# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S114
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

112 Report of Board for Higher Education

Report of Committee on Amalgamation of Valparaiso and River Forest
(Memorial 120)

Your Committee on amalgamation of Valparaiso University
and Concordia Teachers’ College, River Forest, Ill., hereby submits
the following report of its activities and deliberations.

The above-named committee, appointed by the President of
Synod in conformity with the resolution of the Delegate Synod of
1938, has carefully studied and considered the memorial concerning
an amalgamation between Valparaiso University and the River
Forest Concordia.

After a thorough discussion of current thought in education
generally and of the problems in the area of Christian youth educa-
tion specifically, the following possibilities were considered:

1. To remove Valparaiso to River Forest.

A transfer of Valparaiso to a metropolitan center such as
Chicago (River Forest) was regarded as desirable by the entire
committee. It was felt that an amalgamation of the two institu-
tions would create a larger and more central Lutheran university.
With many purposes in common, yet with different and distinct
contributions from each toward a common objective, Valparaiso
and River Forest Concordia would together form a complete
university with a nationally known and recognized School of
Education as one of its emphasized colleges. Such an amalgamation
would tend toward economy, conservation of effort, and unification
of a program to achieve the goals of Christian education, both
lay and professional.

During the discussions on this point the financial problem,
coupled with traditional inertia of organizations toward change,
emerged as deterring factors.

2. To leave each school in its present place but to coordinate
departments.

This possibility was given some thought as a secondary con-
sideration. However, such a transfer involving departments seemed
out of question since university departments are so interrelated
that each department offers courses supplementary to the curricula
in other departments.

Although the committee sees no immediate means of effecting
an amalgamation, it was felt that most likely forms of cooperation
between the two schools will be worked out in connection with
Valparaiso’s Extension Division that is being established on the

North Side of Chicago. THe CoMMITIEE

Ap. HAENTZSCHEL, Chairman
Avsert V. Maurer, Secretary Epw. KorHLerR
JOHN BRAUER F. O. LINSTEAD