# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1884_S42
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

42   Proceedings of the 19th General [Synod], or

has been carried out. . . A new organ and a piano have been acquired; but in the course of time two further pianos had to be bought, since one ancient piano had become completely unusable and a further new one was indispensably needed because of the number of pupils. The Synod thus now owns, in the seminary, 4 organs (of which, however, the smallest is increasingly failing in service) and 8 pianos (of which one has also already become nearly unusable)." (Report of the Board of Control.)

Resolved, that Division B, formed by the Board of Control in conjunction with the Faculty [teachers' college], be approved.

"The situation regarding this Division B is as follows. For several years now — namely, since a surplus of teachers has replaced the former shortage of teachers in Germany — a by no means small number of young men from Germany have applied to Addison for admission. These were people who had partly completed a seminary or a preparatory institution, and partly had already served in teaching positions abroad. What was lacking in almost all these people was: correct knowledge of Lutheran doctrine — at least, such could not be assumed — further, knowledge and teaching competence in English; and finally, since music is no longer pursued with the same emphasis in all the German teacher-training institutions, many of them also lacked musical skill. What was one to do with these people now? Into which of our 5 classes should they be placed? Into the seminary proper? There they could not keep up in English, and the instruction would have gone over their heads, since they lacked all foundation. Into the lowest preparatory class? There they would indeed have fit as far as their want of English was concerned, but in all other subjects of instruction they would have been far too advanced compared with the others. — Well, the professors admitted a few of these individuals, those who showed themselves particularly compelling in their application, placed them in a higher class, and at the same time had them take part in the instruction of several English divisions, dispensing them from less essential subjects. This was a wretched makeshift; the professors did not delude themselves from the outset that much good could come of it. Many, however, had to be turned away, and the professors, since the seminary could not serve them, took pains to be of help to them, to acquire on their own, by private means, what they still lacked in order to take up a Lutheran teaching office in this country. In doing so, some were nonetheless lost sight of, to whom admission had, with regret, to be refused.

"Now, then, considering that the demand for teachers is taking on ever stronger dimensions while our supply is not keeping pace with it, we have ventured also to admit such half- and three-quarters-trained Germans and to set up an English Division B for them. They then spend a few more years in Addison, taking part in everything else