Description/Abstract:
Democratic Administration Is An Art
Throughout this project democratic administration in religious education has been described in terms of guiding principlesand concrete procedures. The social and relative nature of democracy and administration make it necessary that they be stated and function in relation to specific situations. At there is a creative, appreciative quality about democratic administration that transcends the immediate situation, for goals and steps are not only considered in light of the conditions out of which they emerged or operate. They must be viewed in the perspective of anticipated consequences. This requires vision, inhtelligence, imagination, statemanship. Administration is an art and cannot be reduced to rules. It alaways works in a tension of values. Any principle is valid only in relation to all the other principles and values involved. Procedures must be more than methods and means, they must be recognized as unfulfilled ends in the process of realization. All values are in terms of people not programs so that the real art of democratic administration is working with people. The essence of this is more than skill, althought this is necessary, it is respect for personality and the capacity to cooperate. More and more democratic administration will be described in terms of relationship and values. The democratic administration is an artist in the best sense of the word. He is the ceator of social values.
Democratic Administration Is A Partnership
All that has been said about theprinciples and practices of the democratic administration in religious education add up to the fact that it is a partnership. The more people take part and participate in planning and carrying out programs the more they become partners in administration so that democratic administration is a process of bringing churches and people into partnership with area director in the administration of religious education. Real partnership means mutual respect, equality, and fraternity. The basis of cooperative activities and democratic administration is respect for one another. Equality is, of course, relative. In some situations will carry more than equal share of responsibility. Under other conditions local church leaders will carry the major responsibility for a given project, but always the attempt will be made to equalize responsibilities as well as opportunities. All administration will be carried out in a friendly, fraternal atmosphere. Where the spirit of democratic cooperation exists the development and administration of religious education becomes a joyous partnership and creative experience. The organization and administration of religious education upon a democratic basis can change the work of an area director from an [Illegible] business into a cooperative fellowship of service. The primary function of Christian education-service is the means by which it is achieved. Democratic administration in partnership in determining and achieving common purposes.