# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S126
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

126: . Eleméntary ‘Education.

Statistical Picture ” .

In the past three years there was ‘an-increase of°173 schools.:
The number of teachers shows a-decrease of 333. The draft and
conditions brought about by the war lead: us to infer that a loss
could: be expected. “Average Sunday school attendance (171,511)
has always left much to be desired; yet in spite of wartime condi-
tions the attendance has improved from year to year. 29,166 -un-
churehed individuals are enrolled in our Sunday schools at the
present time, revealing a decrease of 4,389 in the past triennium.
This figure indicates that missionary possibilities in the vicinity
of many congregations either do not exist or that no- concerted
effort.is being made to reach the multitude of children and adults
' who are without any church affiliation. A sharp decline in our
Sunday school enrollment has occasioned a great deal of ap-
prehension. This decrease has not yet hurt our enrollment in. the
confirmation classes, for the number of confirmands increased by
1, 229° during the past three years. Owing to the rising birth rate,
there has been a corresponding increase of 7,691 in the number of
infant baptisms. If the population continues to grow at the
present rate, the situation will improve; ‘but the lowered birth rate
of. the past years does not account for our loss of almost 20,000 in
enrollment. Factors mentioned as jointly responsible for losses
are: lowered birth rate, lack of missionary ardor, failure to follow
up prospects and delinquents, migration of families to defense
areas and their neglect to remain in touch. with their. Church.
The. Board of Education has hesitated to write off this loss and
let the matter rest. According to the Statistical Yearbook, the
losses it the. lower departments of the Sunday school totaled about
7,000. The severest losses (at least 12 000) were incurred by the
Bible class departments, and these losses are to be accounted for
(1) by the indifference of our adolescents and adults toward Bible
classes, and (2) chiefly by the drafting of almost 100;000 of our
men into the armed forces. We are of the opinion that the decrease
in- Sunday school enrollment, which has been felt by most of the
Protestant denominations, is due in-no small measure to. the
secularization of the American people, ‘a: rather pronounced move-
ment away from the Church and the things‘of God toward worldli-
ness or paganism. The only effective means for ‘combating the
neopaganism of our age and..of preserving our Christians. from
its-seductive power is the faithful Proclamation: of : God's Word in
’ pulpit- and classroom, . .

; Literature

- Despite’ the decreased enrollment, the circulation of . Sunday .
schdol literature has increased. The revision of the. -Junior, Inter-
mediate, and Senior lessons, which was begun in 1943, willl be