LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 406

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SPECIAL AND SUNDRY MATTERS 407

pages of text. Materials gathered have come from depositories
all over the world and supplement the Institute’s resources,
enabling the user to consult more materials in a single location
without having to travel all over the world for them.

A byproduct of this program has been the production of
a bibliography of Lutheran periodicals issued in America. Some
3,000 titles are included.

3. Acquisitions: The Institute has made special efforts to
acquire a set of all documents and periodicals relating to the
current controversy in the Synod. This often has not been easy.
Sometimes we have not found out about certain publications,
especially on the local or regional level. until long after their
first appearance. It should be noted, however, that excellent
cooperation has been shown in depositing such materials which
future researchers will welcome.

4. Publications: The primary publication of the Institute is
the Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly. now in its 48th
year. This journal is the only one in the United States devoted
to the history of Lutheranism in North America. It is also one
of the oldest denominational historical publications in the United
States. But even more noteworthy is that it is self-sustaining,
whereas many other such journals require heavy denomina-
tional subsidy. Frederick Nohl served as acting editor during
1973. Since January 1974 Ronald J. Schlegel has been serving
in that capacity. Other Institute publications include ‘‘Historical
Footnotes” (a newsletter for members), “The Regional Archi-
vist” (a newsletter on archival techniques) especially for District
archivists, and a series of how to bulletins on a wide variety of
subjects. Samples of these publications are available on request.

5. Catalogs and Indexes: To make the Institute’s collections
of manuscripts and archives usable by researchers and staff,
a continuous program of preparing inventories and indexes is
carried on. Some of the special collections for which catalogs
exist are museum artifacts, coins, medals, Bibles, hymnals,
devotional literature, and microfilm. Inventories have been
prepared on 172 separate manuscript collections, with an
additional 30 nearing completion. Some 190 collections have
been reported to the Library of Congress and are included in
the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections. Such
indexes and inventories save many hours in getting at a specific
source,

6. Transcription: A growing problem in Lutheran historical
research is the large amount of primary source material avail-
able only in handwritten German Gothic form. The number of
people who can still read this script is diminishing rapidly. Under
a project initially funded by the Aid Association for Lutherans,
some 500 letters by C. F. W. Walther and about an equal number

of letters written to him have been transcribed into typewritten
German. In addition, the collection of the official opinions, or
Gutachten. of the Concordia Seminary (St. Louis) faculty have
also been transcribed. Volunteers have helped continue this
work on smaller collections. But thousands of pages still remain!
It is hoped that both funding for additional work and a larger
number of volunteers can be obtained in the future.

7. Saxon Lutheran Memorial: Operated by the Institute and
serving several thousand visitors annually, the Saxon Lutheran
Memoria! consists of a restored log cabin and several additional
buildings at Frohna, Mo., which once served as parsonage and
school building for the Saxon immigrant congregation. The
displays of early household furnishings and farm equipment
help each new generation to see and appreciate the heritage of
the Synod’s founders.

8. Used Book Service: The Institute makes available to
interested persons hundreds of books no longer available
through normal channels. From the many collections of books
received, those not needed to complete the Institute’s holdings
are offered for sale. Libraries of retired pastors and teachers,
their widows and families are thus recycled for use by another
generation in the church. The steady stream of requests for
out-of-print materials demonstrates that this project fills a‘real
need and provides an important service. The writings of church
leaders of previous generations are often available.

9. Museum Extension Service: Through loans of resources
gathered from the Synod’s overseas missions, the Institute
helps congregations and other groups develop exhibits for
“mission fairs.” Such special kits are available for the following
countries: Brazil, Central America,. Formosa, Hong Kong,

India, Japan. Korea, New Guinea, Nigeria, Venezuela, and the
Philippines. Congregations, circuits, and schools may obtain
such kits though the mail at modest rental fees.

Awards

During the biennium the Institute initiated an awards pro-
gram designed to recognize important contributions to the
futherance of Lutheran achives and history and to encourage
individuals and organizations to prepare and preserve signifi-
cant historical materials.

The major award, the Col. Koch Luther Medal. is given to
individuals who have rendered extraordinary services to Lu-
theran history and archives. Only two may be granted in 1 year.
The first two such awards were granted in 1972 to CarlS. Meyer,
former professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and to the
late Theodore G. Tappert. former professor at the Lutheran
Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. No awards were made in
1973 because no individual met the stringent criteria. Recipients
of this award receive a replica of a medal in the Institute’s
collection, believed to have been issued in 1546 at the time of
Martin Luther's death. No other examples of the medal are
known to exist.

A second category of awards seeks to recognize individuals
and organizations who have significantly contributed to the

.development of Lutheran history and archives. During the past

2 years. 21 persons and agencies have received such awards.

Historical- Archival Relationships

The Synod functions through a decentralized archival-
historical structure, with the Institute in the center. Each of the
Districts has established its archives, some dating back as far as
the 1850s. The synodical colleges and seminaries have appointed
individuals to serve as institutional archivists, and a growing
number of congregations are appointing parish archivists.
Through its service program and technical assistance the
Institute renders support and coordination of the entire struc-
ture. Biennial conferences and workshops (which attract partici-
pation also from other American church bodies) are conducted
biennially. The 13th in this series is planned for St. Louis in the
fall of 1975.

The Institute served as host for the seventh biennial meeting
of the Lutheran Historical Conference in 1974. The conference
is an inter-Lutheran association of historians, archivists, and
librarians. Institute director Aug. R. Suelflow was elected to his
third consecutive 2-year term as president.

The Institute has also served as a resource to two ad hoc
anniversary committees: the Committee on the American
Bicentennial and the Committee for the Black Centennial. Both
of these committees were established by the 1973 New Orleans
convention and will render separate reports.

Board of Governors and Staff

The policies goyerning the Institute are established by the
board of governors, which is ‘responsible and accountable to
the Synod for all transactions and decisions in accordance with
the provisions of its corporate charter and bylaws” (Bylaw
15.41). Members are Gerhardt Kramer (president), Otto A. Dorn
(vice-president), Frederick Nohl (secretary), Harry L. Smith
(treasurer), Alfred Buls. William A. Kramer, Pauline Kolb
(advisory), Herbert Mueller (advisory), Gilbert T. Otte, Carl
J. Stapf, Lando C. Ott, and Eldon Weisheit.

The full-time staff consists of the director, Aug. R. Suelflow:
a reference and research assistant, Marvin A. Huggins; two
office secretaries; a financial secretary: and a receptionist. Nine
seminarians work part-time in specialized and technical areas.

In addition-to the board and staff, the Institute receives
counsel and advice from 19 individuals through the following
working committees: Historical Studies and Resources, Edu-
cational Advisory, Parish Records, Promotion, and Ethnic
Archives and History.

Anniversaries
The following significant anniversaries to be observed in the

next biennium will be of interest to the members of the conven-
tion and others:

1. The 150th anniversary of the birth of Indian missionary
E. G. H. Miessler (1976).