
quoted will illustrate the general condition. In addition, many
other items are included in the charge made under the classification

“board.