Concordia College - Spire / Concordian Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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COLLEGE the Altenburg congregation and Trinity at St. Louis had yielded to the wish of Synod in part. viz., that the seminary department be moved to St. Louis and that the college department remain in Altenburg. But a committee appointed by Synod reported favorably on moving both departments to St. Louis. advancing the following reasons: ill That the cost of construction and maintenance of buildings would be minimized: C21 that the facul- ties could teach in both departments, thus increas- ing teaching efficiency: C37 that the seminary stu- dents could have an opportunity to continue their study of languages: C47 that the location of the site in St. Louis partially offset the advantage of having the college department in the country: 157 that better facilities for a general education could be offered: C63 that the faculties. if separated. might tend to develop an unfriendly spirit towards each otherg 175 that promotions from the college to the seminary would arouse less ill will among the parents of students. The third convention. held in June, 1849, at Fort Wayne, which was destined to be the future home of Concordia College. was decisive. Pastor Loeber. who died two months later. Hnally agreed to the transfer of the school intact. This convention ap- pointed a building committee, consisting of Pastors Walther and Buenger, appointed by Synod, and other members to be selected by Trinity in St, Louis. The convention was undoubtedly also influ- enced by a tangible promise of assistance by Trin- ity, which had supported the college especially since 1843. The congregation offered two acres for the site of the school, 552.00000 in cash, the proceeds from the sale of a proposed hymnal, and the pro- ceeds from the congregation's cemetery fund. Thus the living and the dead united in their efforts to aid the college. Later financial reports show that the pledges of Trinity in St, Louis were redeemed in full. All honor to Trinity! Immediate steps were now taken to move the school. Building operations were begun. Professor Goenner came to St. Louis on December 13. 1849. with nine fledglings. Dr. Walther had been selected as the successor of Pastor Loeber on August 17, 1849, since Loeber remained with his congregation. Dr. Walther was one of the electors, and in count- ing the ballots it was found that all electors had voted for him except one. Dr. Walther had cast his vote for the Rev. Theodor Julius Brohm. Dr. Wal- ther, who began teaching in January. 1850. was called as teacher in the seminary primarily, but he also conducted classes in the college department. Since the construction of the building had not ad- vanced far enough, the classes met in the home of Dr. Walther. The entire period when Concordia College was in St. Louis records a speedy upward trend. 1850 is. perhaps, the most momentous year in Concor- 19 3 9 :: X , p J si, Ai Li-if ' ,Ply iii G. A. SAXER dia's history: no other single year witnessed such great constructive activity. The new building was dedicated with more than ordinary pomp and cir- cumstance on June ll, 1850. The contract 'had been let on September 25, 1849, at the price of S3,649.1112 but the final cost. which included a number of in- cidental additions to the original plans, mounted to a higher figure. Three speakers were engaged for the dedicatory service: Dr. Walther. who spoke in Latin. Pastor Schieferdecker. and the Rev. Fred- erick Wyneken, from Fort Wayne. Luther's Refor- mation hymn was also sung in Latin. A proces- sional made up of an orchestra. several choirs, and local organizations added to the dignity of the cele- bration. One feature particularly elicited most favorable comment. 