# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S875
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

176 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES -

Teachers College Enrollments

Enrollment
River Forest, TM, 523
Seward, Nebr, ...... 347

Total, 1949-50 _ 870
Total, 1948—49 _

Theological Seminary Enrollments

Total
Total Graduates Enrollment

Enroliment Expected '48-'49

St. Louis, Mo. 0... = 465 98 384

‘Springfield, Ml, _._.. 319 27 280
eee

Total, 1949-50 . 784 ~ 125
Total, 1948—49 _ 664
Plan A

A Theoretically Ideal Arrangement.

In recognition of the widespread, frequently voiced opinion
that Synod has too many colleges and seminaries, your Board |
undertook, first of all, a thorough exploration of the possibility of
achieving Synod’s objectives in higher ‘education through a smaller .
number of institutions. To get an objective estimate of the possi-
bilities, your Board posed the question: “Disregarding entirely the
fact that we already have a system of colleges and seminaries, how
many educational institutions of ideal size would be required to
prepare an adequate number of professional workers for our
Synod?” _

After a careful survey of all the data which the Board had
available, it reached the conclusion that this work of Synod could,
under ideal conditions, be carried forward in ten schools. Such
a system would include two seminaries with enrollments approxi-
mating 375 each; one senior college with an enrollment of 450; two
teachers’ colleges and five combinations known as four-year junior
colleges, each of these with an enrollment of 500 students. Some
of the junior colleges would have a part of their capacity assigned
to pre-professional training of parochial school teachers. A total of
4,700 students,

The practicability of applying such a plan by consolidating the - %
existing system into ten such schools was then thoroughly explored.