A STUDY QF SOME FERSISTENT PROBLEMS FACING BEGINNING HIGH-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN SELECI‘ED SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN, WITH SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS Thesis {or III: Degree OI Ed. D. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Lewis Rogers Liddle 1959 I I um; inguinal in II I“ III III IILJII mew; This is to certifg that the thesis entitled A STUDY OF SOME PERSISTENT PROBLEI‘S FACING BEGINNING HIGH-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN SELECTED SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN, WITH SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS presented by Lewis Rogers Liddle has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ed. D. degree in Administrative 8: Educational Services / I], r , r I e / z '1’ ,. L \ Major professor Date May 181 1959 0-169 LIBRARY Michigan State University ”00—0 ‘0'. '~ ~—o.—.-~ r- W .w.—0md i G a}??? ”I? n 1 (fig; A STUDY OF SOME PERSISTENT PROBLEMS FACING BEGINNING HIGH-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN SELECTED SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN, WITH SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS By LEWIS ROGERS LIDDLE A THE SIS Submitted to the School for Advanced Graduate Studies of Michigan State University for Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION College of Education 1959 r;_ 1.x g tug-.150-.. f‘. . \ \ F '50v0\‘50‘5 '7. EV- " I. V i H! ‘:t :Hr‘ . . sq. Tu “ti A. r ‘ [ 6‘ du:~‘:“ so "a w». ‘vl‘b. and ‘ Ty, Al: ‘N i h;W n‘: [ w I». 6‘ 4,. ‘ VJd‘fi a ‘4 . '2‘. u r \\.:‘ .‘r h \ ? ‘U ' \- ‘c‘ a s ‘IJ‘ E‘.“ .4 ‘C ‘. . \i'n. .‘ *5 - f "s '. A“ N AB STRACT The general purpose of this dissertation was to analyze the persistent problems facing beginning high-school principals in se- lected schools in the state of Michigan and to attempt to identify pos- sible solutions to these problems. Procedure of the Dissertation Problems of twenty-five beginning high-school principals in Michigan were analyzed; these were real problems actually perceived by the individual beginning high-school principals. The problems were categorized into related areas consisting. of administration, faculty, students, parents, community, public rela- tions, and record-keeping. The problems related to administration were divided into groups relating to office administration, school plant, superintendent and board of education, scheduling, and conferences. Problems re- lated to the faculty were divided into groups relating to supervision and evaluation, professional ethics and instruction, teacher morale, scheduling and load, health and welfare, and “miscellaneous.” Problems ii v :-p.. ,O‘ .. ,. ~ ~ 3.- ¢:»u4tsr. I v. ‘-'§-t ‘5 ‘- otoasmt Lk, ‘ s .i “I j 'i'» II'W'Y‘h’y- -i J. 4“. t“t‘ L‘} i I'm Cut I I;‘g’;4l :Ff“~ ssht"b A. .-'.‘. "-P 3. O h" ~"' .7. > ¥~‘u““‘. - related to students were divided into groups relating to discipline, attendance, instruction, student welfare, and activities. The parents group was divided into areas of attendance and attitudes. The community category was divided between the use of facilities and parent-teacher associations. The number of problems relating to public relations and record-keeping was very small, and no further division was necessary. One or more alternate solutions to each problem were se- lected from the literature perused and compiled into a usable guide for beginning high-school principals. A bibliographical source was deveIOped for each problem area and was listed at the end of each chapter; it may be used if further exploration of any problem is desired. The method of selecting solutions to the several problems was to examine the literature and to take from it solutions that seemed to meet the need of the individual problem. Conclusions The nature of the problems submitted seemed to indicate that the beginning high-school principal is troubled with the mechanical operation of the school, rather than the basic philosophy or the im— provement of instruction. iii As the principal gains experience and is better able to cope with the mechanical operation of the school, more emphasis can be directed toward organization and supervision to improve the instruc- tional program. In the pursuit of solutions to the several problems, it was found that there was an abundance of material in the areas of in- structional improvement, group dynamics, personnel organization, cur- riculum study, and child growth and development. Information con- cerning discipline, especially of troublesome or misguided students, is inadequate. The literature seemed to indicate that there were some defi- nite basic personality characteristics which would aid a person in becoming an effective administrator. iv ACIQNIOWLEDGME NTS The writer hereby acknowledges his appreciation to Dr. Byron W. Hansford for his counsel during the preparation and writing of this dissertation. The writer is also grateful for the assistance and guidance given him by Dr. Wilbur Brookover, Dr. William V. Hicks, Dr. Donald Leu, Dr. John Useem, and Dr. Fred Vescoloni, members of his guidance committee. Completion of this study would not have been possible without the assistance of the several high-school principals who submitted problems which were analyzed in the study. Deep gratitude is due the writer’s wife, Edith M. Liddle, and their children, Jill, Rogers, and J ari, for their encouragement, un- derstanding, and patience, without which this study could not have been completed. "'6'“w I. g a“: A I‘- TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Page I. INTRODUCTION ........................ 1 Statement of . the Problem . . . ............ 1 Purpose and Importance of the Study ....... 2 Limitation of the Study ................. 3 Definition of Terms ................... 4 Assumptions upon Which the Study is Based . . 5 General Method of Procedure ............. 7 Presentation of Data ................... 10 H. ADMINISTRATION ...................... 13 Office Administration Problems ........... 13 School Plant ........................ 42 Superintendent and Board of Education ...... 56 Scheduling .......................... 63 Conferences, Meetings, and Allocation of Time . . 75 Selected References ................... 81 III. FACULTY ............................ 100 Supervision and Evaluation .............. 100 Professional and Instructional ............ 115 Morale ............................ 127 Scheduling and Load ................... 140 Health and Welfare .................... 147 Miscellaneous ........................ 154 Selected References ................... 164 IV. STUDENTS ........................... 183 Discipline .......................... 183 Attendance .......................... 203 Instruction .......................... 214 vi n '" 3:3: ' H 5“... 0" CHAPTER Page Student Welfare ...................... 232 Activities .......................... 244 Selected References ................... 251 V. PARENTS ............................ 269 Attendance .......................... 269 Attitudes ........................... 270 Selected References ................... 276 VI. COMMUNITY .......................... 280 Use of Facilities ..................... 280 Selected References ................... 283 VII. PUBLIC RELATIONS .................... 284 Building and Maintaining Sound and Productive Predilections .............. 284 Selected References ................... 291 VIII. RECORDS ............................ 293 Attendance and Performance ............. 293 Selected References ................... 296 EX. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............. 297 Summary ........................... 297 Conclusions ......................... 302 Recommendations ..................... 305 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................... 308 APPENDIX: INDEX TO PROBLEMS ANALYZED ........ 324 vii LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page I. Number of Problems Submitted for Each Problem Area ........................... 12 II. Number of Problems Selected for Each Problem Area, Indicating the Number Con- sidered Mechanical and the Number Con- sidered Instructional ....................... 300 viii 'r . .A... ‘ .t b “ ‘v-«u V. . -~Q.’ . '\ 3' em“: I. I... . i 5’- 0:4- ()3 V CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem The general purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the persistent problems facing beginning high-school principals in se- lected schools in the state of Michigan and to attempt to identify possible solutions to these problems. i In order to identify these possible solutions the following pro- cedure will be, employed: 1. Determine and analyze the persistent problems perceived by beginning high-school principals in selected high schools in the state of Michigan. . Categorize these problems into related areas. . Establish criteria and procedures for the selection of pos- sible alternative solutions to the problems. . Select and record one or more alternative solutions to each problem area. . Compile the possible solutions to the problems into a usa- ble guide for beginning high-school principals. . Develop bibliographical source material for each problem area. Purpose and Importance of the Study Beginning principals have asked for help in the area of ad- ministering the school. The requests were prompted by the fact that a new principal—lacking experience and finding difficult pressures—— often: 1. Sees *no way out, no possible course of action. 2. Sees more than one way to solve a problem, but is not sure which alternative to use. 3. Sees more than one way to solve a problem, but cannot choose among alternatives. 4. Chooses one of the alternatives, but is not sure that it was the best choice. 5. Chooses one of the alternatives, but the alternative that is chosen does not get the desired results. 6. Is kept from making a decision because of action of persons or circumstances, but he may be able to decide upon his course of action if fortified by a knowledge of successful ac- tions of others.1 It is hoped that future use of the compiled data will aid the beginning principal to arrive at conclusions which will enable him to make better decisions more rapidly and with greater ease. This would enable him to devote more of his time in aiding teachers to improve instruction and methods of teaching. If this is accomplished it will enhance education in the school for which he is responsible. x 1William H. Graves and Nathan Stoller, Reports of Selected Mary School Principals and Their Professional Problems (New York: CPEA-MAR, Digest Series, Teachers College, Columbia Uni— Versity, 1954), p. 2. The study, if used as a reference by persons aspiring to be- come high-school principals, will provide them with more effective insights into the problems they might encounter as high-school prin- cipals. It may be used to assist the person in deciding whether or not he really wants to become a high-school principal. A thorough search of the literature produced no similar com- pilation of material. Limitation of the Study The study is limited by the fact that the problems used as its basis were submitted by twenty-five beginning high-school principals enrolled in Michigan State University’s administrative and educa- tional services extern program. The study is limited by the fact that the problems were sub- mitted during the 1956—57 school year, by individuals in their first year as principal in that particular position. The study is limited by the fact that the problems submitted by the participating principals are not necessarily typical of all beginning principals, but are those experienced by this participating group. The study is limited by the fact that the selection of al— ternative solutions to problems are those in the professional ".Ffature. 5.4:. wt! . .1- IISLIJLL The 5111. 'r - is are to or The St a. sciations were ‘i ; I WALLIES. .. ‘. "'1', 0‘, ““11.“ I” {:93 bEIOW m "I 1- The to he ”to; I II”, 0 “"31 literature, supported by responses to interviews with experienced principals. The study is limited by the fact that the solutions to prob- lems are to be used as illustrations and examples. The study is limited by the fact that the selected solutions to problems are not purported to be the only possible solutions to the problems, nor necessarily the best, but rather to suggest pos- sible courses of action that may be used in similar situations. The study is further limited by the fact that, for any problem area for which the literature did not provide possible solutions, such solutions were secured from personal interviews with experienced principals. Definition of Terms Within this study the following terms will have the meaning given below unless otherwise indicated. 1. The solutions to problems in each and every instance are to be defined in terms of possible actions and attitudes which the beginning administrator may have toward the ul- timate solution to a problem. - 2. Administrative behavior is here defined as the way in which beginning principals work with people toward the solution of a common problem. 3. The beginning principal is here defined as a professional person employed as a high—school principal for the first time. This does not preclude the possibility that the prin- cipal may have had some type of previous administrative experience. 4. The problems dealt with in this dissertation are defined in terms of the perception of these beginning principals. Other professional and student personnel within the school involved may perceive these problems differently. 5. The term “teacher” shall mean any teacher within the school, either regular or substitute, and shall not refer to any particular assignment unless indicated. 