# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S57
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

14th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1914. 57

disappointment followed another. And now came the last, bitter
disappointment. Repeated calculations by experts showed, in fact, that
a suitable residence building together with the conversion of the
present building into a school building could not be prepared for the
price of $30,000, but that $45,000 would be needed for it. What then
to do in this painful situation? The shortage kept growing. In
February of this year we again discussed our situation in the fear of
the Lord. We came unanimously to the view: if the synodical treasury is
to be relieved, in the coming school year, of the extra expense of over
$425.00 a year for rent, and if the institution is to suffer no harm,
the matter can bear no further delay; we must make the serious attempt
to begin construction now, so that, if at all possible, we may move in
at the start of the new school year. The local board then submitted
this decision to the General Board for deliberation and decision.
After thoroughly reviewing the situation, the Board declared (Mr.
Bosse could not be present): We believe we are acting in the Synod's
spirit when we call out to you: Forward, in God's name! We had already
made all preparations to sign the building contract at the beginning
of March, in the institution's anniversary month, when the grievous
news arrived of the destruction of the main building of the teachers
seminary at River Forest. We then resolved to wait, for the time
being, for the General Board's advice regarding our building, and we
can give the Synod an oral report on that. We now confidently hope
that the Reverend Synod will see its way to granting a further
allowance of $15,000 for the erection of our building and the
conversion of the present building into a school building, which sum,
in the judgment of experts and of the General Board, will be needed
for it. We further ask the Synod, should construction not yet have
begun by the time the Synod meets, to allow us to begin construction
at once.

In connection with this we would like to inform the Synod that the
Commercial Club of the city of Winfield has promised our institution a
new campus, about 3½ acres in size, situated opposite the institution,
as a gift, should a new building be erected.

Director's residence.

The Synod does not yet own any professors' residences at Winfield, but
pays $1000.00 annually in rent. Nor do we have here a director's
residence as at our other institutions. The director lives four blocks
from the institution. This makes oversight more difficult and can
easily have adverse consequences for the institution and its pupils.
The Reverend General President has likewise recognized this. We
therefore ask the Reverend Synod to help us remove this nuisance and to
grant $5000.00 for a director's residence.