# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S39
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

14th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1914. 39

seemed to be to admit such students at first on a trial basis and
let them attend instruction in the individual classes until, with
the help of the teachers concerned and by particular diligence at
home, they had made up their deficiency, so that they could then
keep pace with their class. That a few especially gifted and
diligent students have reached, and did reach, the set goal this way
cannot be denied. But these are exceptions, and exceptions must
never be made the rule. Experience teaches that neither do the
professors concerned have the time needed for such constant and
regular tutoring, nor do the students have the talent and endurance
indispensable for such extraordinary study, to be able to reach the
goal. — A second possibility would have been simply to refuse such
students admission to our institution, because we could not properly
provide for their education. In this way, however, we would force
children of our own Synod to attend institutions of other synods, or
even irreligious colleges, and many a promising young talent would
be lost to our Synod and Church. Thus nothing remained for us but to
provide for these students by appointing a special teacher and
establishing special instruction. Since the board of control is
authorized by the General Synod to appoint an assistant teacher in
special cases with the approval of the General President, a meeting
was arranged at which the Reverend General President, the electoral
board, and the faculty took part along with the board of control.
After the matter had been thoroughly considered, the unanimous
resolution was adopted to appoint an assistant teacher for the
stated purpose, in the expectation that the next Delegate Synod, in
May 1914, would approve this step. The choice of the new teacher was
likewise unanimous. All votes were cast for Rev. P. J. G. Sohn of
Port Colborne, Canada, who accepted this call and entered upon his
new office at the beginning of November 1911.

With his coming, an English department has by no means been
established at our institution. His students are by no means taught
the ancient languages solely by means of English; rather, the medium
of instruction is, alongside English, also German at the same time,
so that the students are enabled as soon as possible to take part in
the regular instruction given by means of the German language; for
our goal is and must remain to train young people who master both
English and German, who can read and understand the writings of
Luther and Walther, and who are later able to proclaim "God's word
and Luther's teaching" [from the hymn "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem
Wort"] in both languages.

The number of students wholly inadequately prepared in German,
however, grows larger from year to year, so that the work cannot
possibly be managed by a single assistant teacher. We find ourselves