# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S123
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Elementary Education . Lo t23

Schools, candidates. who have now been: Baorbed’ a by the ministry, ,
Hence, the shortage of teachers' was not due ‘to:a sudden numerical.
increase in teaching positions, for the number of instructors from
1939 to 1942 increased only by 14; nor was it due to an‘ unusual

* number of teacher resignations owing to the war industry;. for

surveys in 1942 and 1943 have shown that an insignificant number

of ‘teachers resigned in order to enter. defense work, least of all in
“1943, ‘The shortage appears to be due to a deplorable loss in our

teaching personnel, owing. to low salaries and* other conditions,

‘e8pecially to the practice of temporary employment of teacher
- graduates, which, in turn, reduced:the enrollment at our teachers’

colleges. :

To meet the immediate needs second-year men of the sem-
‘>inary at St. Louis were.asked to take a special summer course at
River Forest or Seward to prepare themselves for a year of

teaching. During the Summer of 1943 about. 40 students volun-.
teered' to serve the Church in this capacity. .Another call was

issued for the summer of 1944: However, ‘this.measure can be ~
» gonsidered only as a stopgap. until a more: permanent solution can

2 be found.

:. ,In order to relieve the situation further, the School Office, with
the approval of the District Presidents, has undertaken to contact
teachers out of office for purposes of reclaiming the worthy and
- willing ones for service in the’‘Church. A number of such teachers -

have declared themselves willing to accept a call, some of them
-at a considerable financial sacrifice. It is planned to continue the
survey of teachers out of office until all that can be reached will
have been accounted for.
While the general enrollment at our normal schools is en-'
’ couraging, we must increase our efforts to gain more students this ,
: year if we are to meet the anticipated needs of the Church. While
‘woman teachers are needed, the expansion of our school system
and the probable addition of a number of high schools, will put
: a greater demand upon male teachers.

‘Teaching Material

__ Definite progress can ‘be reported in the production. of new
. and ‘much-needed textbooks and other materials. As much as_
possible, the’ co-operation and assistance. of the faculties, of the
_ téachers’ colleges. and” of groups of teachers and individuals. in
i » the field are being sought in thése efforts. The following items.
have been completed during the ‘past three years and: are now on _
‘the’market or ‘will'be available by September; 1944, ‘God’ willing:
hurch History Inserts, 1941; Child Record, 1942; General Course _
> of: Study for Lutheran Elementary’ Schools, 1943; “Reading: for .