6. The term “board” shall mean board of education. Assumptions upon Which the Study is Based “The high-school principalship is a specific position in a profession which requires specific preparation.”1 Experience, or assistance from those who are experienced, is considered to be part of the preparation. Experience as a teacher in dealing with students and parents is not considered to be adequate preparation for success as a prin- cipal. Teaching experience is helpful, but, because the problems encountered by the principal are greater in scope and different in nature, this experience alone is not adequate to insure success as a Principal.2 g 1Paul Jacobson, William Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties wool Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, 1941), p. iii. 2mm. Beginning high-school principals encounter many problems which seem at first examination to have no solution, but many of these problems are minimized and taken as a matter of course by more experienced principals. There are many solutions or approaches to solutions to prob- lems encountered by a beginning principal, but because of his inexperi- ence he is not sure which approach will produce the desired results. The high-school principal must have a clear perspective of the numerous demands made upon histime if he is to be successful. The high-school principal may raise the level of instruction in the school in which he is employed if he is able to make wise de- cisions concerning staff morale and cooperation, and if he is able to maintain adequate relations with the superintendent, board of educa- tion, and the community. Some problem areas loom greater than others. If the princi- pal is aware of this, he is better able to divide his time and achieve greater efficiency. The busy days of the school principal allow too little time for professional reading,1 and, by preparing a brief description of 1William V. Hicks and Marshall C. Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, NJ .: Prentice-Hall, . Inc., 1957), p. vii. some alternative solutions to problems in several areas, the princi— pal is better able to get ideas of some solutions to problems in a brief, concise manner. The beginning high-school principal perceives more problems in the area of the mechanical operation of the school than he does in the area of the improvement of instruction, formulation of a sound educational philosophy, or professional objectives for teachers. The literature will produce a wide range of discussions and recommendations for the problems perceived by the beginning high— school principal; it will be fragmentary in the area of mechanics and abundant in the other areas. The literature that is pointed toward the mechanical operation or “household tasks” is sufficient to meet the needs of the problems analyzed. General Method of Procedure The nature of this study precludes the possibility of experi- mental design and the subsequent testing of hypotheses. In this re- SPect the entire study is based on the hypothesis that the results will be of value to beginning high-school principals, but the testing of this hypothesis cannot be achieved in the study. In approaching the problem it was, found to be desirable to proceed in the following manner: A careful perusal of the literature was made to gain a background for the study. (See the Bibliography for a list of references.) Problems of twenty-five beginning high-school principals in Michigan were analyzed. The problems were validated by the fact that they were real problems, actually perceived by individual be— ginning high-school principals. As the principal encountered a problem that caused some con- cern, he made a note of it. At the end of each week he submitted all the problems that he had noted during the week. The problems were examined individually as they were re- ceived from the principals, and the wording of the problems in this study is that of the principals involved. After the problems were analyzed, they seemed to fit logically into several general problem areas. For the purpose of convenience in compiling the data for easy reference later, the general areas were designated as administration, faculty, students, parents, community, Pilblic relations, and record-keeping. The problems could have been categorized in other ways, but the division which was selected seemed to be the most desirable for the purpose of this study. The method of selecting solutions to the problems was to ex- amine the literature and to take from it solutions that seemed to meet the need of the individual problems. Where a supplement was needed, information was secured from personal interviews with ex- perienced school principals. The following criteria were set up to determine the reliability of the information used: 1. x 1 The author must be a person who has had experience as a school administrator or one who has had experience as an administrator or instructor in an accredited teachers col- lege at the time the work was published. . The school principal who supplies information through per- sonal interviews must have had at least three years of ad- ministrative. experience. . The author must display a knowledge of the historical value and significance of each topic in order to give a com- plete statement in any problem area. . The material must reflect different points of view or agree- ment concerning each problem area in order to reflect a real and usable statement for each of the problem areas. . The material in the literature must be introduced in such a way that it is clearly understood2 by the writer, and in turn by any person who reads the completed study. An ac- curate account must be made in the writing. The views presented will represent those of the several authors, and not of the writer of this study. . The literature must present information on the basis of component parts of the unified whole, rather than in isola- tion.3 The information should consider what is best for C. V. Good, A. S. Barr, and D. E. Scates, The Methodology 0f&gational Research (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1941), P. 265. 2Iloici., p. 650. 31bid., p.165. 10 the school, the pupils, or teachers——whichever the case may be—rather than the convenience of the principal. 7. The material must be in professional literature—either textbooks or professional magazines such as the Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- p_al_s_, the School Executive, or similar publications. 8. The material in the literature must be clearly stated as to whether it is an analytical research, a survey, a writ- ing of an experience, or a report of a particular example. As each problem is considered, a search for literature that meets the above criteria will be made and possible solutions for the problem extracted. The bibliography following each chapter constitutes the ref- erences from which the solutions to the problems have been ex- tracted. This may be used if one wishes to explore any problem further. The literature need not be a definite statement pertaining to a definite problem, but must be specific enough in nature to be closely identified with the individual problem area. Presentation of Data Twelve hundred eighty problems were examined, duplicates eliminated, and similar problems combined. This reduced the num- ber 0f individual problems to 325. Of this number, 125 problems 11 were selected on the basis of frequency and because they were deemed typical by the group of principals. The problems were categorized into several problem areas. The total number of problems submitted for each problem area along with the percentage of the total number are shown in Table I. The number of problems selected for each problem area was determined by using the same percentage as that which appeared in the original 1,280 problems. Each problem will be viewed as a typical problem-situation ex- ample. A solution to the problem or an alternative solution will be noted for each problem. At the end of each chapter, a bibliography consisting of ap— Pl‘Opriate references is listed for each problem. The bibliography will enable the principal or any other reader to delve further into any individual problem area if he so desires. Each person who contributed to the notations is considered to be a specialist in the administration field either by virtue of coflSiderable experience as a principal or in other administrative Capacity, or by being, either past or present, an instructor of school administration in the college of education of an American university. 12 TAB LE I NUMBER OF PROBLEMS SUBMITTED FOR EACH PROBLEM AREA Problems Problem Area No. Pct. Administration: Office administration ..................... 154 12.0 School plant .......................... 82 6.4 Superintendent and board of education ........ 40 3.1 Scheduling ............................ 71 5.6 Conferences, meetings, and allocation of time . . . 33 2.6 Total ............................. 380 29.7 Faculty: Supervision and evaluation ................ 92 7.2 Professional and instructional .............. 82 6.4 Morale .............................. 71 5.6 Scheduling and load ..................... 40 3.1 Health and welfare ...................... 40 3.1 Miscellaneous ............ ' .............. 53 4.2 Total ............................. 378 29.6 Students: Discipline ............................ 122 9.5 Attendance ............................ 53 4.2 Instruction ............................ 102 8 .0 Student welfare ........................ 72 5.6 Activities ............................ 40 3 .1 Total ............................. 389 30.4 Parents ............................... 51 4.0 Community .............................. 21 1.6 Puhlic relations .......................... 40 3 1 Records ............................... 21 1 6 \_ Grand total ............................. 1,280 100.0 CHAPTER H ADMINISTRATION Office Administration Problems Setting Up a Petty-Cash Fund, and Provisions Which Can Be Made For It Most principals are allotted a certain amount of money for a petty-cash fund. There are different ways in which this fund may be administered. First, the money may be secured from the appropriate budget account and deposited in the high school account. There is a cer- tain amount of bookkeeping connected with the operation of this type 0f account.1 It will require some type of requisition form——either a checkbook type, which is very simple to operate, or a more involved voucher-type requisition. If the checkbook method is used, the person desiring money may fill out the appropriate form and have it countersigned by the 1Hugh Schram (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 209. 13 14 principal or his representative. Then a bank check is made out by the person who operates the school bank, and it is this check which is used to pay for the item purchased. This method is simple to operate, and it speeds the actual receipt of the money. The voucher- type method is similar, but it involves more bookkeeping and time be- cause it requires school board approval. There is a more accurate accounting check on this method, and there is also a duplicate voucher for the auditor. Some principals operate a petty-cash fund that is entirely sep- arate from the budget. There is a question of the legality of this, and it is not recommended. The money in this case is secured from school sources such as the sale of uncalled-for used books and the sale of soft drinks and candy at athletic games. The money accumulated in this way is kept in the principal’s office and can be used for incidentals such as exh‘a teaching aids, supplies for the office, to help pay for meals for visitors who help the schools in various ways, or for other minor ex- Penses. This type of fund has nothing to do with the operating bud- get. It is not a very large fund and is used primarily as a conveni- ent and expedient way of securing small inexpensive articles that are needed.1 The amount of money should not exceed twenty-five dollars. 1Henry H. Linn, School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 212. .auv I .U‘ 15 Other information concerning this problem may be found in many school-administration references under the headings “internal funds” or “activity fund accounting.” Avoiding Committee Work and Meetings in Order to Spend More Time on the Job How can the principal avoid committee work and meetings in order to spend more time on the job? The first and most com- mon reaction to this question is that committee work and commit- tee meetings are a very definite part of the principal’s job. If the committee method of solving problems is not used, it is usually because the principal is the domineering, dictator type of administrator.1 If a dictatorial method of operation is practiced, the Principal will not have the cooperation of his faculty, and the morale of the staff will be low. Generally a principal will rarely be Successful if he does not have a good working relationship with his staff.z . 1Harl R. Douglass, “Leadership or Authority in School Ad- mmistration,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XXXIV (January, 1948), 25—28. 2Walter H. Gaumnity and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Mg, Pamphlet No. 102, U.S. Office of Education (Washington, 13°C.: Government Printing Office, 1947), p. 2. 16 On the other hand, the principal who spends too much time in committee meetings and lets his staff make all of the decisions finally earns the reputation of not being a leader and of being a person who will not make decisions himself. There is a happy medium toward which one should strive. The number of committee activities which will be carried on in a school and the number of people who will be involved in them will vary greatly, depending upon the community, school policies, and the personality of the principal. There should be enough committee involvement so that the faculty members feel they are important as individuals and that they actually do have something to say about the operation of the school.1 On the other hand, committees should be limited to a point where the faculty will not think that the meetings are a waste of time. If this feeling develops and persists, then committee work is useless. The principal should preside at very few of the committee meetings. Other committees may be organized and may meet to solve deDartmental, subject-area, and similar problems, and the principal net3(‘1 not be present. He should, however, know what is being done . 