Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 252
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 252

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

252 HIGHER EDUCATION

used for advanced study can and should now be directed
toward the experimental and innovative efforts of the
faculties and administrative officers.

Growing Cooperation

Another factor which will help make these efforts
more possible in the years ahead is the growing coopera-
tion between the schools of the system. The officials at
all schools have demonstrated a greater willingness to
respect the uniqueness of the other institutions and to
make whatever adjustments are necessary so that stu-
dents can transfer to the various schools and levels
without difficulties or penalties. This spirit of coopera-
tion within the total system will certainly make new plans
and procedures for teaching and learning more possible,
especially at the junior colleges.

The Board for Higher Education plans to increase
its efforts to stimulate innovation, not only in the aca-
demic aspects but also in all other areas of student life.
Results of experiments will be shared with all schools.
Special attention will be given to insure the wide use
of those procedures which are shown to be valuable for
improving the quality of the student learning experiences
and making the best use of available funds.

2. Adapt the Structure to the Needs and Resources

On the basis of the studies which have been made
and the planning conferences which have been held
since the New York convention, it seems evident that
in the years ahead certain steps should be taken toward
changes in the structure of the system. These steps are
necessary to permit the institutions to continue to im-
prove the quality of ministerial education in the light of
the needs and desires of the church and the funds likely
to be available.

a. Phase out most synodical high schools according
to previously adopted criteria. At the New York con-
vention in 1967, the Synod gave recognition to the con-
tributions which the synodical high schools have made in
the past, especially in furnishing capable young men for
the pastoral ministry. At the same time, it was noted-that
the constituents were no longer using many of the high
schools and that the continued operation of some of the
schools was rapidly becoming extremely difficult because
of low enrollments.

The Synod resolved, therefore, to close the high
school at Austin according to the plan proposed by the
Austin board of control, and to give the Board for Higher
Education ‘discretionary authority to discontinue the
high school department at any synodical institution
whenever its continued existence can no longer be
defended.”

Accordingly, the high school department at Bronx-
ville is being phased out according to a plan suggested
by its board of control. The high school department at
St. Paul has been merged with the community Lutheran
high school under an arrangement whereby the com-
munity is gradually taking over the complete operation.

The New York resolution of ‘‘discretionary authority”’

has proved to be a very workable plan. The closings of
schools have been accomplished without serious com-
plications for the students, faculties, or institutions.

Eight high schools are still being maintained by the
Synod. These are the schools at Concordia (Mo.), Edmon-
ton, Milwaukee, Oakland, Portland, Selma, Seward, and
Winfield. In the 1968—69 school year, these schools
enrolled 1,145 students, or about 13 percent of the students
in the system.

The future of all of the remaining high schools con-
tinues to be under review by their faculties, boards of
control, and the Board for Higher Education. Evidence
indicates that the high school departments at Edmonton
and Selma should be maintained at present because of
the uniqueness of the opportunities at these two institu-
tions. It now appears likely that most of the other high
schools will need to be closed because continued effec-
tive and productive operation is becoming impossible.

At the same time, the board continues to be aware of
the educational advantages possible in synodical high
schools and of their potential value in maintaining and
strengthening a young person’s commitment to ministry.
Many members of the Synod continue to express the
desire to use the schools. For these reasons, studies are
being made by the board and by the Research and Plan-
ning Commission of the board to determine the feasibility
of maintaining one or more strong high schools which
can be fostered as outstanding academic institutions for
the early recruitment and training of ministers.

b. Consolidate colleges for more effective and
efficient operations. Although some of the synodical
junior colleges have always been small, they have been
developed into excellent schools. Because the programs
have been limited, in general, to those for preparing
ministers, these colleges have been able to become fully
accredited schools which, as a class, enjoy administra-
tion, instruction, and faculties which are fully equal to
those at the 4-year colleges.

However, as college programs throughout the country
continue to expand and as costs keep rising, it becomes
more and more difficult to operate small junior colleges
effectively and efficiently. In recent years the enrollments
at most of the synodical junior colleges have been re-
maining steady or declining, as shown in Table A.

TABLE A

Enrollments at the College Level
in Synodical Schools, 1965 —68

School 1965 1966 1967 1968
Ann Arbor 502 508 504 494
Austin 154 179 183 194
Bronxville 477 461 425 416
Concordia 256 268 217 177
Edmonton 29 20 10 26
Milwaukee 276 354 308 251
Oakland 82 81 113 112
Portland 158 176 158 135
Selma 28 31 24 34
Winfield 351 330 327 348
Fort Wayne 452 500 497 480
River Forest 1,259 1,311 1,410 1,416
St. Paul 634 723 739 737
Seward 1,140 1,225 1,345 1,412

Total 5,798 6,167 6,260 6,232