# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S57
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

13th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1911. 57

but we were entitled to do so without a special synodical resolution.
When we then began work on this line in the summer of 1908, it turned
out that the entire line would have to be taken up and supplemented by a
tunnel connection. That, however, was to cost $1662.05. Leaving the
line unused in the ground until this meeting would have amounted to
almost a total loss of it, and would have forced all the professors to
procure new heating stoves. The General Board of Control, with which
we discussed this matter in detail, recognized the necessity of carrying
out this work at once. After we had offered to procure the funds needed
for it, interest-free, until this Synod, it encouraged us to have the tunnel
built and the pipes relaid. We should like hereby to ask that this
undertaking be approved.

We had already come before the last Synod with the request that it
approve a new dining hall for us. We justified the request for this
building as follows: "If our old dining hall is to continue serving longer,
it must be thoroughly repaired. Otherwise a new one must be erected.
The present dining hall was built in 1865 as a 'temporary dormitory.'
As things now stand, as regards the roof, floor, windows, and doors, it is
in such a state that about $1200.00 would have to be spent to repair it
even somewhat. There would still be no cellar under the building. The
floor would accordingly remain as cold as ever. And despite all
improvements, the dining hall would still be the same old box, which, as
an entirely wooden building, poses no small fire hazard to all our
buildings. In our opinion, undertaking the above-mentioned repairs to
this dining hall would amount to patching an old, very old garment with
a scrap of new cloth. After thorough deliberation we came to the
conviction that it would be more advantageous for the Synod to erect a
new dining hall." A synodical committee then inspected the old dining
hall. This committee reported to the Synod that it was not expedient to
have a thorough repair made to the old building; rather, a new dining
hall should soon be erected. On account of the many other
appropriations, however, the Synod could not bring itself to grant a new
building, but advised making do with the old dining hall for three more
years, and resolved "to repair the dining hall only where absolutely
necessary." Now, however, this matter can no longer be put off. In cold
weather the dining hall cannot be adequately heated, because it is so
dilapidated. For this building we would need about $12,000.00 to
$14,000.00.

With the growing number of students we have had in recent years, we
have lacked space in the dormitory building. In various rooms there
have been too many students. This gave us the thought of whether the
problem might not be remedied by converting the old assembly hall,
located in the dormitory building, into living and sleeping quarters