1American Association of School Administrators, Staff Rela- W School Administration, Thirty-third Yearbook (Washington, D-C.: The Association, 1955), p. 126. .lh LII ".3 .Eu* . “4].. .. . . .l a... .. l .T 17 by these committees. It is ridiculous for the principal to feel that he must be in attendance at all committee meetings; some may oper- ate better without him. Planning a Curriculum Study Curriculum development, a group process, involves com- plex problems of human relationship among teachers, admini- strators, curriculum consultants, lay people, children, and youth. The effectiveness of this group process determines, to a large extent, the degree to which improved practices take place in the school program. It is not always easy to make this group process effective. One of the most important de- mands in education today is for all participants in education to learn how to work better together in bringing about needed im- provements. Planning is usually more successful if done on a cooperative basis. The principal may begin the process by having informal chats with faculty members. The talks can result in a request from the faculty that the curriculum should be studied. If the request comes from the faculty as well as from the principal, it will do much to Create interest, and faculty members will probably be enthusiastic rather than resentful toward the proposed study. The informal chats can grow into formal meetings that may be operated as committee study groups. The study groups should consist of enthusiastic 1Edward A. Krug, Curriculum Planning (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1950), p. 218. 18 people who can influence and convince other staff members that the study is important.1 Staff members who will not become involved in the initial phase of the study will become inquisitive about what the study group is doing and may attend meetings for the purpose of being part of the group. In time, the small group can grow into a building-wide curriculum-study group. When the number of participants seems to be adequate, ar- rangements may be made with an institution of higher learning or the state department of public instruction to supply a curriculum ex- pert or consultant to guide the group and to help them determine their goals. The study can develop into an in-service training program, and it may be possible to make arrangements with the institution of higher learning to grant college credit to teachers who participate in the study. If college credit can be applied toward an advanced degree or for the purpose of tenure credit or salary increment, it Will be an incentive to participate. Curriculum groups primarily exist for the purpose of studying problems, analyzing and defining issues, recommending X 1V. E. Anderson, “The Human Side of Curriculum Develop- ment,» Educational Leadership, IV (January, 1947), 218—21. Anti 5" "wr- ’1-.... I {4 19 policies, and preparing materials. They should be organized to carry out particular functions and disband when those functions have been fulfilled.1 The study should begin in the area where the need seems to be the greatest. It is better to work on one phase of the program and ac- complish something tangible and apparent to staff members than to work on the over-all curriculum in a general way, with no particu-’ lar concrete recommendations at the end of the study period. The principal involved in a curriculum-development program is confronted with the problem of building community relations. This is essential if a curriculum revision is to be made and approved by the community. Lay people should be involved whenever and wher- ever possible. The participation of lay people not only will be con- ducive to the community relations program, but it will also aid in determining and satisfying the needs of the community and its chil- dren. Curriculum improvement must start with what is currently in Operation, and move toward the desired goals. The responsibility of the Principal is more than that of seeing that everything goes as well as expected. If improvements are to be made, certain changes Probably need to be effected. To be effective, the high-school \ 1Krug, op. cit., p. 226. 20 principal must be a good diagnostician. He should endeavor to an- ticipate as many problems as possible, and try to resolve them be- fore they are harmful to the over-all study. Evaluation is a very important aspect of a curriculum-devel- opment program. As the study group attempts to find new ways of increasing the effectiveness of the instructional program, they must also develop evaluation techniques that will gather evidence con- cerning the achievement of desired objectives. The problem of planning a curriculum study is very wide- spread, and by its very nature it is complicated and involved. It is virtually impossible to make adequate recommendations in a few pages; many volumes have been written on the subject. The intent here is to make the principal aware of a few obstacles, but to be well informed in this area one must do extensive reading. Formation and Function of a Social Committee The membership of a social committee should be on a rotating basis. If all members begin their duties at the same time, there is much time spent in organizing and trying to decide what should be done. The committee should be composed of both men and women. The men can be responsible for such tasks as moving tables and cIlairs and carrying the coffee urn, while the feminine touch is 21 generally better in the selection and wrapping of gifts and in dec- orating tables. Some schools follow the procedure of electing staff members to serve on the social committee; other schools have been very suc- cessful in having these members appointed by the principal. The method of selecting the committee will vary from school to school. Members should be selected for a period of two years (some- times a longer period is preferred), with overlapping terms. The size of the committee will vary with the school. The committee should plan all faculty social functions of the school. There may be some exceptions such as retirement parties, but even in these cases the committee should be consulted. The social activities should be self-supporting. Therefore, when plans are made for an affair, the cost must be estimated and staff col- lections made to cover the anticipated expenses. Over a period of Years, a small surplus may be accumulated that may be used to off- set a loss if one occurs. The amount of money collected for any 0f the functions should be kept to a minimum. Some schools have decided that it is better for each staff meInber to donate a certain set sum at the beginning of the school year or at the beginning of each semester sufficient to pay for the 22 regular social functions for the year, while other schools find it better to collect for each function separately. If the school has many social functions, there could be two separate committees—one to sponsor affairs such as get-togethers and dinners, and the other to sponsor retirement parties and parties for staff members who get married or have babies during the school year. The committee may operate in many ways, but, no matter how it operates, it is most important that it do so in such a manner that the staff will not resent a social function or a collection. Should either happen, criticism will be directed at the principal and he will be held responsible. On the other hand, if the social life of the school is improved as a result of a social function, the venture will be well worth the effort. The beginning principal should be cognizant of the fact that the real problem will not be in the selection or operation of the social committee, but rather in the determination of gift recipients. A carefully planned policy should be formulated to determine: (1) the length of illness before flowers are to be sent; (2) whether flowers are to be sent to the immediate family in case of illness or death, and who shall be considered members of the immediate 23 family; and (3) how long a person must be employed before becoming eligible for gifts. An example of_ point three would be a teacher who joins the staff and has the usual welcoming reception tea, later in the year gives birth to a baby and receives a baby gift, and finally leaves at the end of the year and receives another gift and a reception. This situation is resented‘by many staff members because it does not seem equitable for one person to receive so much in such a short period while others, who have been on the staff for many years, have received nothing. A policy formulated and approved by the entire staff will elim- inate such problems, but the policy should be strictly enforced. Revising the Report Card Report cards have been a long-standing tradition in the Schools. Parents expect to receive report cards periodically, and they complain if they are not received. The elementary schools have gone far in revising their re- DOrting systems. Parent-teacher conferences, written reports of Weaknesses or strengths, and similar methods are being used in I“any schools in place of the standard report card containing only Ilumerical or letter marks. 24 Progress has been slower at the high-school level, partly be- cause of a different philosophy, partly because of parental attitudes, and partly because of requirements necessary to enter college. The committee responsible for the National Education Asso- ciation bulletin on school records and reports1 asserted that the main objectives of the periodic report to parents are: (1) improve- ment in the educational results of pupils, (2) improvement in the professional knowledge and skill of the teacher through the appraisal of his pupils, and (3) improvement in the confidence of parents and of the general public in the school and its work. The sole function of the reports, according to the committee, is the conveying of help- ful information about the child and his work from the teacher to the Parents. The aim of the principal in the improvement of periodic re- POrts should be the appraisal of pupil growth in terms of certain Character traits being developed by the pupils, rather than mere grown) in subjects of instruction. . 1“School Records and Reports,” Research Bulletin of the W Education Association, V (May, 1927), 269. D . zPaul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James Longon, put21\§:of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), 25 The report should recognize that each child’s personality, ability, and talents are unique and that a sense of personal worth is the child’s greatest attribute. Marks should be related to the child’s level of maturity and based on what is reasonable to expect from. him as an individual. A good method of changing the report card, to make it more functional and better understood by the parents, is to select a com- mittee to make a thorough study of the shortcomings of the reporting system in use. After this has been determined, the committee may examine samples of cards used elsewhere to give them ideas for constructing a card of their own. The study may extend over a period of a semester, 3 school year, or a longer period. When the committee has decided upon what it thinks is a re- Porting system that reflects the school’s philosophy or educational goals, a meeting should be called. This meeting should involve Parents as well as faculty. During the meeting, the new report card should be explained and each revision should be discussed, as the faculty and parents may have additional suggestions to make. When this has been accomplished, it should result in a good func- tic”15:11 report card that will meet the needs of the particular school. There is much material available concerning the content and structure of a good report card. The beginning principal should "..~f - P V.”““ I”,. . ‘OI‘ t r. \ _.V.) \ y"“k 3'". 00"" ‘ I 26 become acquainted with this information. However, he should be aware that there are many problems involved if a report-card re- vision is to be instigated. He may encounter a great deal of op- position from the staff, board of education, and community when a change is contemplated, and he should proceed very slowly and carefully. Extent of Student Disciplining by Administration or Staff The principal, when acting in the capacity as head of the school, is responsible for the discipline of pupils. The principal must be prepared to help students adjust to the modern world and the intricate nature of society. The problem is considered here in the light of what may be done rather than to explore the causes of unsatisfactory pupil be- haViOr . In the state of Michigan, the courts have decided that teach- er S acting in loco parentis, have the right to impose the same reasonable punishment that a parent might inflict. The question ariSes as to what constitutes reasonable punishment. \ 1H. C. Hendrickson, “The Secondary School Principal,” §m\letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, (February, 1957), 188 tow-c: 27 Some teachers have. lost legal decisions because the courts have decided that the teacher acted in anger and that the punishment was greater than the offense warranted. A policy followed by many principals is a policy that the principal-not the teacher—swim inflict corporal punishment, but only after the teacher has explained the offense and the student has had an opportunity to defend himself. The feeling is that the principal is not acting in anger and that he will weigh the evidence before inflicting punishment. The attitude of the court is that this procedure prevents one Person—the teacher—from acting as accuser, judge, and executioner. This problem is complicated frequently when teachers insist upon a punishment which is more severe than that which the prin- CiPal feels the student deserves.1 Another aspect of this problem is one which does not deal with the actual law, but depends, rather, on the type of community in Which the school is located. There are some communities in Which corporal punishment is inflicted quite regularly by both teach- er 3 and administrators, while in other communities punishment other than a slight reprimand is almost unheard of. \ 1Roger M. Shaw, “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, (May, 1955), 56. 