# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S190
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

190 PARISH EDUCATION

School Statistics of Synod

Schools Enrollment Teachers
oe 1,244 94,993 3,128
— 1,277 98,136 3,161
—. 1,297 101,884 3,298

«286+ 106,609* 3,449*
* Includes South American figures of 1951

Number of Schools Opened
It was in 1947 that Synod resolved to strive for a fifty-per-
enrollment of its children of school age by 1972. During the y,
1947 to 1952, both inclusive, 216 schools were opened, and
additional congregations entered formal affiliations with schi
of sister congregations. In the same period the school system 4}
creased by 24,580 pupils and 835 classrooms and the same nun
of teachers. This gain constitutes a small school system in i
Building activity was also great. During the five-year perio
to 1951 our congregations erected 235 new schools, enlarged.
and remodeled 153. Yet, with all these gains, we had only 3
cent of our children of school age enrolled in 1951 and made p
tically no headway toward the fifty-per-cent enrollment
‘The reason is that also Synod and the number of school-age
dren increased so much more during that period. To gain
centagewise, our numerical increases must be far greater. :

Number of Schools Closed
Every year there is also a loss of schools. During the
period, 1947 to 1952, 164 schools were closed, suspended, or?’
solidated, and 92 congregations gave up their formal affiliation "
schools of sister congregations. This is not a complete loss, becai
a number of schools were consolidated, some affiliations re
in separate schools, and quite a number were temporarily susp’
for various reasons, mostly for lack of teachers. Only D
officials know in every case why schools are no longer o
roster. So far as we have reports, these are the reasons: 1)
solidations; 2) Inability to secure a properly trained teach
any kind of teacher; 3) Relocation of congregation; 4) Transfe
pupils to a school of a sister congregation; 5) Extremely small:
roliment; 6) Pastors discontinuing teaching; 7) Transpo
difficulties; 8) Widely scattered membership; 9) -Financial inabil
and 10) Lack of interest. , ;
It should be said that schools which are closed are
quite small. For instance, of the 26 schools off the roster in
17 had 10—20 pupils. Nevertheless, even a small school is preg
and its. closing a loss.