# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S264
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

318 YOUNG PEOPLE'S WORK

and resultant problem, namely, the separation of Church and State
If our Commission is to speak with synodical authority on g_
separation of Church and State, Synod, obviously, must authorize
a study of this problem, enabling our Commission to declare at
future conferences of this nature the official position of the Church
which we represent.

The annual student census, which had become a matter of
diminishing concern when fairly accurate results were obtained
through the optional religious preference cards almost univer.
included in the college or university registration forms, again looms
as a major problem. In deference to minority groups which hag
been harassed by discriminatory practices, not a few Universities
have discontinued the religious census at the time of registration
This factor imposes the necessity of total -and prompt Participa-
tion by every congregation in the annual student census con-
ducted by the Student Service Commission. It also imposes the
necessity of an enlarged staff in the office of the Commission to
conduct the required and thorough census.

With the gradual withdrawal of war veterans from the cam-
puses, college enrollments are expected to show a moderate de-
cline during the coming years. That decline will also be reflected
in the enrollment of students committed to our care, although we
confidently hope that our young people will, in the future, mani-
fest a greater interest in higher education than was the case be-
fore the war. However, by 1960 the number of college graduates
is expected to exceed by 50,000 the record high established in 1950,
when diplomas were awarded to 450,000 college students, Wisdom,
therefore, dictates a policy of expansion of our student service
program to meet the increased opportunities in the years that lie
ahead.

Our Commission is sympathetic toward all economy measures
and regards as reasonable the mandate of the Fiscal Conference
eliminating unnecessary meetings of synodical agencies, Efficient
conduct of our work, however, demands an annual joint confer-
ence of full-time student pastors and of District co-ordinators of
student work, whose responsibility it is to promote student serv-
ice in their Districts, conduct annual conferences of their student
pastors, and sponsor conferences of student groups within their
‘respective areas. It is our hope and expectation that a synodical
directive will insure continuation of these annual meetings, which
involve policy in a specialized category and which are designed
to improve and intensify student service in the several synodical
Districts. .

Financial restrictions have prevented our Commission from
‘carrying into effect the proposed and approved publication of

YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK 319
ssion-edited bulletin addressed to every student in our
Hetion. The desirability of such a bulletin was recently re-
d by resolution of a synodical District whose students are
enrolled in colleges and universities isolated from our
Church. The publication of the proposed bulletin is, like other
aa ‘included in this report, contingent upon a reaffirmation of
fe 94? resolution of Synod urging the Board of Directors and
‘ Fiscal Conference to strive for higher levels of subsidy for the
tment of student service.
ne ention has been made of the inability of certain subsidized
or. destitute Districts to meet their campus opportunities for want
of Adequate facilities in campus communities. The only solution
to this ‘vexing problem lies in an outright financial grant by the
¥eneral Church Extension Board. Our Commission therefore sug-
gests a synodical appraisal of this problem in the hope that pro-
vision may be made for reasonable grants to Districts requiring
fmancial assistance enabling them to meet extraordinary campus
opportunities within their geopraphical areas. Our attention has
been directed to an existing plan whereby every congregation
having students in college sends $5.00 per student to its General
Board, in our case the Student Service Commission. The Board
transmits this money to the student pastor at the school in which
the: reported parishioner is enrolled to supplement the financial
assistance provided by the supporting agency. Adoption of this
plan, with an allocation of accumulated funds by the Student Serv-
ice Commission, is offered as an alternative suggestion for the
relief of financially handicapped Districts.

We are grateful to the Lord of the Church, who enabled us
to enjoy universal co-operation in the promotion of student work
during the past triennium, and are confident that He will not
withhold His blessings from this important phase of Kingdom
work in the years that lie ahead. ‘

Tue Srupent Service Commission
W. C. Brxner, Chairman

E. M. Pass, Secretary

H. J. Meter, Treasurer

R. W. Haan, Executive Secretary

[303]

Increase Funds for Promotion of Youth Work
Your Reviewing Committee heartily commends the ‘conscien-
tious efforts of the District’s Youth Committee in furthering the
important work among the young people of our Church; it realizes
that the functions of the English District Youth Committee are