28 One good rule to follow is to temper discipline with human kindness. If a principal is understanding, fair, and does not act maliciously, he will be able to maintain discipline which will not be resented by either the pupils or their parents. Financing School Assemblies Many principals agree that school assembly programs Should be financed by the board of education. The practice most commonly followed is to list a predetermined amount of money in the budget for school assemblies. The money is requisitioned and paid, at the time of the assembly, to the appropriate person or booking agent just as any other services are paid for. There are many school assembly services which are able to Supply very fine educational programs, and the price of most of the tEllent is quite reasonable. It is a good practice to supplement the paid assemblies with PrOgrams planned by students. Though such programs generally do not meet professional standards, they are appreciated and enjoyed by the student body. Furthermore, they are a fine learning experi- ence for the students who participate in them.1 \ 1Edgar G. Johnston and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities inswndary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 93. If— “‘" “—‘# "‘ “ 29 In cases where the financial status of the school is limited and money is not available for assembly programs, other arrange- ments must be made. Small admission charges may be collected to pay expenses. Another method of financing those programs is to work them into the student activity program. With a slight extra charge for activity tickets, assemblies may be included with athletic events, school paper, and other things covered by the activity fee. If funds of all organizations are deposited in a central account, the sponsors will know the financial condition of all organizations.1 The disadvantage of this method of financing is that it limits the assembly programs to those who are in a position to participate financially. This is not a good educational practice, but may be a better plan than to have no assemblies. Still another alternative is to interest clubs, the student coun- cil, organized classes, or other organizations to promote money- making activities to pay for school assemblies. This can be done by conducting paper drives and by selling seals, magazines, and Other things that would result in the people in the community, rather than the students, paying for the assemblies. \ 1J. C. Christy, “Handling Student’s Funds,” The Nation’s M, XLVIII (July, 1948), 42-49. 30 Easing the Burden of Overworked Clerical Help The best method of easing the burden of clerical help is to hire more clerical help. Many schools are understaffed in this area. Some are not understaffed, but the help is not used to the best ad- vantage. In some cases the amount of help is adequate, but, be- cause of an outmoded clerical system, so much time is spent on in- consequential tasks that important work piles up. Before deciding that he needs more clerical help, the princi- Pal should examine the type of work that is being done by the cleri- cal staff as well as the amount of work performed and try to install a method that is efficient. If the school provides a commercial program, as most do, SOme classes in office practice can be organized. They can be of- fered at the twelfth-grade level, and certain requirements such as a knowledge of typing, shorthand, and filing, may be necessary for enrollment in them. During the periods when the classes ordinarily would meet in a classroom, the students can work in the different offices of the school and can be very helpful in relieving the regu- lar clerical staff of such routine duties as typing notices, filing, and answering the telephone.1 \ 1Gaumnity and DeVilbiss, op. cit., p. 5. -._-I _.-__'——— 31 This method of operation not only will free the clerical staff to accomplish more of the necessary work, but it will provide an excellent learning experience that will prove most valuable to the student when working in offices or business places after graduation from high school. The use of student help in offices has been the salvation of many schools when the acquisition of adequate help was impossible. Policy Handbook for Staff and Students There are three general types of handbooks common in high schools. The information that a handbook should contain depends Upon the type selected for use in any given school. The type se- lected will depend upon the tradition, philosophy, and needs of the schOol. One type of handbook is designed for teachers’ use only. It contains the policies of the school that have been developed by the b0fitrd of education or an advisory committee. The typical informa- tion in this handbook concerns policies governing the following matters: absences of both teachers and pupils, accidents, assembly DrOgrams, use of school facilities, permission for work, class spon- sors, classroom control, corridor control, credits, dance regulations, desk copies, excusing‘ pupils, fees, field trips, final examinations, ...-,- _._ _._ .~._.'v____— 4 il' ‘,,. A I“! a I ‘ s .u- u... ’un- "C. ‘Q-A .\ 32 graduation requirements, illness, marks, marriage of pupils, philoso- phy of education, pupil pregnancy, smoking, club and class sponsors, substitute teachers, textbooks, and other items peculiar to an indi- vidual school. Handbooks may also contain general outlines for classroom procedure. If this is done, care should be taken not to limit the freedom and effectiveness of the teacher. Another type of handbook is designed to disseminate informa- tion to pupils and is prepared in addition to the teachers’ handbook. Items that should be incorporated in this handbook are: courses of study and graduation requirements for the different areas of the cur- riculum, rules governing selection of classes and electives, list of subjects offered by grades, and general regulations pertaining to the library, study halls, classrooms, athletic events, parties, dances, attendance, report cards, fire drills, conduct in school, and other information deemed necessary for a good understanding of the school 011 the part of the pupil. If this handbook is prepared each year, a sc11001 calendar and athletic schedules can also be incorporated. A third type of handbook is a combination of the first two. One of this type will be more general in nature. For specific items, format, and general layout, it is recom- meIlcled that other high, schools be contacted for samples. 1T... __1 33 A student handbook is important as an information medium and to promote school spirit. The teachers’ handbook is one of the best methods of informing teachers of school policies. It eliminates mis- understandings, confusion, and uncertainty. Collecting Student Fees In many schools, fees are assessed and collected which are entirely illegal. It is possible to collect them only because neither the pupils nor their parents know that they are illegal. It should be mentioned here that any principal who authorizes the collection of fees in his school should ascertain whether the fees have been authorized in the proper manner. In a discussion concerning the collection of fees it should be understood that the policies recommended refer to legally assessed fees. Fees for the rental of books can be collected at the bookstore during enrollment. This collection is relatively simple, as the pupil Will not secure his books until the fee has been paid. In a school which does not have a bookstore, a collection table can be set up in the principal’s office, or the fees can be col- 1acted by the classroom teacher, who in turn will deposit the money in the office. an n-“- . 34 The bookstore method is far superior to the others, as it pro- vides a central distribution point and a central responsibility for handling the money that is collected. There are other fees such as class dues, payments for social affairs, caps and gowns, announcements, and other things necessary for graduation. Fees of this type should be collected by the faculty sponsor, because he is the person who is usually responsible for the particular activity. Restrictions can be placed upon pupils who do not pay their fees. An example of restrictions that may be im- posed is the denial of the right to participate in graduation exer- cises if the cap and gown rental is not paid, or the policy of not turning graduation announcements over to the pupil until he pays for them. Experienced principals have employed several methods of col- lection; the methods vary with location, community reaction, and school policy.1 Confusion Resulting from Teachers’ Conflicting Interpretations of School Policies There are several reasons why school policies are misin- t"-‘I‘Dreted: they may be written in a way that permits several in- terPretations; they are not available to the staff; they have not been \ 1J. C. Christy, loc. cit. 35 explained to the staff; or the staff refuses to accept the policies as they are intended. School policies should be very definite; they should be writ- ten in a simple manner, free of technical language, and they should be stated clearly. Care should be taken to word policies so that their original intention is maintained. When the policies have been written, they should be distributed to each member of the staff. At the beginning of each school year, either at the pre- 0pening conference or at an early faculty meeting, the principal should explain the policies in general and should clear up any mis- interpretations. If the staff fails to accept the policies, or does not carry them out, it probably is because they were not consulted before the Policies were written. The classroom teacher usually knows better than the administrator how things are actually going and what is Ileeded.1 More effective policies will result if the administration and staff cooperate in the formulation of school policy. Another aspect of this problem deals with public relations and the personality of the principal. If the staff is given a set of policies and told in an autocratic way to follow them, they will \ B 1Worth McClure, “Administrative Dilemmas,” American School \‘Brd Journal, x111 (November, 1941), 17—18. 36 probably rebel and refuse to cooperate with policies of which they might actually approve. To avoid this, the principal should explain the policies and give the reasons why certain of them have been formulated. The staff appreciates knowing its responsibilities. Lack of Communication between Offices There is often a lack of effective communications between the school and the superintendent’s office, among the several schools in a system, and among the offices within the individual school. Communications with the superintendent’s office and the offices of other schools may be difficult because the principal has no particular control over the situation. He will be able to influence the practice or good communications by being a leader——providing information or assistance to the superintendent or other principals. If this is done in a way that will transmit the feelings of working together for the achievement of one common goal, the superintendent may, in time fol- low the same pattern and the communications channels will open. The same method can be used in improving communication be- tween offices within the school, except that the principal can be \ 1Harold Mennes, “Personal Relationships in School Admini- S’tl‘ation,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School M, III (April, 1946), 116—17. 37 much more forceful in this leadership role when convincing his sub- ordinates of the importance of communication. An organization is a collection of persons, materials, pro- cedures, ideas, and facts so arranged as to make a meaningful unit, and at the same time designated to function so that the combined effort of all the components may be directed toward the accomplishment of a specific objective.1 In public school organization the specific objective is to pro- vide an effective program of education. The principal purpose of an organization must at all times be kept foremost, if it is to oper- ate most effectively.2 Inevitably the principal component of the school organiza- tion must be people. The pe0ple within an organization supply the ideas, the procedures, the facts that give life and purpose. Since the combined effort of all concerned is required for the proper accomplishment of the basic purpose of the school or- ganization, it is apparent that each member of the organization must be fully informed of the activities and expected contribu- tions of all other members. Determining the Pulse, or Underlying Sentiment, of the School Community The best way for the principal to get the pulse of the school and ascertain how things are going is to be out in the building \ 1Jesse B. Sears, The Nature of the Administrative Process (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1950), pp. 33, 99. 2B. J. Chandler and Paul V. Petty, Personnel Management Wm Administration (New York: The World Book Company, 1955), p. 497. 31bit! . ’ua‘ is "I- L. 4’» N- In. ;'. 