# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S46
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

46 Proceedings of the 25th General, or

...well qualified to advance the children in secular knowledge just as far
as is done in the public schools surrounding them.

"A further question arises: can our teachers' seminary, with the
teaching staff now on hand, reach the goal that ought indeed to be
reached? Are the teaching aids on hand sufficient? Is the present course
of study adequate? Since we have now come to recognize that this is not
the case, and since the welfare of our parish school lies close to our
heart — for on it depends, in large part, the prospering of our
congregations, indeed the future of our Synod — the undersigned
conference takes the liberty of laying before the Reverend Synod, for the
improvement of our seminary, the following points for discussion:

"1. It is of the highest necessity that two further teachers be called
to the institution at Addison, and that these be practical, experienced
teachers thoroughly familiar with our school circumstances.

"Our professors should, first, have more help on account of the practice
school; but secondly, our professors should also be given the opportunity
to do what should have been done long ago:

"a. to visit our own schools, and in this way to learn what demands are
made in the various schools in the various parts of our country, and
how our whole Lutheran school system is generally shaped; and then
also

"b. what is equally important: to visit other educational institutions,
such as normal schools, training schools, colleges, and free schools,
so as in this way also to become acquainted with their methods,
teaching aids, and curricula, to take up what is good in them, and
to apply it profitably to our own institution.

"For the reasons given, it is the duty of our seminary always to be well
informed about the condition of our schools in general, as well as about
that of the public school system, in order to be able to take the right
course.

"2. As regards the course of study, we consider it necessary that,
above all, the minimum requirements for entrance into the seminary be
raised by the Synod. Further, the course of study should be extended to
six years. One could then set the workload in the sciences higher and
could approximately reach the standard attained in our average normal
schools. The Latin language, too, should be taken up into the curriculum
— not to the extent it is in our Gymnasiums, but still enough that the
students have a good grasp of syntax and etymology. It is precisely
through the Latin language that instruction in German and English grammar