LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 321

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HIGHER EDUCATION 321

This was done entirely through funds provided on the local
level and did not involve support through synodical subsidy.

This program has been well received and is growing. It
provides an additional avenue for adult education for the com-
munity and offers young people a business education in a Chris-
tian setting and an opportunity to specialize as church secre-
taries. The majority of students in the school are preparing for
professional church work. Of the college students, 75 percent
are engaged in a church worker program, and 53 percent of
high school students state this as their goal. In fact. on the
college level alone 40 young men are enrolled in the pastoral
program, 27 of them in the freshman class. In spite of the smaller
enrollment, the number of students in the pastoral program has
increased significantly in the past year.

The lower enrollment at this time is primarily due to two
major factors: the decrease in women teacher students caused
by an assumed oversupply, and the 6-year program in which
high school students accelerate their programs by enrollment
in college courses. The church is the beneficiary since costs of
education are reduced through this program and workers enter
the field 1 year prior to their normal time of graduation. A large
number of high school students complete 1 semester or more of
college work before full-time enrollment in the college. After
1 year of attendance in our college many of them transfer to
a 4-year synodical college or to the Senior College. Conse-
quently, the school has experienced some reduction in enroll-
ment as a direct result of the acceleration program.

Facilities on the campus continue to be well maintained.
Through local efforts an indoor-outdoor swimming pool has just
been completed, permitting improvement of physical education
offerings and recreational facilities. Through contributions
from supporting organizations, a small greenhouse has been
added, resulting in improvement of science offerings. By means
of local funds and efforts many other improvements are being
made which increase the quality of education and living on the
campus.

During the past biennium a number of faculty changes have
also occurred. The following left the faculty for various reasons:
Jack Muller, 1973, to enter secular work: Michael Gruhn, 1974,
to serve in elementary education: Harry Voigt, 1974. retired.
Joining the staff were Leonard Fiedler, 1974, as high school
principal; Donna Werneke, 1974, instructor in Business: Steven
Hinck, 1974, high school men’s counselor and part-time librarian.
In addition to these changes four instructors completed work
for the master’s degree and two will soon complete their doc-
toral programs.

Future Projections

Although much will depend on the decisions of the conven-
tion relating to the future of the higher educational system.
St. Paul’s intends at this time to move forward in an aggressive
recruitment program and to intensify its efforts to acquire other
income in addition to that provided by the synodical subsidy.
Under the blessing of God it will continue to provide workers
for the ministries of the church, and for that reason we solicit
the continued prayers and support of the members of the Synod.

Walter Rosin, President

6-16
Concordia College, Edmonton, Alberta

The concluding paragraph of the last report to the Synod in
1973 stated that: “In a number of ways Concordia faces a bright
and exciting future in the educational enterprise.” In gratitude
to God for His great blessing, that future is unfolding: new doors
to expanded service to our church and community are being
opened. Supported by the Lord’s bountiful hand, Concordia,
Edmonton, accepts new arenas for additional service and builds
on to its basic purpose of assisting young men and women in
their training for the church professions.

“The context is Christian: the purpose is people.’ Those
words help us express the direction that the institution has
taken in the past and that also undergirds our efforts for the
future. God’s people in western Canada are confronted with
tasks that are peculiar to this vast area on the North American
continent. Lutherans, in a decided minority, along with a few

struggling Christian groups are called upon to promote the
concept of education that builds upon Christ. In a number of
encouraging ways we see that our concept of Christian educa-
tion is becoming more appealing not only to our traditional
Lutheran constituency but also to those whose heritage in
Christian education has been emphasized less.

People

Roland A. Frantz, the third president of Concordia College.
was called to his eternal home on Feb. 3, 1975. He was in his
15th year of service to the school as its president. Concordia was
ably directed by this servant of the Lord: it was enriched by the
ministry of this man of God.

Concordia. Edmonton. is blessed with faculty members who,
in difficult times, remain faithful to their Lord and live truly
dedicated lives as servants of the church. Rapidly rising costs
of living meagerly met by slower adjustments have left them
undaunted. They desire to serve: they remain loyal to their Lord
and to their church.

In the current biennium the number of full-time instructors
has risen to 18. In the fall of 1973 Profs. Roger Hohenstein,
Keith Miller, Randall Pospishil, Barry Bromley, Harry Lutzer,
Jean Loree, and Richard Willie were added to the full-time
teaching staff. Prior to the induction of these new staff members.
several instructors had moved to new positions or enrolled in
graduate study. Among those leaving the employment of Con-
cordia were Marianne Broockmann, Wilbur Bullinger, Law-
rence Irmer. and Alan Merrifield. Ms. Elva Kristjansen served
1 year (1973—74) as dean of women.

In 1974 two new staff positions were created and filled — Paul
Scott as full-time director of recruitment and public relations
and Rev. Clyde Duder as director of development.

At a time when church-related schools across the continent
are experiencing declining enrollments, the Lord has directed
greater numbers to us. In 1973 an all-time high of 199 students
(both college and high school) were enrolled, and in the current
year our enrollment included 226 students. In 1973 we had a
small number in church work programs: this experience under-
scores a crying need for involvement of all people to recruit
more capable young men and women for church work profes-
sions. In 1974 we were gratified in enrolling more for these
purposes. With renewed efforts of our personnel and an in-
tensified recruitment program we have multiplied our activities
to gain more young people for training in these important
vocations.

Programs

The high school academic program has been stable in the
current biennium. Few changes in courses have been made.

On the college level, course offerings have also stabilized.
A detailed study of 5 years of affiliation with the University of
Alberta was conducted by faculty members. The internal
evaluations concluded that Concordia College, Edmonton, was
meeting its educational responsibilities in an acceptable manner.
A poll of former students included the comment: *. . . students
who attended Concordia College for their first year of university
study found this college situation a viable alternative to the
large university.” That response was gratifying to our faculty
members, particularly in the higher education milieu of Canada.

In 1974 a continuing education program was initiated. In
this program the college is attempting to set before its Lutheran
constituency and the community alternatives for further edu-
cation. The concept of continuing education on the Canadian
scene has not received much attention: only recently has the
Department of Advanced Education of Alberta begun to support
education beyond the scope of formal, traditional patterns of
educational institutions. Concordia is beginning to promote this
type of educational experience in western Canada.

Plans

One major development that has occupied our time and
energy in the past few years is our institutional self-study and
preparation of a request for the authority to offer a set of courses
for the second year of college or university experience. Previous
conventions of the Synod have encouraged us in these plans for
expansion. Assuming that the authority will be granted and that
provincial grants for students in higher education will be con-
tinued, we anticipate that it will be unnecessary to receive in-