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1339 S I X CONCORDIA' J. W. MUELLER HERM. BUENGI-:R C. H. L01-:BI-:R LIDDY BUENGER MARIA v. WURMBSARAH v. WURMB school to the best of their ability. Thus, a page from an old record inscribed, Altenburg, July 31, 1842.7 lists contributions in cash in one column and in another column the days of services ren- dered by friends of the school. Prof. Goenner assumed his new duties in Sep- tember, 1843. Now the curriculum was arranged according to a definite program for the first time. The students were divided into two classes: Three in Class I indie Grossen J, ages 16 to 20, and five in Class II indie Kleinen J, ages 11 to 14. Goenner, Keyl, and Loeber taught the upper class. Goenner gave instruction in theological training, Bible, in the original Greek and Hebrewg Xenophon, Plu- tarch, and Homer in Greek: Caesar, Cicero. Virgil in Latin: and English. Pastor Keyl taught Church History and exegesis of Romans and 1 Peter in 1843-4, systematic theology and the works of Luther in 1844-5. Pastor Loeber had charge of dogmatics, exegesis of Psalms, harmony of the Gospels fthe second class attended these lessons alsol, German composition, catechetics, introduc- JACOB G01-:NNER Page 10 tion to psychology, logic, French, and mathematics. Goenner, Loeber, and Winter, teacher and cantor of the Altenburg parish school, taught the second class. Goenner took over Latin, Greek, and Eng- lish. Loeber instructed in Luther's catechism, German composition, declamation, geography, his- tory, arithmetic, geometry, and drawing. Mr. Win- ter, who was noted for his deep bass voice, con- ducted classes in singing and piano. Mr. Carl Julius Otto Nietzschke, who had conducted a country store at the Wittenberg landing, was engaged as teacher of English, arithmetic, and geography in 1847 and continued to teach till December, 1849. The enrollment in September, 1843, consisted of eight pupils: four, self-supporting, from the neigh- borhood, two from St. Louis, who lived with Prof. Goenner: and two others who were supported by the congregation at Altenburg. Three additional boys entered in 1844: Martin Guenther, later pro- fessor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis: E. Metz, and Koetz. The first graduate of Concordia College was Pastor Mueller, who had attended the school from its beginning. He passed his examination on Octo- ber 7, 1848, and was called as pastor to a congre- gation at Manchester, near St. Louis, which had been served by Pastor Buenger, Mueller's former teacher at the college. The congregation was the fruit of Buenger's missionary activity. Pastor Buenger and the Rev. Herman Fick officiated at the ordination. Biltz was ordained in 1848 and the young Loeber completed his course in the follow- ing year, being ordained in August, 1849. The other two graduates from Altenburg were Prof. Rudolf Lange, later professor at the college and Concor- dia Seminary, and the Rev. H. Wunder. The time had now come when the college was to be transferred a greater distance. Thus the col- lege was moved to St. Louis, where it remained until 1861. The matter of bringing the school to St. Louis had been discussed in 1843. In the first con- vention of the Missouri Synod at Chicago, in April, 1847, the convention expressed the desire that the college be placed into the service and care of the newly organized synod. By the time of the second convention of the Synod at St. Louis in June, 1848,

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CONCORDIA -if -E: 1 QI' I l L. 153 3 9 - .5 ss- EE li? 1----at MR. AND MRS. ANDREW SCHUST ganization of young people of the Trinity congre- gation whose purpose was to assist college students. The members wore a red cross over their heart. The cause of the college was furthered in the fourth annual convention of Synod, which met in October, 1850, at St. Louis. Trinity congregation, on October 8, 1849, and the Altenburg congregation, on June 4, 1850, had drawn up a statement with conditions under which they would submit to turn- ing the school over to Synod. The four terms in- cluded the following: C15 That the institution