38 in the midst of everything and to see for himself what is hap- pening. Many a principal feels that he must sit in his office and look busy, or actually be busy, with reports, research, or other matters that involve office work, and does not get out into the halls or classrooms. This type of principal may also adhere to the “closed- door policy,” which will eventually have an adverse effect on the willingness to communicate with him concerning problems, thoughts, and ideas. If broader participation becomes an accepted practice, teachers will gain experience now lacking. A principal who acts in this way will also find it difficult to observe classes or to know much about the effectiveness of his staff. When he does go to the classroom, he gives the impression that he is doing so in order to “check up” on the teacher, which causes resentment. The principal who spends sufficient time in the building will eventually be known to the students and teachers and will be able to be mobile without causing alarm. His presence will be an expected occurrence, and, if he happens to step into a classroom, the class will opel‘ate much more normally and all concerned will be more at ease. \ 1Worth McClure, loc. cit. 11b4, if? 4 d-. a 39 If a feeling of understanding and an honest effort to help can be displayed, it will build confidence in the student body and the staff, and an adequate understanding of the school can be secured by the principal.1 The only way to understand a situation thoroughly is to be part of it and to be genuinely interested in it. Points to be Emphasized in Rating Teachers The points that should be emphasized when rating teachers depend entirely upon what the teachers are being rated for. The individual principal should know exactly for what reason the teacher is being rated and then emphasize the areas that are important for that purpose. Teachers may be rated for the purpose of being placed on tenure after a probationary period. They may be rated as to their Participation and effectiveness in the community, for retirement, for Promotion, or for a special assignment. In order to offer some assistance in this area, the subject Sho'fld be dealt with in a very general way. The points must be mOdified to meet the needs of a specific situation. \ Y 1Roland C. Faunce, Secondary School Administration (New ork: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 65. 40 For this purpose, let us assume that teacher-rating means appraising the proficiency of the teacher in his or her job. A. S. Barr, who summarized the topic of teacher competencies in the Encyclopedia of Educational Research,1 says that, although re- search has aided us in better understanding of good traits ill teach- ing, it is as yet by no means satisfactory. In order to rate a teacher, the principal must have a very good understanding of good educational practices and Should not let his own prejudices color his evaluation. The evaluation should be based upon how the teacher gets along with others, how wisely he uses his time, how effective he is in accomplishing his goals, what ' effect he has on others, his sense of obligation to himself and others, his general health and appearance, and other things that are being observed for a certain special evaluation. Above all, the principal, in making an evaluation, should be unbiased and understanding in reaching his conclusions. Creating Better Understanding among School Systems The best method of creating a better understanding among school systems on such matters as school policies, student behavior, \ 1Walter S. Monroe (ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Re- W (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950), p. 1453. 41 teachers’ duties, child accounting, curriculum matters, and methods of reporting student progress is to participate in meetings or work- shops with principals of other schools. Many such groups are now in operation and have proven very helpful in this area. Some schools have organized groups through their membership in athletic leagues. This type of organization came about through meetings of coaches and athletic directors for the pur- pose of scheduling athletic contests and deciding upon rules to gov- ern the contest. The principals were invited as a matter of courtesy, and it finally evolved into a principals’ group for the purpose of dis- cussing educational practices and other phases of administration. The principals in the Detroit area formed a group called the Suburban Principals’ Round Table. It is composed of principals from Livingston, Oakland, and Wayne counties. This group meets periodically, and the participants discuss individual problems and try to establish a uniform procedure of operation. There are many other such organizations in existence, and the policy in these groups is to welcome the participation of any PriIICipal located in the area. In addition to a general study of school policies and operating Practices, some time is devoted to reports on recent trends, innova- tions, and things of general interest to the group. 42 The discussion of policy formation should in no way be in- terpreted to mean that a standardization of education is the goal of such a group.1 Their primary interest is a reasonable, logical, and uniform method of transmitting records and information from school to school, and of establishing a feeling of cooperation be- tween personnel of different schools. If a group such as the one referred to is to formed, it is well to organize on the basis of size, because the methods involving business machines and other expensive equipment which are em— ployed by very large schools would be impractical for use in a small school. School Plant Inadequate Office Space and Conference Facilities In these times of expanded enrollment and overcrowded condi- tions in the school, it is not uncommon for the principal to find him- self faced with the problem of inadequate space and facilities. The problem is further magnified when parents must come to the school and find that the accommodations for conferences are in- adequate. Many of the parents in the community feel that there \ 1 Gaumnity and DeVilbiss, op. cit., p. 4. 43 should be adequate space and facilities in the schools because their taxes are so high. This is a misconception, for the tax money is ex- pended for many things other than the building. However, many think that the money is unwisely spent unless there is a showy dis- play in evidence. While the attitudes and prejudices of the parents are important in this respect, the most important aspect of the problem is the wel- fare of the child.1 Authorities in the field of counseling advocate pleasant rooms and adequate space as a necessity to good counsel- ing. This is true for parent conferences as well as for those with students. If office space is limited, a classroom adjacent to the main office may be converted into a private office for the principal and for use as a conference room. Should the conversion not be possi- ble because of a shortage of classrooms for the instructional pro- gram, the next best thing to do is to make the facilities that are available as pleasant and cheerful as possible. This can be done by painting the existing office in attractive colors, hanging matching draperies at the windows, and placing some pictures and plants in 1Richard O. Carlson, “An Administrator’s Guide to Community Structure,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XLII (May, 1956), 292—300. 44 the room. This will suffice for conferences involving a small num- ber of persons. For conferences that involve a greater number of persons or group meetings, provision should be made to equip a classroom in such a manner that the atmosphere will be conducive to effective group work. Classrooms that are equipped with tables, chairs, draperies, appropriate colors, and the other things that produce a good atmosphere for conferences will also fulfill the best conditions for effective teaching, so that the room will present a good learning situation when being used for classes. The success or failure of a conference of this nature can de- pend as much on the atmosphere created by the decor and furnish- ings of a room as on its actual physical size. Unsatisfactory Custodial Service If the school janitor or school custodian does not do his work to the satisfaction of the administration, an investigation should take place. The principal may find that the janitor is doing as much W'Ork as he is capable of doing, but is handicapped by the lack of \ 1H. T. Rosenberger, “A Proper Setting for Learning,” l_3_u_1- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, \ )chleI (October, 1954), 23. '--.r- L 45 proper tools and equipment. Age may also be a. factor, as it has been a common practice in many schools to hire older personnel for this type of work. Many schools are understaffed in this department and sometimes too much is expected of each individual. This prob- lem deserves careful consideration. After a careful investigation the principal should present the problem to the superintendent and board and try to secure an adequate staff—both in number and with respect to age—and adequate equipment and janitorial supplies. Should it be determined that the janitor is really not doing his work, the matter should be discussed with him and his respon- sibilities should be reviewed. If his performance fails to improve after this, he should be discharged. An important point to bear in mind is that there could very well be a human-relations problem in- VOlved and that the unsatisfactory quantity and quality of the jani- tOr’s work may be a result of the way he is treated by either the administration or the professional staff.1 In many schools the janitor is a powerful man in the com- munity. Superintendents and principals have lost their jobs because they were not nice to the janitor. 1V. E. Anderson, “Janitor as Teacher,” School Executive, LXVII (November, 1947), 39. i l I l 4 46 Because poor working conditions definitely have an adverse effect upon a janitor’s performance, these should be improved if they are substandard. If a conscientious attempt is'made to improve working condi- tions and staff relationships, and the janitor still fails to improve his work, the last resort is to discharge him. Fire-Drill Policy and Procedure In the state of Michigan, fire drills are a legal obligation and must be held regularly. In most instances the local fire de- Partment will send a representative to the school once each month t0 conduct the fire drill. Though fire drills are held, specifically, to train students and staff in the proper procedure to be followed in leaving the School building in case of a fire, they also may be used to empty the building promptly and in an orderly manner in the event of Some other kind of emergency. The procedure to be followed should be written, plainly Posted in every room, and discussed with the pupils. The direc- tiOtis should send the children out of the room, down the nearest Stalirway, and through the exit nearest that stairway. The plan Can be altered slightly in order to balance the number of pupils 1‘” J"- 47 using the several stairways. In the event of an actual fire, some exits and stairways might be impassable; for this reason the chil- dren should be informed of an alternate escape route which may be used if necessary. In order to establish familiarity with such a situation so as to prevent panic in case of a real emergency, it is a good policy occasionally to station a staff member at a stairway or exit during a fire drill, with instructions to allow no one to pass, thus forcing the students to use an alternate route. When formulating the policy, there are several things that should be considered. No parking should be permitted on the serv- ice driveways or near the building, because cars thus parked would Prevent fire engines from getting close to the school and might pre- Vent the pupils from leaving in a prompt, orderly manner. Exits Should not be equipped with storm doors or other devices that will Prevent ready egress. Pupils should be assigned to hold the doors 0Pen, and the rest of the pupils should be instructed to keep mov- ing until they are a good distance from the school—preferably across the street. This eliminates the danger of being hit by a fall- ing object and also permits easier access to the building by fire engines and firemen. Teachers should leave the building with their 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 681. i I 9:: 48 pupils and should be instructed to carry their class rollbook with them in case an accounting of the pupils is required. Before the teachers leave the room—and they should be the last ones out——they should check to see that there is no one left in the room and that electric switches and gas jets have been turned off. The last person to leave the room should close the door. The custodian or some person previously designated should check the restrooms and other out-of-the-way places to ascertain that every person is out of the building. Provisions should be made for evacuating handicapped children. When a building is erected, fire hydrants should be installed Close by. While it is important that the children leave the building clilickly during a fire drill, speed in emptying the buildingis not the prime objective. The main objective of a fire drill is an or— clerly, safe evacuation of the building. Training Program for Maintenance Personnel An excellent training program can be provided for all main- teDance personnel. If there is no such training program, it is the fault of the administration rather than of the custodial staff. The Ibid . ‘ 1.3-9: 49 The principal should not only realize that the custodial staff must be trained in order to be effective, but he should be aware of the facilities offered by near-by institutions. Michigan State University offers such a service to the public schools of Michigan. Arrangements can be made to secure special- ists ill all phases of school-plant maintenance. A short course is offered at the university, also. All in-service training program can be set up in the local school by providing manuals, magazines, and other materials that can be read and discussed by the custodial staff. This program will differ from an in-service program for teachers in that the custodial staff will not have the same desire as teachers to search the litera- ture for aids, nor will the personnel be as capable of going ahead on their own initiative. Consequently, they must be given much leadership and incentive, and material must be provided them. There are custodians’ handbooks and manuals that will give them many ideas for making their work easier, more systematic, and more effective. The most effective training program will be one that is re- quested by the custodians, but before they make such a request they 1Alanson D. Brainard, Handbook for School Custodians (Lin- 001m University of Nebraska Press, 1952), p. 16. 