LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1932, Page 81

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

88 Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Regular Convention,

The evidence is simply this: ‘While a number of Distri
register growth or at least no loss, the majority, including som ‘cla
the very best school Districts, show a loss; and this logs counts of
the figures for the Synod as a whole. The loss in a number f
Districts is without question only a temporary setback (in Michi of
for example, the 1931 figures show an increase of 200 in the enrol,
ment); and therein lies a ray of hope that there will soon again be
an upward turn in the figures for the Synod.

D. Outlook.

As just stated, there are prospects of an upward turn. J udgin,
by the activity and general interest in most of the Districts noe
showing loss, there is bound to be an increase in the near future pro-
vided the congregations do not forfeit the Lord’s blessing by refusin
to act; for the interest and fervor displayed in general by those whe
have schools and by many who as yet do not have them, by boards
of education and mission boards, and by District conventions and
District officials is truly remarkable. We have repeatedly been in-
duced by this splendid local initiative to write boards, visitors, and
others letters of appreciation and commendation.

But it is equally true that a wide-spread indifference and laxity
evidently still exists, if indeed it is not increasing. The schools come
very hard. Progress in establishing them is much too slow. We con-
stantly expand in number of congregations, in Sunday-, Saturday-
and summer-schools, in baptized and communicant membership, but
we do not in the same measure expand our school system. There ig
apparently too much reliance on, and possibly satisfaction with, our
minor agencies, such as Sunday-, Saturday-, and summer-schools
despite the widely declared consensus of opinion that they are in-
adequate and serve only certain purposes, but are not a substitute
for the parochial school. The fact that children attending them are
being primarily trained by the world instead of by the Church and
receive only inadequate religious instruction to counteract such
training, leaves many of our people wholly indifferent or is not con-
sidered sufficiently important to compel the opening of a parochial
school. .

Here and there home-training is urged instead of a parochial
school. Now, home-training can never be overemphasized. It would
in fact be ideal if the home could do all the instructing and training
without the help of schools. But can it, especially in our day? If it
can, does it do so? We furthermore agree that, where a school can
as yet not be had, the home should in a particular way be enlisted to
help make up for the deficiency. If this is really done, the great need
of a school should soon become evident. But we must respectfully
warn against urging the home instead of the school, or vice versa.
Both are greatly needed.

Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1932. 89

With all the increased attention to the schools during the past ten
years, close observation shows that there is still too much silence on
the schools. They are not as prominently and consistently connected
with our general endeavors as their importance warrants, neither in
print nor in speech. To promote the schools, we must keep them
before our people, properly correlated with our other endeavors.

Some sections of Synod have made little or no headway during

the past whole decade in the matter of opening more schools. What

they had ten years ago they have now and no more. A few sections
have even retrogressed from year to year and are still going back.
Yet they have considerably expanded in everything else. During this
decade the number of organized congregations without schools in-
creased by 460; in other words, while Synod increased by 522 as
to congregations, it increased by only 62 as to schools. The total
number of congregations in 1930 was 3,843; 2,504 of these had no
schools. If we continue at this rate, the ratio of congregations with-
out schools to those with schools will soon be greater than 2 to 1.

Shall this continue? God forbid! Forward! Onward! should be
our slogan. Where we have failed, let us improve. The time is still
most opportune. The general attitude is entirely favorable. As yet
we have a fine, large school system that we can expand. The Lord
has given us peace from without. He has also given us the means,
and where we are short, fellow-Christians are willing to assist. The
doors are wide open to us. There is sufficient power and interest left
in Synod, thanks to God, to carry the cause to a successful issue.
It is but necessary that we wake up, face the situation squarely, and
act courageously. Since we cannot do this without the light and
guidance, the presence and blessing, of God, we must pray, believe,
and trust Him implicitly. Let us turn to Him in true repentance
over past indifference and neglect. History shows that He has ever
been gracious to those who turned to Him in true repentance; He
has blessed, helped, and prospered them. May it please Him to lead
us back to the earnestness, understanding, and devotion of our fore-
fathers, who did succeed in establishing a wonderful school system
and left it as a heritage to us.

E. Activities of the Committee on Schools.

What efforts were made to improve the school situation? The
answer is that the entire activity of the Board and especially of the
Committee on Schools and its secretary, including the daily routine
in the office with its constant corresponding, planning, and writing,
has this for its principal objective. But the following deserves special
mention: The News Service was issued monthly and sent to some
800 leaders in all parts of Synod; through its bulletins a special
effort was made-to warn and admonish, but also to encourage and