Michigan Lutheran Seminary

Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Address
2777 Hardin Street
Saginaw, Michigan, Saginaw County 48602
United States
Coordinates 43°25′43″N 83°58′41″W / 43.42861°N 83.97806°W / 43.42861; -83.97806Coordinates: 43°25′43″N 83°58′41″W / 43.42861°N 83.97806°W / 43.42861; -83.97806
Information
Type Private Ministerial Education Preparatory High School
Religious affiliation(s) Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Denomination Lutheran
Established 1885 (1885)
Status Open
CEEB code 233284
NCES School ID 00643303[1]
President Reverend Joel Petermann
Dean of Students Reverend David Koehler
Teaching staff 26.6 (2013-14)[1]
Grades 9 to 12
Gender Co-ed
Number of students 243 (2013-14)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 9.1 (2013-14)[1]
Color(s)      Red
     White
Athletics conference Tri-Valley Conference West
Sports Co-educational: Basketball, Cross-Country, Track & Field
Men: Baseball, Football, Wrestling
Women: Poms, Softball, Volleyball
Co-educational Intramurals: Basketball, Bowling, Soccer, Volleyball
Mascot Cardinal
Newspaper The Red 'n' White
Yearbook The Cardinal
School Hymn God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
Intermediate school district Saginaw Intermediate School District
Website mlsem.org
Photo of main entrance of Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Main entrance of Michigan Lutheran Seminary

Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) is a private preparatory boarding high school affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod located in Saginaw, Michigan. The student body consists of commuting students living in the area as well as a large population of students from around the United States and other countries that live on campus in the dormitory led by the dean.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary's enrollment (as of 2013-14) is 241 students in the 9th through 12th grades,[2] from 17 states, 9 of the 12 districts of the WELS, and 3 countries.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary, along with its sister prep school Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin, has as its purpose "the training of students for public ministry of the gospel and to enroll them upon graduation at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota (MLC)."[3]

True to this goal, the high school recommends all graduating students send their ACT scores to MLC, regardless of the individual student's intent on actually attending MLC. In addition to this, intent to enter MLC is one criterion for financial assistance.

History

The old German Lutheran Seminary Main with students and faculty

Michigan Lutheran Seminary began 131 years, 122 days1 ago in August 1885 when one teacher and six students assembled in Manchester, Michigan. German Lutherans in Michigan felt a need to train pastors to serve a growing number of immigrant congregations. In 1887, the Reverend Christoph Eberhardt of Saint Paul congregation in Saginaw donated two nearby acres of land on Court Street. This led the Michigan Lutheran Synod to move MLS to its present location and to dedicate Old Main, the school’s first building, later that year.

When the Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota Synods federated in 1892, the new confederation decided to convert MLS into a preparatory school. Disagreement over this change split the Michigan Synod. MLS continued as a pastor-training seminary until dwindling enrollments forced it to close its doors in 1907.

By 1910, the Michigan Synod had re-established its ties with Wisconsin and Minnesota. The confederation called the Reverend Otto J. R. Hoenecke to open MLS as a preparatory school. Five students enrolled on September 13, 1910. In 1913, the school added a dormitory to house fifty students. By the end of the 1920s, four teachers served an enrollment of seventy-five. The MLS Club, a forerunner of today’s Booster Club and MLS Guild, appeared. The campus added two professors’ homes in 1920 and 1924 and a dining hall in 1925.

Growth slowed during the 1930s but picked up after World War II. Pastor Conrad Frey succeeded Director Hoenecke in 1950. To accommodate the growing student body, MLS built a combination classroom building/gymnasium next to Old Main. The dining area was expanded twice, in 1948 and 1954. In 1963, Old Main was finally torn down and a science/music wing with a student union was added.

In 1966, the Reverend Martin Toepel succeeded President C. Frey. Ten years later, a dormitory structure made it possible for all students to live on campus. Previously, some girls lived in off-campus dormitories and some upperclass boys and girls lived in nearby private homes.

In 1978, the Reverend John Lawrenz succeeded President Toepel. Two years later, MLS added an expanded cafeteria on the lower level of the dormitory. In 1985, the three existing campus buildings were melded into a single unit. New construction provided a gymnasium large enough for girls' and boys' athletics, a student commons off the main entrance, additional office space, a computer classroom, expanded parking, and a new maintenance building. On a new section of property a mile and a quarter from its main campus, MLS developed a baseball diamond, a 400-meter oval track, and athletic practice space.

In 1994, the Reverend Paul Prange succeeded President Lawrenz. During President Prange's tenure at MLS, the campus population reached its largest enrollment in the school's history, just over 380 students.

