# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S221
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES 221

Accordingly, in 1951 the institution did not admit any high
school freshmen and began its enrollment for that school year with
the sophomore high school year through the freshman college year.
It quickly became apparent, however, that the institution’s general
enrollment problem was seriously aggravated and, as a result, it
was not found advisable to continue immediately with the dropping
of the sophomore high school year. In 1953 the Houston Conven-
tion resolved that “during the next triennium the plan be extended
as originally authorized and that it be continued long enough to
permit an intelligent evaluation of its feasibility and its outcome.”
By May 1954 it was apparent on the basis of enrollment analysis
and other studies by the faculty and Board of Control of the insti-
tution, as well as from series of communications and petitions from
conferences, District officers, and interested individuals that an
extension of the so-called “Portland Experiment” to include the
dropping of the sophomore high school year threatened to be
calamitous as far as the entire future of the institution was con-
cerned. In response to formal petitions from the Portland insti-
tution’s Board of Control and faculty, the Board for Higher Edu-
eation decided to suspend indefinitely the dropping of the
sophomore high school year.

On the basis of subsequent studies of the institution’s recruit-
ment and enrollment problems, the Board for Higher Education
now believes that it would not be wise in the foreseeable future to
attempt to carry out the experiment as originally defined. In terms
of the morale of the faculty of the institution and in the interest
of the positive support of its natural constituency in the North-
west, the institution’s program should be stabilized for the next
period of years under its present pattern of organization as a five-
year institution, beginning with the sophomore high school year
and terminating with the sophomore college year. This plan of
organization seems to offer the maximum potential for increasing
enrollments and adjusts nicely with the common 6-3-3 pattern of
elementary and high school organization in the states from which
the institution draws the majority of its students.

With considerable regret that the original attractive prospect
has not proved feasible in operation, the Board for Higher Educa-
tion therefore recommends to Synod

1. That the so-called “Portland Experiment” be terminated,
effective with the start of the 1956—57 school year.

2. That the approved pattern of organization be the upper
three years of the conventional secondary school pattern and the
two junior college years.

3. That existing special budget subsidies and financial arrange-