# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1958_S102
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

102 Proceedings of the Forty-fifth Convention

One kind donor from Illinois, desiring to remain anonymous,
contributed $1,500 toward the purchase of a C-2 Church Model
Hammond organ. On the afternoon of November 24, 1957, a special
service of dedication was held with an overflow chapel attendance
at which Rev. Wm. G. Kennell preached the dedication sermon
and Mr. Russell Rolling of the Missionary Board gave an organ
recital and demonstration to appreciative listeners.

Congregations within the geographical area of the Southern
District, both white and colored, responded generously with food-
stuffs to help the Academy commissary.

It is with regret that we cannot report to this Synodical Con-
ference Convention progress with respect to the administration-
classroom-library building authorized at the last convention. The
Proceedings of the Forty-fourth Convention held at Chicago, IIL,
December 4—7, 1956, state the following:

“In 1950 the Synodical Conference recognized the need for
classrooms at Selma and granted $20,000. In 1952 it granted
$100,000 for the erection of needed buildings and equipment at
A.L.A. In 1954 the convention urged quick completion of the
building program and authorized an additional $25,000 in view of
rising costs.

“In 1956 the Academy is still without new buildings. We send
our Negro children to school under conditions which we would
never tolerate in any of our synodical institutions.

“The Missionary Board has expressed hope that the LWML
may provide funds for the erection of a girls’ dormitory.

“The Alabama Field is raising money for a boys’ dormitory.”

Immediately after the last convention, the A. L. A. Board sought
to fulfill the wishes of the convention by directing its building
committee to bring its facility needs up to date, engage an archi-
tect, and, with the approval of the Missionary Board, seek bids.
Four bids were received and sent to the Missionary Board. The
time element has since run out on the bids submitted. Your A. L. A.
Board was told to hold the entire matter in abeyance pending
a survey by a special Committee relative to the location of the
school. An oral report on this matter will be presented to the
Convention.

Alabama Lutheran Academy-College continues to operate with
peak enrollments. Its present enrollment stands at an all-time
high, as evidenced by the 1957—1958 term:

Kindergarten eee eceececceeeeneeceee tenet eens 25
Cue (1B ee, rrr 111
Total elementary grades oo eeeeee eee 136
Junior high school 74
Senior high school 63
Total high school 2 eee ceec cece eee eceee ee noe 137
Total normal department _ 11
Total Emrollre mt oes eee eee enneec eee nee 284

This reveals a substantial increase over the figures reported
at the December 1956 convention. The above figures indicate an
increase of 13 in grades 1—6, 9 in junior high, 8 in senior high,
and 1 in the normal department.