# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1932_S80 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ae: ar Po eeien 86 Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Regular Convention, In order to give a meaningful picture of the work of our Board during the past triennium, we offer the following reports on the ac. tivities of our two subcommittees. I. THE COMMITTEE ON SCHOOLS. A system of Christian elementary schools increases or decreases, exists or fails to exist, according to the measure of Christian under- standing of, and devotion to, the cause, provided no compelling out- side interference frustrates the work. In the past our Synod, by the grace of God, enjoyed a large measure of such understanding ang devotion, coupled with a strong determination and a unanimity of purpose. As a result parochial schools abounded. Synod has at present a very considerable school system. It has, moreover, boards of education in all Districts, superintendents in a number of them, and a general board with an executive secretary especially for the schools. These have, with the help of God, aided considerably in maintaining and increasing a very general and renewed interest in the schools. Our Synod favors, fosters, and financially and morally backs the further development of the parochial-school system. There is at this time no compelling outside interference that would hold up growth and expansion. And yet there has not been that progress in outward expansion in the last few years that one should expect. The school system has even slightly declined since 1926. This came after a strong up- ward trend during the years 1920 to 1926. It cannot be ascribed to a lack of teachers nor very materially to the industrial depression, since the latter was unknown in 1926. Other causes must be looked for. We ask, Is it not principally due to a smaller measure of that spiritual understanding, devotion, and determination which gave us the schools in the past despite hardships? How otherwise shall we explain that almost two-thirds of our organized congregations either have no schools or are slow in establishing them? We realize that there are instances in which it is not possible for the time being to open a school, but we know and you know that in virtually hundreds of congregations, both large and small, it is possible. May we ask you, dear brethren, to give this your most earnest thought and atten- tion both at this convention and in your home community and Dis- trict? God forbid that our dear Synod should gradually lose its school system and like other church denominations, as Dr. Walther warned, bring about its own deterioration by letting the State look after the training of the children! This has happened to other church-bodies and to Lutheran synods, and it may happen to us if we are indifferent enough to permit it. The devil has never taken anything away from the Church unless he was permitted to do so. May God give us vision, courage, willingness, and strength to face and improve the situation! It is still time, but it is also high time! ~ cmservineemnamtnninetnarnaties - © Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1932. 87 A. Present Status of the School System. 1928 19380 Difference Number of Schools ........ 1,370 1,339 -31 Enrolment ............... 81,457 79,956 ~1,501 Regular Man Teachers .... 1,309 1,393 84 Woman Teachers ......... 494 482 -12 Pastors Teaching ......... 368 326 42 Students Teaching ........ 100 134 34 B. Growth and Decline During the Last Ten Years. From 1920 to 1926 -— Six Years From 1926 to 1930 — Four Years Schools: Increase of .......... 80 Decrease of ............ 51 Pupils: Increase of ........... 7,019 Decrease of ............ 1,126 Teachers: Increase of ......... 217 Increase of ............ 123 Woman Teachers: Increase of .. 234 Decrease of ............ 31 Pastors Teaching: Decrease of .. 107 Decrease of ............ 56 Students Teaching: Decrease of 48 Increase of ............ 49 C. Growth or Decline of District School Systems. (Last Five Years, 1925—1930.) Where Schools Decreased. (-— Loss; * Gain; x No Change.) District Schools Pupils District Schools Pupils Atlantic ........ -2 —205 North Dakota and Brazil .......... ** (-15 -240) Montana ..... ~2 ~ 29 Central ......... -2 216 Northern Illinois. - 3 —667 Central Illinois .. -7 241 Northern Nebraska -2 *152 Eastern ........ -8 ~271 North Wisconsin . ~10 — 47 English ......... -1l»> «x Oklahoma ...... -4 * 10 Towa .........5. -2 *182 Oregon and Wash. -6 ~197 Michigan ....... -9 —394 South Dakota ... -1 -175 Minnesota ...... -12 -109 Southern Illinois. -~2 -— 77 **Branched off Argentina. In reality remained the same. Where Number of Schools Remained the Same. District Schools Pupils District Schools Pupils Man. and Sask. .. x — 41 Southern ....... x — 36 Ontario ......... x - 99 Western ........ x *275 Where Number of Schools Increased. District Schools Pupils District Schools Pupils Alberta ......... *2 - 2 Kansas ......... *3 *219 Argentine ....... * 1 * 34 Southern Nebraska * 5 *125 Calif. and Nevada *2 "162 South Wisconsin . *] *353 Colorado ........ *1 *148 Texas .......... * 8 *540 This table explains the foregoing one. Please do not get the impression that the school systems showing a loss are definitely on the down-grade. Among these Districts there are some that belong to our largest, best, and most hopeful school Districts, such as Northern Illinois, Central, Michigan, and Southern Illinois, with a number of others very hopeful. Nor should any one think that the Districts of the last two sections are all progressing satisfactorily ; for among them are some of our smallest and least progressing school Districts.