50 must feel that their work is important and must know what is avail- able to them. Liability for School-sponsored Affairs Held at Commercial Establishments No attempt is made here to give any legal opinion concerning the liability of the school when Skating, bowling, or other school- sponsored parties are held at commercial establishments, nor to try to presuppose what the courts might decide in any individual case. If a situation occurs in which a legal opinion is desired, it is well to consult an attorney who is familiar with school law. The principal or the teacher can feel reasonably sure that there will be little cause for legal suit if there is no negligence. The school or school district, being an arm of the state, can- not be sued unless it has given its consent. In many instances the courts have not permitted suits against the superintendent or prin- CiPal, the reason being that they are considered to be officials of the School districtand, when acting in an official capacity, are also im- mmle.1 The law does not protect the teacher in this manner. Em- PloYees in a school district act in loco parentis and therefore are 1E. C. Bolmeier, “Are School Board Members Officers of the City or State?” American School Board Journal, CVII (May, 1946), 25—26. 51 no more liable than the parents would be in similar circumstances. The courts have generally ruled in favor of teachers in cases in- volving injury where it was proven that they were not guilty of neg- ligence . It is impossible to state a rule of thumb as to what courts will decide in an individual case unless all the facts are exactly parallel to those of one previously decided. The best practice to follow when there is the slightest possi- bility of injury—and this is practically always—is to take every pre- caution necessary to prevent any accident or injury. If principals and teachers act in good faith and are honestly interested in the welfare of the pupils, and if they take every precaution, it is un- likely that they will be held responsible for injuries to students.1 Selecting Equipment for Classrooms and Laboratories When a principal is new to a school he must, in most in- Stances, delay requesting additional equipment until he is well ori- ented to his position. If the beginning principal does request new e(lu‘lpment, he must be sure that he can demonstrate the indispensa- bility of the equipment he requests. Furniture and equipment are lSchram, op. cit., p. 201. 52 budget items about which the principal is frequently consulted. Be- cause of the great amOunt of money involved, the requests are not granted without long, careful deliberation by the board. This being the case, the beginning principal will generally not have the per- suasive power to get his request approved. A careful survey should be made to determine what equipment is absolutely needed. Teachers in the rooms and laboratories or departments should be consulted, and they should justify the need of such new equipment.1 Their justification will aid the principal when presenting the matter to the superintendent or to the school board. When the approval to purchase equipment is obtained, the teachers who will use it should be allowed to help in selecting fur- niture. They should be permitted to visit other schools and show- rooms or in some way be given an opportunity to see the products 0f the different manufacturers. School equipment and furniture should be selected for its beauty, durability, and usability.2 Many salesmen will elaborate upon the fact that their furniture will last a long time, but seldom will \ 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 624. 2William V. Godshall, “Trends in School Building Equipment,” Mg Executive, LXXV (August, 1956), 75. 53 they emphasize the fact that the furniture may not fit the pupils. It is very common to go into a school and find pupils sitting at desks or tables that were designed for much younger children. Furniture that is not comfortable is certamly not conducive to good learning. The most important phase of selecting furniture is to get the recommendations of the teachers who will be using it. Storage and Distribution of School Supplies There should be a central supply room for the storage and distribution of school supplies. However, this is not always feasi- ble because of the lack of an available room. The use of a central supply room enables the purchasing agent to buy in greater quantities, thus reducing the unit cost of supply items. There is another advantage in maintaining central storage facilities, and that is the availability of supplies and other materials to teachers when they are needed. In addition to the central storage room, adequate supply clos- ets should be provided in individual classrooms. In the past, the StoI'£=1ge closet was accepted as a standard classroom facility. Clos- ets Were placed in locations that were convenient to the builder, but they were narrow and quite inaccessible. In recent years, school builders and planners have recognized the importance of 54 classroom storage closets and have built them so they can be used to full advantage. The central storeroom need not be limited to supplies. If space permits, it may be used to store athletic equipment, audio- visual aids, and many other things. The school should employ a stockroom employee to keep stock records, to assist in ordering, and to fill teachers’ requests for sup- plies. In larger high schools, departmental storage space may be provided in addition to the central storeroom. These additional fa- cilities are especially important for the band, auditoriums, library, shops, cafeteria, art, and home economics departments. The size of the central storage room will depend largely upon how much departmental or individual storage space is available, but the existence of a central supply storage room is important for sup- plying the needs of teachers and offices and to act as a central Control . Necessary Audio-Visual Equipment An adequate amount of audio-visual equipment necessary to Operate a good program cannot be determined satisfactorily in a gen- eral Way. A “good” program is one which meets the needs of the 55 pupils, and as pupils are different in different areas, programs will differ from district to district; some communities consider an audio- visual program an “extra.” Audio-visual materials cover a wide area—blackboards, maps, globes, charts, and other such materials are considered audio—visual aids. Blackboards and bulletin boards are assumed to be part of the building, and will not be considered here. Maps, charts, globes, and models are usually requested by individual departments and are considered the property of these departments. They are not, as a rule, included in the audio-visual inventory. There are no figures available concerning the number of pieces of equipment necessary for any given number of students. This adequacy must be determined on the basis of the philosophy and teaching methods employed in any given school. As a basic minimum, a school should have one 16-millimeter PrOjector, a 2 x 2 slide projector, a record player, a radio, an Opaque projector, and a projector screen. The numbers of each piece of equipment should be increased when the requests for their T 1Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching (New York: he Dryden Press, 1951), p. 472. (N 2Walter Wittrich, Charles Schuller, Audio-Visual Materials ew York: Harper and Brothers, 1953), p. 498. 56 use make such increases necessary. In addition to the above-men- tioned items, a magnetic tape recorder, delineascope, felt boards, and a camera may be added. Before purchasing any new equipment, a careful survey of existing equipment should be made so the money available may be expended to the greatest advantage. An audio-visual director. should be hired, either on a part- time or full-time basis depending upon the extent of the program. Films and filmstrips may be purchased on an extended-pay- ment plan, and in a few years a film library of widely used films can be assembled for little more than the rental costs. There are lending libraries that make films available to schools. Some librar— ‘ies supply free films; others charge a nominal rental fee. The audio-visual program should be closely scrutinized. and enlarged to become an adequate service as it is more widely used. Superintendent and Board of Education Board of Education Subsidization of the Athletic Program It should be completely understood that the extent to which a school board is obligated to subsidize athletics is completely and entirely dependent upon its discretion. ‘ 57 Before a board makes a decision to subsidize the athletic program, it should seek legal counsel. It has been well established that it is legal for the board to spend money for an athletic field or gymnasium, but it has not been established legally that they may purchase athletic equipment. This is particularly true of special clothing purchased for athletes. In an eastern state, suit was brought against the board for purchasing six hooded coats, ten pairs of basketball pants, and ten pairs of footless hose. The school loaned the clothing to certain pupils to use while practicing for bas- ketball games. When any pupil ceased to be a member of the team, the clothing was returned to the school. This constituted a pur- chase of articles that were not for the use of pupils in general and the court ruled that the purchase was illegal.1 Many advocate the consolidation of interscholastic athletics into the regular school program and, along with this, advocate that the school board subsidize the program entirely. By holding prac- tice sessions during regular school hours, and by not charging ad- miSsion to games, it is thought that there will be better integration into the program. This philosophy may be sound, but for many r easons, however, the legal aspect of subsidizing must take prece- dence over individual recommendations. \ 1Brine _vg. City of Cambridge, 265 Mass., 164 NE. 619 (1929). 1:??“"' 58 It should be pointed out that boards of education have par- tially subsidized their athletic programs for years and probably will continue to do so. Principals should be aware of this as well as other legal aspects involving the school, and they should recommend to the board that the possibility of committing illegal acts be studied before taking any definite action. It is solely the responsibility of the board, but many times board members are not as familiar with school laws as are the superintendent and principal. Parents’ Complaints to the Board of Education It is very common for board members to listen to parents’ Complaints. Board members do not set up an office in the school and schedule interviews, nor do they profess to take part in this type of activity. Parents in the community know the members of the board personally; they may live next door to them, or they may have business contacts with them. The practice of parents going to the board members will take Place on the street corner, in stores, or in homes, but rarely in the Schools. This is done because the parents are better acquainted With the board members than with the administrators; they will re— ceive a more sympathetic ear, because the board member generally 59 is not acquainted with what actually happened to cause the complaint. A board member will often have a different philosophy of school ad- ministration1 and may honestly agree with the parent rather than the administrator. Another reason why a parent goes to a board member with complaints is that he feels the board member is obli- gated to correct a situation that he, the parent, thinks is unwise or unfair. The board member must listen sympathetically because of the necessity of getting votes; and, whether or not he does anything about the situation, the parent voter feels that he has accomplished his goal. Many board members will refuse to make any promises or recommendations in cases of this type. Their answer might be that they will investigate the matter or will recommend that the principal be contacted. In a nice way, they will inform the parent that the school administration has been vested with the responsibility and authority to operate the school,2 and the board will not interfere unless there is a flagrant misuse of this authority. 1Will French, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High S\choxolAdministration (New York: Rinehart and Co., 1957), p. 104. . zRalph D. Purdy, “Cooperative Superintendent-Principal Re- lattloIlship,” American School Board Journal, CIX (December, 1944), 60 Soliciting Board of Education Assistance in Formulating Written Policies Persuasion and explanation are probably the most common methods of convincing school boards of the need of written policies. “By far the most important function of the school board is the formation of educational policy.”1 It is evident that the policies which are set by the board will determine the education in the community,2 not only at the time that these policies are adopted, but in the future as well. After the policies have been prepared, there should be a clear understanding on the parts of the school board, the superintendent, and the principal concerning interpretation and execution of school policies. The board of education is legally responsible for policy formula- tion in the school, but this does not exclude theadministrators and Staff from taking an active part in the formulation of a written policy. Unless the principal has instructions to the contrary, he Should ask permission to organize a committee to study the need for 1American Association of School Administrators and National School Boards Association, Written Policies for School Boards (washington, D.C.: The Associations, 1955), p. 5. 2French, Hull, and Dodds, loc. cit. 61 a written policy. When the study has been completed, and it has been decided that there is a need for a written policy, the commit- tee should seek an audience with the board of education, either as a group or through a representative, to convince the board of this need.1 This procedure will take some time, but when completed, and a presentation made, there is a much greater chance of the board preparing a written policy. The literature perused seems to indicate that many school districts lack written policies. School board members will say they have a set of policies, but that they are not written. This does not excuse thetfact that a written policy is necessary. Unwritten policies are generally based upon tradition, which in itself is not bad, but there is great latitude for making exceptions and in causing confusion in the staff through misunderstanding. The clearly written school policy can be made available to each employee, and it can spell out very definitely the Policies of the school. 