# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S418
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Part One

INTRODUCTION

.

The year 1947 will mark the centennial of the organization of the.
Missouri Synod. The present generation of pastors, teachers, _and#
members of Synod will be able to look back upon a century of divi
. blessing almost unparalleled in the history of the Christian Chure
However, the celebration of the centennial should not only be an

guished background. They were keenly aware
an educational system which would - transmit

Naturally the pattern of the educational system introduced by ‘our
fathers. in this country followed the lines of the German gymnasium
As they adapted this Pattern to the needs of a young Church in a
pioneer country, they retained the strength of the system as it had
‘existed in Europe. Its core was a I j
and the classics, Throughout it emphasized subjects whose “diss
ciplinary” value was high. Perhaps the greatest strength of this
system lay in its unique singleness of purpose. It had only one termi-
nal objective—the training of pastors and teachers for the service of,
the Church. That Singleness of purpose Gave it a strength and a.
unity which set it apart from general developments in education,

ystem served Synod well for a long time. In’

nt strength it was for many years far above the:
current level. Pastors and teachers were

than the members of their.churches. Since this training was require :
of virtually all who wished to serve the Church, it resulted in
uniformly high Professional standard of education.

the nineteenth century, however, certai
inadequacies in the System became apparent.

and - the rapid increase in educational opportunities under | th

auspices and direction of the State. It soon became evident that the’
historic curriculum lacked a certain breadth as well as a responsive.
ness to the problems ‘of the immediate present:

. 418