# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S229 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 228 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES Toledo-Cleveland area. Repeatedly we have been told that suitable sites are rapidly disappearing or are being priced out of the market. While your Board is not committed to any one institution or any one type of institution without the benefit of the proposed long-range study of the development of the entire system, yet prudence indicates the desirability of permissive acquisition of property in these areas in advance of fixed determination of pre- cise needs. The Seminary Level of Training While each level of training for the pastoral office is impor- tant, the seminary level of training in theology is the very cap- stone of a process which begins ideally many years earlier and culminates in the presentation of a dedicated young man fit for the exercise of the office to the entire church. Barely twenty years ago The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod found itself confronted with a situation with economic over- tones which was long described as one of “oversupply” of candi- dates for the holy ministry. In successive years, beginning with the 1929—1930 school year, through depression, world war, and Korean incident, the enrollment of students at the two theological seminaries of Synod, at St. Louis and Springfield, has fluctuated widely. An analysis of theological seminary enrollments accom- panying this report illustrates this phenomenon as well as the most recent period of rapid increase in enrollment. On Campus Vicars Total Grand Year St.Louis Spring. St, Louls Spring. St.Louis Spring. Total 1929-30 425 149 76 39 501 188 689 1930-31 _.____... 449 133 61 39 510 172 682 1931—32 370 143 165 26 535 169 704 1932—33 __._.._ 386 126 202 23 588 149 737 1933-34 _..... 429 112 192 14 621 126 747 1934—35 411 97 166 26 577 123 700 1935-36 380 110 181 21 561 131 692 1936-87 __-....._ 413 99 167 16 580 115 695 193738 364 100 152 16 516 116 632 1939—40 _.-._ 401 107 58 24 459 131 590 1940-41 __.... 357 108 90 17 447 125 572 194142 _... 365 127 104 12 469 139 608 1942-43 __._..__ 322 130 143 25 465 155 620 1943-44 ____ 368 132 110 26 478 158 636 194445 _.___ 372 230 123 46 495 276 771 194546 _..___ 333 108 134 29 467 137 604 1946-47 _.__.. 334 210 139 19 473 229 702 1947-48 ___._ 350 242 144 23 494 265 159 1948-49 ___.... 382 281 125 15 507 296 803 1949-50 463 316 64 20 527 336 863 1950-51 495 317 74 65 569 382 951 1951—52 581 309 85 54 666 363 1,029 1952-53 ___.. 620 253 120 46 740 299 1,039 1953—54 __._. 656 230 157 43 813 273 1,086 1954-55 ____..._ 680 251 169 43 849 294 1,143 1955-56 __.___ 694 263 177 40 871 303 1,174