0 The Principal’s Role in Public Relations If the principal recognizes a weakness in the educational pro- gram in his school or in the over-all program of the district, he \ 1Willard S. Elsbree and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Per- S‘mn\elm the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, 1954), p. 272. 62 may wonder if he should expose this weakness to the community even though the superintendent paints a rosy picture of the school system. Until very recently, superintendents did not encourage principals to participate in promoting public relations in the com- munity. In fact, they frowned upon the practice and in many in- stances forbade the principal to express his views publicly. The present trend is for the superintendent to encourage the principal to interpret school policies and to discuss the effectiveness of the educational program with the people in the community. This being the case, the principal should keep the public informed of what is happening in his school. He should point out the strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, he should not criti— cize unduly the weaknesses or complain without making an effort to provide a solution to the problems. The principal should be discreet, and in any speeches, arti- cles in the local press, or conversations at clubs or other organi- zations he should cite weaknesses in order to improve the situation. If this is done, the public will probably come to the aid of the school. If the remarks are made in a sarcastic, pessimistic man- ner, they will further hinder progress, and, in fact, may make the Situation worse if the public loses confidence in the principal be- . . . 1 cause of his pessmism. \ 1Purdy, loc . cit. 63 The interpretation of the schools should not be neglected un- til a crisis occurs. There is considerable evidence to show that schools which have a good public relations program, whether car- ried on by the principal or by others, have enjoyed much better community support and have avoided certain crises related to poor public relations. When participating in a program of disseminating information to the public, one should be especially careful to be honest about the point being discussed. Do not make it any darker than it really is, and do not alibi for failure in the area. Scheduling Elimination of Study Halls It is clear from a review of the recent literature and from interviews with experienced principals that there is a definite trend in Schools toward the elimination of study halls. Many schools do not at the present time have study halls, as such. However, in some instaches where schools have tried to eliminate study halls they have been unable to do so because of community attitudes which insisted that the children be given time during the school day to prepare t . he 11‘ lessons. 64 A step away from the traditional type of study hall is the library—study hall plan. The library is used as a study hall, but formal study hall methods are not employed. The librarian can aid the student in securing reference material, and student attendance may or may not be mandatory, depending upon the school policy. An extracurricular-activity program may be set up to provide different places where students may go during the scheduled study hall period. The pupil has the choice of several activities that may be attended, and may choose to participate in one of them. The activities may be arts and crafts, clubs, interest groups, or similar activities. Where this has been tried, it has been found that in the beginning many students remained in the study hall during this period, but in a matter of one or two weeks practically everyone was taking part in some activity. Study halls may be eliminated by extending the length of each Class period. By doing this, part of the period can be used for lec- ture and assignments, and part can be used for preparation and in- dividual instruction. Where this procedure is used, the pupil is able to Prepare his lesson under the supervision of the teacher who 1Rosenberger, loc . cit. 65 makes the assignment and who is familiar with what is to be done and the method by which it is to be accomplished. The trend definitely is toward providing time during the school day for preparation, and away from assignments to be done at home after school hours. Use of the Library for Supervised Class Study Perhaps the best way to stimulate pupils to use the library is for the principal to make sure, through scheduling, that all pupils are in the library regularly some time during the week, preferably during the day. As pupils use the library and become more accus- tomed to it, they will feel more at ease, become more interested, and benefit from using the library. The library should have a cheerful atmosphere and be con- ducive to good learning. In the past, libraries were a series of bookshelves, tables, and racks. It was a place of absolute, com- plete quiet and placed a strain on pupils trying to work under con- ditions that were not common to their behavior. After the setting has been made more attractive, the person— n‘” Should be selected for their ability to work with children and to offer assistance cheerfully and readily.1 \ lFrench, Hull, and Dodds, op. cit., p. 312. . . 2 Izn,' 66 A plan may be worked out between the librarian and the classroom teacher to use the library quite regularly in a learning situation. During the first semester in high school, pupils should be taken to the library during a classroom period and the librarian should explain the facilities and familiarize the students with meth- ods of using the library. A library unit which will elaborate on the information secured during the library visit may be taught in the classroom. The librarian may schedule special periods for classes to come to the library for group work. Appropriate books and materials may be placed in the classroom for extended periods of time, to be used as references by the students. The success in this method of library work depends largely upon the relationship between the librarian and the classroom teacher and on creating a desire in the students to use the library. Length of Class Periods The length of time allotted to a class period will determine the type of schedule that can be made in a high school. If periods are 55 or 60 minutes, it is customary to have six such periods \ P , 1Vernon E. Anderson, Paul R. Grim, and William T. Gruhn, Ws and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The “ald Press, 1951), p. 393. 67 during the day with a portion of each classroom period devoted to supervised study; when 40- or 45-minute periods are used, it be- comes necessary to schedule double periods in laboratory science classes to meet the requirements of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. Data compiled by Davis and Simon1 indicate that there is a definite trend toward longer class periods, and within a decade they may become the common practice. The longer period is considered to be 55 minutes in duration, and the school day consists of six such periods plus a lunch hour. The use of longer class periods reduces the number of dif- ficulties usually encountered in making up a schedule. Almost 50 Percent fewer conflicts arise when the longer class periods are used. Shorter classes necessitate double periods for certain sub- jects. In eliminating these conflicts, the pupil is able to select his Classes and meet the necessary requirements without taking many com‘Ses with another grade level. If the principal finds himself in a situation where more Classes are scheduled during the day, it may necessitate a slight \ H‘ 11. D. Davis and D. L. Simon, “Class Schedules of Large 81811 Schools in Indiana,” Bulletin of the National Association of My School principals, xxxr (November, 1947), 22. --__ _._... .--'——-_ 68 revision of the credits required for graduation. In most instances, where more class periods are scheduled during the day, however, the pupil is generally required to enroll in a study hall or a double- period class, and the total number of credits earned is the same. The longer class periods might well be accomplished by the elimination of study halls. Altering Examination Schedules Due to Conflicting Bus Schedules Ordinarily it is not advisable to change or alter examination schedules to fit bus schedules, but it may be necessary to alter them in an emergency or because of specific local conditions. Whenever there is a change in a schedule or operating procedure, it causes confusion and frustration to the pupils, as well as affecting the teachers adversely. Being familiar with the situation that may cause such a change in a community will be very helpful in eliminating such changes. If there is a possibility that the examination schedule will be held dur- 'ng hours different from the regular classes, careful planning should be done when preparing the schedule. This problem may exist when the school buses are transport- ing both high-school and elementary-school pupils. Planning and 69 c00peration between the several principals involved will minimize the problem considerably. It is a custom in some schools to have the classes meet dur- ing the regular, scheduled period, and to permit the pupils to take part of the final examination each day over a period of from three to five days. If this procedure is followed, there should be no problem with transportation, as the buses may operate on their regu- lar schedule. The above plan may be modified by combining classes, thus permitting pupils to spend double the length of time at a single sit- ting. For example, the first-period class could meet during the first and second periods one day and the second-period class could meet during the first and second periods the following day. On the first day, the odd-numbered classes could meet, and on the second day the even-numbered classes could meet. It could also be modi- fied to combine three class periods, but such an arrangement would require three days for the rotation instead of two. It is well to dismiss children at the regular time whenever possible, in order to cooperate with the many parents who work or who, for some other reason, usually are away from home during the day, It will save them the trouble of making special plans when -_‘._.__...4. 70 pupils are excused early. If the bus schedule must be altered, the principal should notify the parents of the change. Scheduling Health Examinations There will be a variation in the scheduling practice in the event of planning a schedule with the nurse for hearing, sight, and physical examinations, depending upon whether the examinations are made by a local school nurse, who may set the days that she can devote to any one school, or by a city or county visiting nurse. The school nurse, being a member of the staff and spending all of her time in one school system, can Operate within a broad, variable schedule, while a visiting nurse from another locality must schedule examinations during her assigned days. The practices can be very similar except that the entire program can be completed in a shorter time if done by the local nurse. In setting up a schedule, the principal should endeavor to reach every pupil with the least amount of confusion. An expedient way to accomplish this is to make the examinations during the regu- lar SChool day and schedule pupils from the classes where the greatest number are in attendance. 71 One such class is physical education. Unless the facilities are not adequate, pupils take physical education during each se- mester in high school. If the examinations are made during gym period, it is possible to reach every student except those handi- capped, ill, or excused. This also permits the examinations to be made without disrupting any other area of the school. When conditions are such that students in all grades do not take physical education, the examinations may be scheduled during the English classes. There are very few pupils who are not in one of the English classes during the day. The disadvantage of schedul- ing health examinations during the English classes is that the pupils lose one day of English; if the same method is used for many occa- sions of this nature, it would not be fair to have pupils miss this class so often. Whichever method is used, there should be a time scheduled at a later date to accommodate any student who was absent from school or who for some other reason was not examined. It is a better practice to schedule the health examinations during the physical education class time, if possible, because there is a very close relationship between the two. In fact, the physical 72 education department of many schools will perform this type of ex- amination each year as a regular part of the program. LQ. Tests As a Basis for Counseling Seniors Intelligence tests, as well as aptitude, interest, and adjustment tests, should be given to high—school seniors as a basis for counsel- ing. The testing program can be modified somewhat by giving some of the tests in the eleventh grade Giving tests in the eleventh or twelfth grades does not mini- mize the importance of testing of pupils in lower grades, but it is important to test the pupil shortly before he leaves school. School guidance programs seek to help the pupil make wise choices so that a better measure of growth and development may result from the ex- Periences available to him in school. At the twelfth-grade level. the pupil is beginning to think about his life after high school. He is more mature at this level, and his interest may have changed from previous years. Counseling Will be more effective if recent test results are used rather than reStilts obtained at a different age level. \ S 1Leonard V. Koos, et al., Administering the Secondary c\ht)gl (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 120. 