# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S947
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

112 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

trants. At the end of the year 1950 four candidates were graduated,
One of the four, a member of our sister Church, the Slovak I,
theran Church in Argentina, is now at the head of saig Church,
and its only pastor.

In 1951 only two new students entered. These two were giv
special classes and entered into the second class, so that in 1951
no further class was added. In this year two students from Colom.
bia, South America, entered our Seminary. They are being sup-
ported by a mission society of the Norwegian Lutheran Ch;
The men are of Indian descent. Likewise the United Lutheran
Church in Argentina had entered two students. The last four
seminarians, of course, pay tuition, as is expected. At the end of
1951 three of our seminarians went out to do field work.

~ In 1952 our student body climbed up to 30, the highest in its
history. A seminarian who had to interrupt his studies in 1950 on
account of continued ill health was able to resume the same. Seven
new boys entered. At the end of 1952 again four candidates could
be graduated.

The morale of the student body has always been Christian, as
is expected. The health in the last years was not so good. Sick-
ness was quite frequent because of inclement weather and a short-
age of fuel, since it was rationed.

Support of the District

The continual rise in cost of living has caused the Board of
Control many headaches, since the monthly board had to be raised
again and again. In 1950 60 pesos a month was charged, which was
far below cost. In 1951 it was raised to 70 pesos a month. In 1952
we started with 90 pesos; but when the school year closed, we
were up to 120 pesos a month and far below the cost. The Board
of Control did not have the courage to raise the board to actual
cost, because they felt certain that most of the parents would then
withdraw their boys, not being able to meet the cost.

Now, it is customary in Synod that most colleges and seminaries
have an annual Gabentag, but the congregations of Greater Buenos
Aires decided to celebrate two Gabentage annually. In 1950 the
two Gabentage netted 4,000 pesos. Congregations from the interior
contributed another 1,000 pesos. In 1951 the Gabentage and gifts
from the interior netted 6,000 pesos for the seminary kitchen. In
1952 the Gabentage brought 5,106.50 pesos, and from the interior
3,839.75 pesos were donated. Although the 1,200 communicants
of Greater Buenos Aires had contributed so liberally, and many
congregations in the interior had more than tripled their dona-
tions for the seminary kitchen, and the board had been raised from
70 pesos to 120: pesos, we could not make ends meet for the first
time in the history of our college and seminary. Synod’s Board

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES 113
of Directors came to our aid by a special grant of $225 from the
Dr.Henry W. Horst Fund for Latin American Student Aid. The
Seminary is very grateful for this fine support. In 1953 we are
facing a still more critical year, since the economic condition, es-

y of our members in Greater Buenos Aires, is very depressed.
However, we are confident that the Lord will take care of His
own cause, and so we are working while it is day.

Requests

Our first request is to grant us immediately two more
professors. When in 1950 Crespo College was closed and the col-
lege classes added to our Seminary, we were instructed to engage
the necessary instructors for the time being, in order to give time
for adjustment. The adjustment has taken place. Fifty per cent
of the faculty today consists of instructors. The two instructors
nominated in 1950 have proved quite efficient. They would well
qualify as full-time professors if they should be nominated and
elected and if Synod grants our request to create two more full-time
professorships.

Since our College and Seminary has not reached a full-time
operation as yet, but is still building up the nine classes, we shall
soon need a larger teaching staff. In 1956, if God is willing and
grants the boys, we shall have five classes in the college depart-
ment and two classes in the Seminary. In 1955 another professor
for the year 1956 should necessarily be elected. We therefore
request that Synod create a sixth professorship. In 1954 we shall
need at least one instructor besides the two requested professors;
in 1955 we shall need a second instructor; likewise in 1956, if
a sixth professor is granted. In 1954, God willing, we shall have
five different classes, in 1955 six classes, in 1956 seven classes.
Classrooms: We have only three classrooms and yet six differ-
ent classes to: be instructed at the same time. To relieve this
situation we request that Synod permit us to divide the adjoining
classrooms into three by removing the wall and putting in two
soundproof movable walls and likewise granting us the right to
put a soundproof folding wall in the chapel, thus giving us three
more. classrooms. This would take care of the classroom needs
up to 1955. . ;

; Construction of a second larger wing: Since we have only one
building, and. everything in one building that a Seminary-College
needs, we have not too much room for boarding students. The
full capacity is 31 students. We now have 28 boarding students.
According to past history we’ shall need more floor space probably
in 1955, but definitely in 1956. Our request therefore is to grant
a, struction of an additional wing to the building. Plans and _
be presented to the proper authorities and committees.