# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S141
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Elementary Education 139

» and by many a public-school authority. In these schools — all
“other things being equal — the education is correct from evety
‘point of view. The children are given a strong positive training
as Lutheran Christians and guarded against dangerous educational
jnfluences. Here the church-members, pastors, and teachers often’
bring heroic sacrifices in order to carry out a most effective program’
of parish education.

Fortunately, also, the interest in our parochial schools is wide-.
spread; yes, we believe it is on the increase. Stability of our’
schools, even under trying conditions, remarkable perseverance’
in maintaining the schools, such as in the drought- and poverty-:

stricken Middle West, and a renewed interest and action, as in‘

“the East and Southeast as well as in other parts of Synod, are

“- most encouraging evidences of it. Teachers, on the whole, are,

‘ remaining abreast of the times in professional advancement; sum-
“© mer-schools for teachers are well attended; the teachers’ colleges
” are putting forth their best efforts; and there is a growing attention’
’ gmong teachers to the primary purpose for which Christian schools.
exist, the distinctly Christian training of the child.

However, the continued and renewed interest has not as yet:
resulted in any substantial expansion of the school system during.
the last decade, though the growth from 1921 to 1927 was truly: .
remarkable. More than a decade ago District Boards estimated that.
there were possibilities of some 600 additional schools. Many new
schools have been established in the last ten years. But this gain
has been offset by the loss of schools in other congregations. What:
is preventing the expansion of our school system? Is there any-,
thing in the economy of our Synod, in the size of congregations, :
in our mission policy, in financial demands, in the congregations’.
“high cost of living,” that would account for it? We would suggest;
that the obstacles be analyzed and removed wherever possible.:
The enrolment in our schools has decreased and is decreasing, the:
same as in the public schools, owing, we believe, to the very.
evident decline in the birth-rate. It has been found that schools
-in many cases have fewer children than formerly though more
. families are represented. In many cases, however, the enrolment.
itself is constantly .on the increase.

School Statistics for the Last Triennium

g a 8 w 4
X ae z 8 BS 68S gE 688 a]
s ff §& 8 8 & 5B 88
1938: 1,295 73,284 1,312 285 362 100 188 2,247
1939: .1,274 71,702 1,312 268 365 131 177 2,293 -
71,227 1,282 211. = 341 53 219 2,106

1940:* 1,259 5

* These figures were taken from the 1940 Year-Book.