# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S86
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

84 Seminaries and Colleges. — Individual Institutions

our students to get credit for their work from the Department
of Education. Without it they cannot enter a normal school or
the university. Formerly there were only elementary and high
schools, the latter comprising Grades IX to XII. Now Grades I
to VI form the elementary, Grades VII to IX the intermediate, and
Grades X to XII the high school. Most country and small town
schools now include the ninth grade, and most of our people prefer
to have their boys take the work in this grade at home, especially
those who live far from Edmonton. Since the prospects were that
we should get but few, if any, students for this grade, it seemed
best to drop it, at least for the present.

According to the present system, students write provincial
examinations upon the completion of Grade IX. In the next two
grades they are passed upon the recommendation of their teachers.
On completing Grade XII, they must again write provincial
examinations in order to get credit for their work, All teachers
must have provincial certificates if the school is to be accredited
by the Department of Education. Steps have been taken to get
our high-school classes accredited. Our faculty has been granted
the right to recommend the passing of Grade X and XI students
on condition that our professors take certain university courses
and thus acquire high-school teachers’ certificates,

In order to achieve accreditation, we had to put on certain
courses required by the Department of Education. This meant
more work and a longer day for our professors; but with Grade IX
discontinued, it could be done without lowering the standard in
the branches required by Synod. Our students may now write
Grade XII examinations and thus acquire the credits required for
university or normal-school entrance.

During the past three years our library has been enlarged
by some 600 books and brochures. On the whole, it is now fairly
adequate. Our larger reference works, such as the Britannica,
are rather out of date.

Our laboratory, in our Own opinion as well as according to
that of the Board for Higher Education, is not adequately equipped.
We understand that the committee will bring recommendations to
Synod as to libraries and laboratories; we shall therefore refrain
from making any requests for our own library and laboratory.

The Alumni Association has shown its abiding interest in our
institution by sending in sums of money for library purposes and
for the equipment of a reception-room in which students may
entertain their guests, thus satisfying a long-felt need. We are
deeply grateful to the Alumni Association.

Rising costs have made the financing of the institution in-
creasingly difficult. The rate for board and administration fees