should serve the Lutheran Church forever and that only ministers and teachers should be trained there f ...und nur ihre Prediger un.d Lehrer erziehe Jg C25 that the German language shall al- ways be the medium of instruction, except that certain seminary subjects could be taught in Latin, as was the custom in German universities, C31 that the school remain what it is, a preparatory school for ministers and teachers, that others who wish to prepare for another vocation may at- tend, but the original purpose must never be aban- donedg C47 that Professor Goenner's call be hon- ored, and that provision be made for Mr. Nietzschke. The convention acceded to these condi- tions, and so the college formally and legally be- came the property of the Missouri Synod. At the same time, October, 1850, the convention gave the school a name. Concordia was selected in honor of the Lutheran symbols. The action of the conven- tion is recorded in the following words: Der Name der Anstalt ist: Concordia-Collegium CCon- cordia Universityb der evang.-lutherischen Synode von Missouri, Ohio, und anderen Staatenf' It was also reported at this convention that the current expenses of the college for the entire year, includ- ing salaries for three teachers, were 3707.95 Concordia College had only two teachers at this time, Professor Goenner and Dr. Walther, who was, strictly speaking, on the seminary faculty. Professor Goenner resigned at Easter, 1856, to edit the publication of the Altenburger Bibelwerk at the request of Synod. He taught at the college later again, resigned in May, 1861, and died on June 25. 1864, at the age of 57 years. The Rev. Adolf Fried- rich Theodor Biewend was now called and joined the faculty on October 28, 1850. He had served on the faculty at Columbian University at Washing- ton, D. C., before coming to Concordia. An expansion of the school with a definite pro- gram of procedure was immediately planned. The college department was now separated from the seminary department, courses for a general educa- tion were offered, and a definite plea was made to Page 12 ?g.,,L,.,,, h- X Vx f:, , . , -il., qt 5 1 ,g LL , 1, 1 . is -1 5 .-:re H JH . f' -I r',, -rl, 1- ,,-4' 5: A at - x A jk' fl. ' 'i f - ','.' -. JJ .30 'Qs - , ' - 1 K, L -, 8,-'gt 1 -If .jg .Am f-T1 -.S---AT--1' 5-5 ' QV. .4 X ,, F-if 5' f A A I if ur- . - .1- - -M 'mitffrt'-t .':H:..-. E - .1-si' 1 A f . ' L, . , A. -- , ,,,, . ..... .,... .. 5 . ..,,, , V . U Y . T.-f - A f-fl ' 1 aa. . et We --:fry -:- Leif, -.. , Q A - sys -.r wwf A D iv. . ,- , . 4, :trgf ,welt ea .1-ts. L : f V T --, xi 4, 1 7 r-1 x , . tw A 4 Aggie . - Hg 1 -, . : -E. ga I M .g -Q 3,45 ' ZF' areas: f. ff 4-1 v '1 I llgaitgfet f x I . 1- ,J -x ' 1 Qi 5-., A ll:-, X ,iii , 1, K U ' ' If Lf. Ti . Ln 1- X5 V j g If '-,Qi 1' f'-A -,f?','.,',fg:.fe.a 1, ' i'?7.-gfi s i' I' .milf-Z-:-5' .' -. 2-' .1 1 ,V -f3ii'xY inff'tfT1-fi in' like EM , nuns- '3 - - ' 1 ' 'T -, 5 i,'f'lFz' ' ' - -.E-.fe 12 , ,tu lg- 5 ,.i 'iw-I-13. ,tw .--.-:-gxwqg.-ra5'4L?.'. 5 -. QS, 'na E,--.rx-'lm-.V -1 Q, Jr-u., ,- 35 -1' '-4 ' -- -yn-1:3 '- , f' ' - :yt -25 , ,,,g-va-V f.':.'E.. L' ..,. -5 1- '25 . .- -is ' .af Nm? 1g,'ff:-.1- U ' X' A' wr IN' .. WN' , 7 1 2- ' , Q sr 1'4 . ?Q?.4'j , Ulgg ,gg F: lasik... ,f5EQw?4,g,2Q1.giX , -,M 1 fl' ,5--f ik i ' X w .gf .... 3'!T:1U .-if 'fr -'-'llitrez' i ii' ,'-J,g5i',QigE ,ki Y, 1153, JSR -',,,-Wdrqfa.--. .L Lx . -Matty' -F 1 'liwf-w5N.!,gl 1, I 1 w 'f-31.141-ss r52tg2:Yt1f,i,'as ji -5 75 1 M ,X 9f2r5Y'vr .ff O ' fl-v-lf? -7- 1' fine! Sams? lv A 7 ' in-7,,i'2-. ,, . it 1... .-fl' , LY.,:?s,-.q, ' .im ,.M,W-V3 V tsl... 3 .t KMI MNQJ53-2:21, 'f13 '-f---f .-.'... . , - - .---+ w - - - l .- f- ft- :sf--. -- - . .-9:40.-,,.... f- -F, . .. :'4igm.f.:5i4ggg1f:,. ln gig, Naaag- sgijfe-if:-r--2 -:jg gg w,5,'.-if?--:ji,,.,,A--Q-1' , Q' - -- C V g - . vn.,....wbMg- 4, r-- -.es --dim, . -e .,-, , '18 . , . s .,,. Y . . fr . . . . Z . aff.- ' . - 5 ' .i n 4, T 4 . FIRST COLLEGE BUILDING IN FORT WAYNE