The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, December 1883Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
History
The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, December 1883
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
The membership of the Sunday-school, aside from teachers and officers,
is largely composed of children and youth. By nature humanity tires
of monotony. Children are more restive under monotonous routine than
those who have won self-control by culture. To keep in the school its
children and youth, to keep them interested in its purposes while in the
school, and to hold them untiringly to the true work of the school, needs
fertility of brain to give proper variety to the conduct of the school,
intelligence to discern the effects of all measures that are adopted,
tact to change and adapt to the ever varying conditions of school life,
and common sense to direct and govern the whole. The superintendent must
therefore be (_f_) _a person fertile in expedients_ and (_g_) _a person
of intelligence, tact and common sense_.
But often in the conduct of the school infelicities occur. The different
parts do not move in harmony with each other. Cases of variance between
pupils and teachers arise. Often times the school suffers from financial
lack. The chief officer of the school is the one to whom all such matters
come for final adjudication. The superintendent therefore must be (_h_)
_a person of good executive ability_, that with firm, strong hand he may
hold each part of the system of which he is the center revolving in its
own orbit, never flagging, never tiring, never ceasing to do its own
part in the work, never clashing with any other. Such are some of the
principal qualifications of the superintendent.
II. _What should be his personal character?_—In general, all that
is suggested in the foregoing outline as to qualifications. But our
requirements must not end there. A man may be a so-called Christian and
yet be far from possessing the character which is an essential to the
Sunday-school superintendent. He may be a church member, and be even
less than a so-called Christian. He may be a good judge of human nature,
and yet himself a poor illustration of it. He may be possessed of fine
teaching power, and yet misuse it. He may know the Bible as well as
Erasmus, and yet be like Erasmus, the subject of Luther’s keen reproach
of being everything in word, and nothing in deed. He may be all we have
described, and yet lack in character.
The superintendent therefore should be pious, “having reverence for
God, and for religious duties.” He should be devout, that is, should
carry into daily life the active expression of his piety. This would
forbid sudden anger, inconsiderate levity, trifling with Scriptures, by
thoughtless quotations, and all outward conduct that does not comport
with true consecration. He should be honest, truthful in word and act,
humble, loyal, and scrupulously observant of the Sabbath.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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