# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1938_S128
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

‘t.498 : Young People’s Work

4, Student Secretary

us The appointment of a full-time student secretary has been dis-
cussed in our circle for many years. As we become better ac-
quainted with the tasks Synod has assigned to us; as our contacts
increase with men who are serving our students and with the
students themselves; as we become more acutely aware from year
to year how much more could be done for the cause of Student
Welfare Work in general, and for individual groups and students
in particular, if uninterrupted time and thought could be given to
the various problems that arise in connection with this work, we
feel even more firmly convinced that Synod would be well advised
to follow the lead of other Lutheran church-bodies who have rec-
ognized the need of additional man-power for this field and who
have made liberal allowances in their budgets for this purpose.

This opinion is shared by many who have studied the situation,
notably the University Pastors’ Conference, the National Associa-
tion of Lutheran Students, and the majority of pastors who are
participating in Student Welfare Work.

It is true that students attending colleges and universities form
only an insignificant fraction of Synod’s entire membership, numeri-
cally speaking. But it is also true that the potential ability of this
group to be a tremendous influence in helping to shape the thought
and life of our Church during the next generation, in enabling our
Church to exercise her God-willed influence in the proper spheres,
and in making it possible for our Church to receive more adequate
financial support is disproportionately great. And in urging the
need for more attention to Student Welfare Work because of these
considerations, we have stressed only what finally amounts to a
policy of selfishness and have not even emphasized our duty to
offer particular advice and guidance to our members who are in
need of such counsel because of the peculiar dangers confronting
them on the average campus. Our Church has endorsed the
establishment of a Lutheran university, which annually demands
the expenditure of thousands of dollars and which at present is in
a position to serve only a small fraction of our Lutheran boys and
girls. With the support accorded Valparaiso University we are in
entire sympathy, even as we are on friendly terms with the ad-
ministration of that school. But is not the remaining large fractior
of students scattered on non-Lutheran campuses throughout the
mie length and breadth of our country also entitled to at least a modes’
appropriation which would permit one man to devote his entire tims
to the consideration demanded by intensive Student Welfare Work’
We believe so, and therefore we respectfully suggest to Synod:

A) To authorize a full-time secretary for Student Welfar
Work;

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