CHAUTAUQUA NORMAL CLASS—S. S. SECTION.
LESSON II.—THE SUPERINTENDENT: HIS QUALIFICATIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY.
By R. A. HOLMES, A.M.
In Lesson I we considered the place, purpose and prerogatives of the Sunday-school. That it may keep to its place, accomplish its purpose, and enjoy its prerogatives, efficient organization is necessary. By universal consent the chief officer of such organization is called “The Superintendent.” Experience has proved that the character of the school and its success or failure, as measured by the standards already given, depend very largely upon the character of the superintendent and his understanding of his work. This lesson will content itself with answering briefly three questions:
I. What are the Qualifications of the Model Superintendent?—The purpose of the school is the conversion and spiritual education of those who are under its influence. This, therefore, must be the purpose of the superintendent. As one can not teach what he does not know, so he can not accomplish a purpose unless he knows practically the steps which lead to its accomplishment. The superintendent therefore must be (a) both converted and spiritually educated. Conversion implies oneness with Christ in will and desire. Christ’s will is the conversion of the world. To effect it he instituted the church on earth. The superintendent must therefore be (b) a member of the church, and a firm believer in it and its power.
The church in its endeavor to accomplish its holy mission has instituted the Sunday-school. Its special function is the teaching of the word. Its great need is and has been competent teachers. Their appointment and continuance in office rests with the superintendent. The superintendent should therefore be (c) a good judge of human nature; (d) a person of approved teaching ability.
The school in active operation uses as its only text-book the Holy Scriptures. The text-book is a difficult one. It deals with the deepest problems of spiritual life and death. It is the offspring of a remote day, and is filled with allusions to a state of society and social customs entirely foreign to anything with which we are familiar. A trained teacher in secular education with no knowledge of this book may make utter failure as a teacher of it. A knowledge of it in its entirety is absolutely essential to the teacher in the Sunday-school. The superintendent must therefore be (e) a thorough and intelligent scholar in Bible lore.
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.
His constant motto should be as he daily studies to build character in himself and others, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” Let the student make for himself an outline of what the superintendent should be in character.
III. What are his duties?—They are four fold. (1) To his church. (2) To his pastor. (3) To his teachers. (4) To his pupils.
His duties to his church are plain.
1. He should attend the regular services of the church regularly.—This can admit of no negative. He should do it for its effect on himself. He should do it as an encouragement to his teachers. He should do it as an example to his pupils.
2. He should impress habitual church going as a duty upon his teachers and pupils from the desk in the Sunday-school room, and should use all means to effect the object.
3. He should contribute regularly and uniformly to all the benevolent objects which the church presents as worthy of Christian liberality. The reasons for this are too plain to need mention.
4. He should urge to the same duty the teachers and pupils of the school, that they may each do their part, no matter how small, in the work of Christian benevolence.
5. He should contribute of his means as God prompts him to the support of his church, and not measure himself by the standard of proportionate values. He should also teach the same duty in his school.
6. He should be loyal to his own particular church; should know its particular beliefs; should pray for its particular welfare; and fearlessly do whatever lies in his power to promote its purity and peace.
II. His duties to his pastor.
1. Is that of Coöperation. The pastor and superintendent should know each other’s plans and purposes thoroughly. The pastor should always be able to feel that in his superintendent he has one upon whom he can depend, who will aid him in his work; share with him a certain portion of the duties devolved upon him, and in all possible ways be like Aaron and Hur, hand upholders in the fight against Amalek.
2. That of Allegiance. The pastor is the one man of all the church upon whom all eyes are fixed. Among his multitude of acts, some will be misunderstood. Among the multitude of tongues some will be captious and critical. A spark may kindle a conflagration. The superintendent owes it to church and pastor to be loyal to his pastor and render him the knightly service which the king could expect from the lord. He should also teach the same duty to teachers and pupils in the school.
3. He should be his Pastor’s Index Rerum; not his mentor, but his reference, to which he can turn for information concerning affairs in that portion of the church represented by the school. Sick children to be visited, poverty to be helped with true charity, anxious souls looking for the Savior, these and many similar are within the superintendent’s knowledge oft times, when unknown to the pastor. To bring them to the pastor’s knowledge is an evident duty.
4. That of Harmony. The pastor and superintendent should agree. The school should have no plans or methods contrary to the pastor’s desires. Church and school should walk the same path, and in it go hand in hand.
III. His duties to his Teachers. While these are many we mention but five, and these without discussion, leaving the student to fill up the outlines.
1st. Supervision of Work. 2d. Personal and close Acquaintance. 3d. Frequent Visiting. 4th. Individual Coöperation. 5th. A Weekly Teacher’s Meeting.
IV. What are his duties to his Pupils?
1st. To know each one personally. It is the measure of the superintendent’s power. 2d. To visit them at their homes, or to insure a visit by their teachers. It is his chief means of knowledge concerning them. 3d. To review their knowledge of the lesson regularly, from week to week, and at the quarter’s end to conduct a thorough and systematic review of the quarter’s teaching. 4th. To urge them to all of the various duties which are required of one in the Christian life. 5th. To aid their home training, or supplement it, in providing suitable methods for using their spare time. 6th. To set before them the constant example of a pure and holy life.
