# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1906_S55
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1906. 55

into it, and that without any urging on my part. A fine fruit of our labor! Thereby all the pupils living in the College became of one faith and one confession. Holy Communion was administered three times. On the last Sunday of the school year all the Lutheran pupils gathered about the Lord's table, an event that probably seldom occurs at educational institutions of our time.

On the average 20 pupils have found board at the institution. A family in the neighborhood offered to take the girls as boarders. That was very welcome to me, but after a three-week trial the undertaking was given up again. There was nothing left for me but to board the girls as well. A cook at $3.00 a week was engaged, but because the means did not suffice, we had to renounce this "luxury" after a few weeks. Then two girls from the upper class undertook the cooking in exchange for free board and have discharged their heavy office faithfully and conscientiously. To be sure, they had to work hard, to do without much, and also to neglect their studies, but they have passed their examination well enough and gathered experience for their own housekeeping. The work was not pleasant, for some pupils were fussy, and in rainy weather the water stood four inches high in the kitchen, which was in the basement. The landlord, to whom this was repeatedly complained, did nothing to repair the kitchen.

All the pupils have had a healthy, excellent appetite, but have paid little. I alone have borne the cares of the food supply. Of the 20 regular boarders two paid the full board, ten not a cent, and the rest about half. At times the situation was quite desperate. There was no money, and the grocer refused to give me more credit until the old bills were paid. Yet through the love of our fellow Christians I have been able to procure the necessary bread and probably also to pay most of the debts. The evil (I call it with intent an evil) of giving Negro youths a free education can be done away with by granting us the necessary means to cultivate the College land properly. It lies fallow now.

In conclusion I should like to say something further about the office of director. I do so unwillingly. This office is under all circumstances and under the best conditions a heavy one. But it is made considerably heavier by the fact that I must live away from my family. Until about the middle of February I lived in the institution, slept there and lived on Negro fare. From that time on my colleagues took turns with me in the supervision, in such a way that we remained in the house until all had gone to bed and the doors were locked. The distance, which we covered two to four times daily, is two miles. Much time, if not strength, is