The Closing of Northwestern Lutheran Academy

Abstract

Mark Wilde’s essay examines the history and closure of Northwestern Lutheran Academy (NLA) in Mobridge, South Dakota, a synodical high school operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Founded in 1927 to provide general Christian secondary education in the sparsely populated Dakota-Montana District, NLA faced ongoing questions about its purpose, financial sustainability, and role in worker training. Wilde traces debates from the 1970s through the 1979 synod convention, highlighting tensions between synodical priorities and local support. Despite efforts to maintain or restructure the academy, including proposals for district funding and facility upgrades, the synod voted to close NLA in 1979 due to high per-student costs and low enrollment. Wilde presents detailed arguments from both sides and concludes with a personal reflection that the closure was a loss to the church’s mission. The essay serves as a case study in synodical decision-making and educational stewardship. —Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)