Concordia University Chicago - Pillars Yearbook (River Forest, IL)

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History of Our Seminary WHEN Dr. Walther emigrated to this country, he not only brought with him the true doctrine as Luther professed it, but also Luther ' s sentiments in regard to the best means of maintaining the true doctrine. Dr. Walther held with Luther that if the Church was to prosper, if staunch confessors of the true faith and the pure doctrine were to be obtained, it would be necessary to bring the children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and to teach them the Word of God in all its truth and purity. With this object in view our Lutheran parochial schools were called into existence. Pastors of different congregations opened parochial schools, and worked diligently to up- hold them. It soon became evident, however, that such pastors were overburdened with work, and time would not permit them to discharge faithfully their pastoral duties, and at the same time meet responsibilties devolving upon them in assuming the position of a school teacher. The schools gradually grew larger, and their number rapidly increased so that it soon became a strongly felt necessity to have specially trained teachers to take charge of them; such teachers who not only had a warm heart for school children, and would consecrate their energy to the work in the vineyard of the Lord, but also possessed the knowledge and essential proficiency to teach. Conscious of the great need for help in this respect, the professors of the Theologi- cal Seminary in Ft. Wayne sacrificed their leisure time and surplus energy to prepare and qualify young men for the teachers profession. Until the year 1855, however, but eleven teachers were graduated from this institution. Owing to the fact that their regular branches required so much work and time, the professors would not furnish enough teachers to meet the demands. Prompted by love of the Lord, four self-sacrificing men, the Revs. Fleisch- mann, Dulitz and Lochner, and teacher Dietz, founded an institution in Milwaukee for the purpose of training Ev. Luth. parochial school teachers. For two years the institu- tion was in their charge, and during this time their efforts proved not to be in vain, and their diligent work was crowned with success. In the meantime, the Central District of the Synod met in Indianapolis, and on this occasion, matters regarding the education of teachers for our parochial schools were discussed. Among others, wishes were expressed that our teachers should no longer be educated in the private seminary in Milwaukee, but that this institution should be trans- ferred to the care of the Synod, and then be located in Ft. Wayne, in close connection with the Theological Seminary. The opinion was held that it would be more desirable and satisfactory to have our teachers educated in an institution entirely under the control and in charge of the Synod. However, it was not until the general Synod convened in Ft. Wayne in 1857 that the proposed plan was adopted, and the change made. Rev. Fleischmann was appointed professor, and became at the same time Director of the Semi- nary Department. He arrived in Ft. Wayne on Nov. 10, 1857, to assume the duties of his position. It is the year 1857, therefore from which our Alma Mater really dates her birth. Although Prof. Fleischmann was assisted in his special work by the professors of the Theological Department, the student body grew so large in course of four years that another professor was required to assist in the work. Rev. C. A.T. Selle, of Rock Island, 111,

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12 Addison Normal School was called to the professorship. In the fall of that year, 1861, the Theological Semi- nary was transferred to St. Louis, and in its place in Ft. Wayne, Concordia College was founded. This change brought about the removal of the Teachers ' Seminary to a house located in the vicinity of the business district. In the following year however, it was again removed, and quartered in an old tavern on the Piqua Road, about two miles from the city. Although conditions were very unfavorable, and many obstacles were met with, the institution thrived, and the work was carried on faithfully, so that at the end of the schoolyear 1862, seventeen candidates were granted leave to enter their profession. The next year, in 1863, it was thought expedient to accept an invitation from the German Ev. Luth. Congregation at Addison, 111., to permanently locate the Seminary in their midst. In the meantime Prof. Fleischmann accepted a call to the ministry, and Rev. J. C. W. Lindemann was called to assume the office of Director. Immediately after it was decided to establish the seminary in Addison, preparations were begun for the removal. The local congregation granted a large tract of land, and liberally contributed to the fund that was required to erect the necessary buildings, and on June 15, 1864, the corner-stone was laid. The main building was not nearly com- pleted in time, however, so the next school year begun on September 1 st in an old unoccu- pied tavern in the village. Of the several dwellings with which our Alma Mater had to content herself, this was probably the most undesirable one. Owing to the poor facilities for heating, the regular course of study was often interrupted and sometimes discontinued in cold weather. Better times soon came, however, with the dedication of the new home on December 28, 1864. The main building consisted of a basement, two stories and a spacious dormitory. North and south from the building two wings were built to shelter the families of two professors. At the close of this schoolyear, fifty-five students were on the roll, but year by year the attendance increased, and the growing demand necessitated from time to time the erection of more buildings as well as additions to the faculty. In December, 1866, K. Brauer was called to serve as an instructor in music. An- other member was added to the faculty in the person of Dr. H. Duemling in 1870, but after four years, he accepted a call to Concordia College in Ft. Wayne; Rev. C. E. Haentz- schel became his successor. The growth of the seminary made a fifth professor necessary and consequently Rev. T. J. Grosse, of Chicago, was called. January 15, 1879, the Seminary received a sad blow in the death of Director Linde- mann. A few days before, the Rev. A. G. Francke, president of the Seminary Board of Supervisors, had also followed the call of his Master to eternal rest, and Prof. Grosse was chosen his successor as pastor of Zion ' s Congregation. To fill this new vacancy in the faculty, Prof. Theo. Brohm, a member of the faculty at Northwestern College in Water- town, Wis., was called. After the death of Director Lindemann, it was difficult for a long time to fill the vacancy. But in the spring of the year 1880, the Rev. E. A. W. Krauss, of Baden, Ger- many, was chosen director. For twenty-five years he faithfully served his Lord in this capacity. In the year following, Prof. E. C. Homann of Chicago, was called to serve the Seminary principally as teacher of music. Three years later Prof. J. L. Backhaus was called as sixth professor. After a lingering sickness, Prof. Haentzschel died, and the Rev. F. Koenig of Seward, Nebraska, was chosen his successor.