# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1333
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 865 .

The past few years have seen a curious and perhaps an unfor-
ate development. Men have insisted, in growing numbers, that
four new buildings no longer look like churches and schools, but
like commercial buildings. It is possible to avoid the old-fashioned
Fprofusion of applied ornament and yet produce a building whose
F general shape suggests a place of Christian worship or a school.
EIt need not look like a suburban shopping center.

f= =‘ The lavish use of certain new and vigorously advertised build-
fing material needs a word of caution. The New York Times, in
ea display announcement of almost a full page, declares that many
Fof the flash fires, of which we have been reading lately, are due
‘to the use of certain new building materials which may be more
, or less pleasing to the eye, which are applied quickly, but which
— burn rapidly and easily. One such flash fire in Boston took many
t lives. In contrast to this, attention might be called to the new
= college church at Bronxville, whose interior walls are of brick,
f laid up in Flemish bond, and whose floors and steps throughout
- are composed of reinforced concrete slabs over which is laid stone
- flagging in rectangles of random sizes. .

In the past your Committee, in order to eliminate railway fare
and hotel bills, met at the time of. Delegate Synod conventions.
During the war years this was discontinued. Now that war con-
ditions no longer exist, it might be well to resume this custom,
since several members of this committee are busy architects, who
might find it difficult to attend frequent meetings at unusual times.
Were such meetings held during Delegate Synod week, the indi-
vidual members could plan their work accordingly.

Respectfully submitted,
F.R. Wesser, Secretary
ACTION

Concerning this report, Committee 14 presented the following
resolutions, which were adopted:

Resolution. 4
I

Wuereas, Practically every State has passed laws making ‘it
mandatory to employ an architect who possesses a State license; and

Wuereas, Such laws exist for the protection of the health and
safety of man; therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations of Synod, contemplating the
erection or remodeling of churches, schools, etc., be advised to
investigate the laws of their State in regard to building require-
ments and regulations, previous to submitting preliminary drawings
to the Committee on Church Architecture.