In recent years, MLS has continued to upgrade its facilities by reconfiguring all dormitory study space, refurbishing most of its dormitory rooms, equipping its library, classrooms, and offices with infrastructure to allow ready access to developing technologies, and installing into its chapel a 22-rank pipe organ. A new two-story science wing, new music rooms, and a renovated commons and dining hall were dedicated to the glory of God in 2003.

In 2009, President Prange became the administrator for the synod's Board for Ministerial Education (which runs all four of the WELS ministerial education schools); he was succeeded by the Reverend Aaron Frey. The Reverend Joel Petermann was installed in 2012, following a brief interim period which once again saw Dr. William Zeiger as acting president. (See List of Presidents)

In connection with the 100th Anniversary of MLS being a preparatory high school for the WELS in 2010, the chapel was remodeled and refurbished with new wooden floors and reupholstering of the chapel seating.

While such outward changes must continue in order to meet the need of a growing Seminary family, what is most important at MLS – our great heritage of God’s Word and the vital work of preparing young people to proclaim His Word to others – remains unchanged.

Since 1910, the school has been continuously operated as a ministerial education preparatory high school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Financial problems

Financial deficits in 2007 within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (which runs MLS) prompted the WELS Synodical Council to consider closing Michigan Lutheran Seminary as a preparatory school. At the WELS Synod Convention in the summer of 2007, it was resolved "that the 2007 synod convention reject the recommendation to close Michigan Lutheran Seminary at the end of the 2007-08 school year"[4] The resolution stated its reason being that, "it is not prudent to downsize proven programs in vital areas of our work, like the production of pastors..."[5]

Curriculum

Michigan Lutheran Seminary identifies its curriculum as the following: MLS has a single course of study which equips each student to meet the enrollment requirements of Martin Luther College. The curriculum puts emphasis on the study of Biblical history and theology, and gives special attention to foreign languages(German, Latin, and Spanish) and music(choirs, band, piano, and organ). All students are expected to have at least a 2.50 GPA, if cumulative grade averages do not meet that criterion, counseling and discipline will follow. It exceeds standards set by the State of Michigan for admission to college.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary has been accredited by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation(WELSSA),[6] which is a member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation(NCPSA).

Faculty and administration

Michigan Lutheran Seminary's Faculty consists of 17 full-time professors, 4 part-time instructors, and 6 tutors (dormitory supervisors who also teach).

Co-curricular activities

Michigan Lutheran Seminary offers an array of different co-curricular activities.

Athletics

MLS students are required to maintain a 2.00 GPA to compete in athletic competitions. Students maintaining at least a 1.68-1.99 GPA are permitted to attend practices, but are prohibited from competing in competitions. Students maintaining a GPA lower than 1.68, are restricted from participating in any MLS athletic activities.

MLS Football 2006

MLS is a member of the Michigan Tri-Valley Conference, and participates in the following sports: Football, Cross Country, Volleyball, Girls'/Boys' Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, & Girls'/Boys' Track.

Performing groups

Michigan Lutheran Seminary supports numerous performing groups as part of its extracurricular program.

MLS Concert Choir 2006-2007

Service groups

Among MLS's extracurriculars are various service groups intended to support school activities and student life.

Seal

Seal of Michigan Lutheran Seminary

The MLS school seal depicts a cardinal, the school's mascot. Below the cardinal there are three letters: I.N.I. and September 13, 1910—the date the school became part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. I.N.I. stands for "In Nomine Iesu" in Latin (In the name of Jesus). Below that on the lefthand side is Luther's Seal; on the righthand side is a picture from the State Flag of Michigan.

List of presidents

Presidents Years Served
Reverends A. Lange, Huber, O. Hoyer, Linsemann, and Beer 1885–1907
Reverend Otto J.R. Hoenecke 1910–1950 (Taught until 1958)
Reverend Conrad I. Frey 1950–1966
Reverend Martin Toepel 1966–1978
Reverend Dr. John C. Lawrenz 1978–1993
Dr. William E. Zeiger (Acting) 1993–1994
Reverend Paul T. Prange 1994–2009
Dr. William E. Zeiger (Acting) 2009–2010
Reverend Aaron C. Frey 2010
Dr. William E. Zeiger (Acting) 2010–2012
Reverend Joel V. Petermann 2012–present

Notes

1 Margin of Error: 15 days

References

Bibliography

Braun, John A. Together in Christ: A History of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Northwestern Publishing House, 2000. ISBN 0-8100-1211-1

"Michigan Lutheran Seminary," http://www.mlsem.org/

"Michigan Lutheran Seminary," http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1081&contentID=71112&shortcutID=25231

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