# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S63
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Tenth Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1902. 63

again. And, venerable fathers and brothers, it is still our opinion today
that Hawthorne should not remain a Progymnasium forever.

"It is clear that the schools raise interest, in their circles, in the
affairs of Christ's Kingdom, in missions, etc., and that they are
furthermore a wholesome continuation of the Christian upbringing carried
on in the parochial schools. This beneficial influence becomes greater
or smaller depending on the greater or lesser completeness of such
institutions. It is easier to recruit future theologians as pupils for
such institutes as offer them as unified and uninterrupted a course as
possible. Those who at first seek only a higher schooling, but who in
the course of their further studies would decide on the ministry, are
lost to the Church if they find no full institution in their circle. It
should furthermore certainly be our endeavor, just as we maintain
parochial schools for the elementary education of our children, to draw
those who wish to study further into our Lutheran institutions of higher
learning. The irreligious high schools and colleges are very numerous,
and also capable, precisely in the East of our country. But it is
precisely in these schools that not only is discipline and admonition
toward the Lord lacking, but here, in philological and historical
instruction, and especially in the natural-science instruction, the
teachings of God's Word are contradicted directly, even more than in the
elementary schools. In order to have a beneficial, indeed necessary,
counterweight against this, we should be able to offer a full
Gymnasium course. The curriculum only up to Quarta offers a highly
inadequate substitute.

"We think, then, that the influence of our Church in the East would be
strengthened by the existence of a full Christian school in its midst.
So even if, perhaps, because the necessary funds are lacking, this
cannot happen right now, we ask the venerable delegates to keep the
above in mind nonetheless.

"In the meantime, however, we direct your attention to the
inadequacy of the present arrangement itself as a Progymnasium. Such an
institution is supposed to prepare for the Gymnasium. For that purpose
the six-year Gymnasium course has been divided into two equal parts of
three classes each. In our judgment this is not correct from a
pedagogical standpoint. The course should instead fall into two
divisions: the actual or upper Gymnasium (Oberprima, Prima, Secunda) and
the preparatory part (Sexta through Tertia). This four-year preparatory
course of study should not be interrupted. Only with Tertia is the
preparation complete. Therefore a preparatory institution should also
include this class. Otherwise it is — even merely by its character as
that of a Progymnasium — not complete in itself.

"A school that carries through Tertia, on the other hand, could offer
even something reasonably complete and rounded off to those who