# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S326
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

326 HIGHER EDUCATION

Cooperating Winfield Colleges

The CWC consortium of St. John's and Southwestern, a
Methodist 4-vear college just 5 blocks from St. John’s, has
been greatly enhanced by a grant in excess of $125.000 each
year from Title III (Developing Institutions) of the Higher
Education Act. Faculty study leaves, replacement faculty for
those on leave, a reclassification of the St. John’s library to the
Library of Congress system, institutional research, in-service
training for curriculum development, and a joint band are just
a few of the projects pursued without the use of synodical
funds. The major thrust of such federal funding is to accomplish
worthy projects that would not have been possible with the
usual resources available to the two colleges.

The Alumni Association

An active Alumni Association numbering over 4,300 gradu-
ates. of whom approximately 2.600 are serving the church pro-
fessionally as pastors, teachers, parish workers, and dea-
conesses, continues a growing program in support of St. John’s
College. In 1973 the Alumni Association granted over $15,000
for scholarships for church worker students. In 1974 over
$16,000 was awarded for this purpose.

Association of Congregations

In an effort to supplement the synodical subsidy and also
to provide additional scholarship moneys for students in a time
of inflationary costs, more than 80 congregations of the Kansas,
Oklahoma, and Colorado areas have joined together in 1974
in an association to provide additional direct financial support
to St. John’s College. Another prime purpose of the organization
is to stimulate and intensify recruitment of students for church
vocations in this three-state area. Officers of the newly formed
association are Rev. Paul Von Dielingen, president: Mr. Walter
Frederking, vice-president: Mr. Fred Pullmann, secretary:
Miss Carol Bentz, treasurer. In its first year of operation the
organization has pledged gifts in excess of $30,000.

Nursing Program

The development of the Associate Degree in Nursing pro-
gram continues to be a high priority in eurriculum planning.
Aided by a generous planning grant from the Wheat Ridge
Foundation and by support from the Luthéran Women’s
Missionary League of the Kansas District, the program is
expecting its first full-time students in September 1975. The
first nursing director took office Aug. 1, 1974. The community
of Winfield is making available to St. John's College for the
nursing program a building located Just 2 blocks from the
campus. The building. designed for and used as a nursing
school by the city until 1969, will house 58 students on the upper
floors. The lower floors contain two classrooms, a laboratory,
a library, offices for faculty, and two apartments for super-
visory personnel. The board of trustees of the local Winfield
community hospital has granted St. John’s College use of this
facility for its nursing program at a cost of $1.00 per year. The
building is valued at a little over $500,000.

Conclusion

St. John’s College is grateful to God for the excellent physical
facilities provided by the Synod through the years. These in-
clude buildings valued at over $4,000,000, located on 34 acres
of land, plus an additional 80 acres provided by the community
of Winfield and given to the Synod. We are also grateful for the
community of Winfield. which annually provides approximately
$10.000 in unrestricted scholarship gifts for students.

St. John’s College continues to see its primary purpose as
the preparation of professional church workers and lay leaders
for the church. It also believes that opportunities for Christian
higher education must be made available laity and clergy alike,
for men and women, for minority races, for church members,
and for the unchurched. The Gospel of Jesus Christ must be
proclaimed and applied to the lives of all who come into contact
with a Christian campus community. The Word of God and the
reality of God must be present as the backdrop setting for all
academic pursuits. The St. John’s College motto perhaps best
sums up its position and commitment to Christian college educa-

tion: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Ps.
111:10)

Board of Control

M. J. Stelmachowicz, Executive Officer

6-25

To Have Student Representation
on Boards of Control

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod _ has
selected the democratic process as a model for government
in the Synod: and

WHEREAS, Broad representation of concerns is desirable in
the Synod: and

WHEREAS, Good communications between Boards of Con-
trol and student bodies are highly desirable: therefore be it

Resolved. That at all colleges and seminaries of the Synod
the student bodies be authorized to elect from among them-
selves a person who shall serve as a full voting member of the
Board of Control of that institution for a period of 2 years:
and be it further

Resolved, That the applicable sections of the synodical
Handbook be amended to provide for such student representa-
tion on Boards of Control.

First Trinity Lutheran Church
Washington, D. C.

Melvin L. Willis, President
Charles E. Hughes, Vice-President

6-26

To Support Autonomy of
Boards of Control

WHEREAS, Authority has been established in the world as
part of God’s Order of Creation: and

WHEREAS, God, through Holy Scripture, has revealed repre-
sentatives of His authority in different areas of society, such
as the home, church, state, school, ete.: and

WHEREAS, There is a general breakdown in respect for such
authority in our world today and the church needs to be a wit-
ness to the world in this matter: and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws give au-
thority to set policy and determine staff to the Boards of Con-
trol of our respective educational institutions (6.37 b, 6.39): and

WHEREAS, Students and faculty at such institutions have
attempted to unduly influence such boards by means of pressure
tactics, many of which have been paraded in the public press:
and

WHEREAS, Such Boards of Control have not been, nor do
they want to be, unsympathetic to the needs and desires of
students and faculty: and

WHEREAS, It is necessary and desirable for these boards to
carry on their work unencumbered and unintimidated; there-
fore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod as-
sembled in convention at Anaheim reaffirm and support the
autonomy and authority of the Boards of Control of our educa-
tional institutions and remind faculty and students that such
boards are responsible for their action to the Synod in con-
vention.

St. John’s Lutheran Church
Roselle, Ill.
John Patti, Secretary

6-27

To Revise Election Process for
College and Seminary Presidents

WHEREAS, The concerns voiced in [Ohio District convention}
Overture 119 indicate a need for revision of the process of
election of college and seminary presidents: and