Weber Leads Concordia through the Transition Years

Erhardt Paul Weber (EP for short) left his post as chaplain of Purdue University to become Concordia’s third president in 1958. Much of what we know Concordia to be today was born or initiated during his 25-year tenure.

Pres. Weber’s first challenge was to separate the administration of the high school from the college. He collaborated with high school principals Dr. Art Wahlers and Donald Lorenz to complete the transition that culminated in 1977 when the Portland Lutheran School was established at its own location. That same year, Concordia became a four-year college.

In addition to profound changes in Concordia’s organizational structure, the Weber years saw a number of new physical structures arise on campus. A new gymnasium was built and the old one was re-modeled to house a theater in what is now known as the Fine Arts Building. The multi-purpose Hagen Center was added to Guild Hall to provide space for the F.W.J. Sylwester Library and Anna Neils Dinning Hall. Four new student dormitories were built to accommodate steadily growing enrollment.

The significant cultural change America experienced in the 1960s and 70s impacted Concordia during this period as well. The deeply cherished support of the Concordia Guild began to ebb as women found roles in the workplace. The increasing secularization of society led Concordia to expand its original educational scope. As late as 1967, Concordia could claim that 100 percent of its enrollment was professional church work students. The diminishing role of religion and churches reduced the number of students pursuing church worker education, so that the Board for University Education allowed colleges in the system to recruit students with more general educational and vocational goals. Concordia Portland went on to develop an international student program that continues to make its mark on campus through the presence of students from other countries, our study abroad programs, our English-language instruction programs, and our commitment to global missions.

President Weber saw the coincidence of his 25th anniversary and 65th birthday in 1983 as an opportunity to bring to a close his leadership during Concordia’s transition years.

Works Cited

God Opens Doors Hans Spalteholz, Managing Editor, Northwest District of the LCMS, 2000.