2French, Hull, and Dodds, op. cit., p. 401. 73 The results obtained from tests taken at the twelfth-grade level will be a more accurate measure of what the pupil wants to do the following year, his maturity and experience in high school probably having altered his earlier interests. Many recommendations will be sent from the school to places regarding the graduating pupil, and the recommendations will be more accurate if they are based upon recent tests. The counseling done at the twelfth-grade level differs from that of earlier years in that it is focused upon a slightly different area than that done earlier. It is concerned with making recommen- dations for a phase of life different than that to which the pupil has been accustomed, rather than for improvement in a specific subject PPOficiency. Adult-Education Program The first step in organizing an adult-education program is Puhlicity. If there are no provisions made for adult education in the school, the principal will receive very few requests for classes. The publicity may begin with newspaper articles outlining the need for this type of program. Education is a life-long need, and adults are interested in attending classes. They cannot know, however, the specific courses in which they would be interested, or what 74 requests to make, unless they know what is available to them. The curriculum should shift constantly as the needs of the peOple are learned.1 After the information has been disseminated and requests have been made for such a program, a director of adult education should The director can make a community survey to determine The be chosen. the courses to offer and to select teachers for these courses. problem of securing teachers will be very slight because there will be a sufficient number of volunteers from the regular staff to ful- fill the need adequately. The adult program may be Operated in cooperation with local industries, which will prove helpful in securing teaching aids such as scrap steel for the welding shOp, or other similar materials. In most communities, local industry is very much interested in an evening program and will help in any way possible. This is also true of labor unions, as it is a way of upgrading their mem- bers or teaching the members a new trade. The method of teaching and the areas of instruction will vary somewhat from the regular program because many adults will \ a. 1Charlene Sampson, “Business Education Conducts ApprOpri- te Adult Programs,” Bulletin of the National Association of Second- ”{School principals, xu (January, 1957), 86. 75 attend to learn a specific art, trade, or subject; their needs should be satisfied without spending much time on historical background or other things that are done in the regular program for the purpose of general cultural enrichment.1 Night-school classes will normally be smaller than those at the high-school level, and much individual instruction should be given. There is, in most instances, a fee to pay for heat, lights, and teachers’ salaries, but it should be kept to a minimum. The cost to the individual can be further reduced if contacts are made which will result in business, industry, or labor paying a portion of the tuition cost. Conferences, Meetings, and Allocation of Time Flaming Preschool Conferences The preschool conference has become a standard practice in most schools during the last decade. It should be planned to improve the teachers and to help them to do a better job of teaching young- sters , Ibid. 76 The planning should be done by a group composed of teach- ers, and it is wise to have an administrator as one of the members. The membership should be representative of the several schools in the system. The representatives may be chosen for this particular purpose, or they may be a group that has already been formed. If there is a superintendent’s advisory council or some such committee whose membership is representative of all the schools, it would be well for this group to be responsible for the preschool conference every year. The committee should decide upon a program that will fit into the time which has been allotted by the board of education. A Speaker should be selected who is an inspirational person and who will put the teachers in an optimistic frame of mind to begin the year. The time allotted for the program will vary depending upon whether the conference is to be planned for an entire week or for one day. In some schools teachers are paid on an eleven-month baSis with the twelfth month being devoted to preschool conferences combined with an in-service training program. \ Y 1William A. Yeager, Administration_ and the Teacher (New ork: Harper and Brothers, 1954), p. 287. ‘ 77 The first meeting should begin with a social period or break- fast. Following this, the superintendent should extend his welcome to the staff, introduce new staff members, and explain the conference procedure. The next session should be a general meeting where the se- lected Speaker will deliver his message. It is quite common to have an informal question-and-answer period following the address. The following session or sessions should be devoted to small grcmp discussions. Teachers should be given a choice of which group they will attend, so there should be a preassigned tOpic of discussion and a chairman for each group. A permanent chair- man and recorder will be chosen after the group has met. The groups will meet in as many sessions as the alloted time will per- mit. The last session should be another general meeting for the Purposes of evaluation and any necessary emergency announcements. The time allotted for a preschool conference should provide for a building staff meeting and a period where teachers are free to arrange their rooms, obtain supplies, and perform the several tasks necessary for the Opening of school.1 \ 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, gp. cit., p. 60. 78 It is well to plan a day later in the year as a follow-up of the preschool conference to ascertain whether any of the recommen- dations made at the conference have been put into effect and to what extent. Conference Participation In order for a high-school principal to be effective in his work, he must be aware of what is happening in the school. If he is to be informed, he must participate in such conferences. The assistant principal—if the school is large enough to war- rant having one—may attend some of these conferences, leaving the principal free to do other things. In this case the assistant should keep the principal informed of what transpired at the conference, but he can do this in a relatively short time. Some principals delegate responsibility for such problems to Others, but by so doing they lose contact with school operations and are not effective in their work. Conferences with probation officers and attendance officers c(""C‘cer'ning pupils are generally necessary because problems exist With regard to individual students. In most instances this problem is urgent and needs immediate attention; duties must be delayed be- Gauge of the nature of the emergency. Therefore, it is not always 79 possible to fit the conferences into the school day at any set time; the principal must take them as they come and leave the routine work for a later time. This particular problem is minimized when there is an assist- ant principal in the school, but it becomes a serious problem in the small school when the principal must teach classes part of the day. In the latter instance the pupils in the class will suffer because of the many interruptions, so every step should be taken to free the principal of classroom obligations. If the conference is for the purpose of interviewing a student who is on probation or concerns an attendance problem that is not serious, the principal need not be in attendance. The probation offi- cer may interview the pupil privately, and the attendance officer may work with the pupil and the teacher involved. The solution of this problem will depend upon the size, per- sonnel, and organization of the individual school. Closing School for Teachers’ Meetings One of the striking characteristics of the teaching profession has been the emphasis placed upon the continued education of teachers. Teacher institutes began in 1839, and over the years this method of i ‘ . c a o o o n ser‘nce tralmng has survwed over many others. The instltutes 80 have been considered very instrumental in improving teaching effec- tiveness.1 Some communities feel that it is extremely valuable to make provisions for teachers to attend institutes, even at the expense of excusing the pupils from school. Other communities look with dis- favor upon closing the school for any reason. The conflicting phil- osophies in this matter indicate that whether or not schools are closed for the purpose of teacher clinics and conferences depends largely upon the community. Some institutes have been held on Saturdays or other non- school days, but as a general rule teachers dislike to participate in conferences on these days. Because of this feeling, the Saturday conferences have not been as successful. The high school has developed into a series of more special- ized areas. Many subject departments conduct conferences, clinics, and other meetings that emphasize that particular department. Most conferences are planned so that different areas) have their con- ferences at different times, thus making it possible for teachers to attend the conferences and clinics of their choice during the school year, Without need for the school to close. This necessitates \ 1 Yeager, Op. cit., p. 247. ‘+-m a 81 securing substitute teachers for those who are away. An extra teacher may be hired to fill in for teachers who are absent because of illness; this teacher may also be used for other special purposes. Selected References Office Administration Problems Setting up a petty-cash fund, and provisions which can be made for it Jacobson, Paul E, William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 640. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 212. Reller, Theodore L., “The Principal As Business Executive,” School Executive, LXXV (September, 1955), 50. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 209. miding committee work and meetings in OileI' to spend more time on the job American Association of School Administrators, Staff Rela- tions in School Administration, Thirty-third Yearbook (Washington: The Association, 1955), pp. 125-26. Benne, Kenneth D., and Bozidar Muntyan, Human Relations in Curriculum Change (New York: The Dryden Press, 1953, p. 249. 82 Douglass, Harl R., “Leadership or Authority in School Ad- ministration,” Educational Administration and Super- vision, XXXIV (January, 1948), 25-28. Gaumnity, Walter H., and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Plan- ning, Pamphlet No. 102, U. S. Office of Education (Wash- ington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947). Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 47. Miller, P. A., “Democratic Leadership in Secondary Educa- tion,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secon_d- ary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 15. Pittenger, B. F., “Two Interpretations of Democratic School Administration,” American School Board Journal, CXV I (May, 1948), 17—19. Llafming a curriculum study Alberty, Harold, Reorganizing the High School Curriculum New York: The Macmillan Company, 1953), p. 421. Anderson, V. E., “The Human Side of Curriculum Develop- ment,” Educational Leadership, IV (January, 1947), 218—21. Bruner, Donald W., “Curriculum Change in the Small High School,” Educational Leadership, X (May, 1953), 470— 73. Cartwright, Russell W., “Program for Improving Instruction,” School Executive, LXVIII (October, 1948), 55-56. Krug, Edward A., Curriculum Planning (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1950), pp. 218, 226. Smith, B. Othanelu, William 0. Stanley, and Harlan J. Shores, Fundamentals of Curriculum Development (Yonkers-on- Hudson, N.Y.: The World Book Company, 1957), p. 632. 1.- 1‘ 83 Formation and function of a social committee Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 265. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 185. Jacobson, Paul 3., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 346. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 142. Mennes, Harold, “Personal Relationships in School Adminis- tration,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, xxx (April, 1946), 116—17. Egvising the report card Ayars, Albert L., Administering the People’s School (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957), pp. 63, 72, 77. Douglass, Harl R. (ed. ), Education for Life Adjustments: Its Meaning and Implementation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 13. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 181. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 95. Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, xxv (April, 1941), 129. 84 Jacobson, Paul E, William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 253-56. Keller, F. J., “What We Know about Comprehensive High Schools,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, XXXIX (May, 1955), 16. Langdon, Grace, and Irving W. Stout, Teacher-Parent Inter- views (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 258. Thompson, J. D., “Give Them All a High School Diploma,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII @ctober, 1954), 102. E_xtent of student disciplining by fiministration or staff Hendrickson, H. C., “The Secondary School Principal,” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 1957), 188. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 171. Metcalf, Henry, and L. Urwick, Dynamic Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1950), p. 183. Shaw, Roger M., “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1956), 56. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1954), p. 181. W school assemblies Christy, J. C., “Handling Student’s Funds,” The Nation’s Schools, XLVIII (July, 1948), 42-49. 85 Jacobson, Paul E, William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954): p. 324. Johnston, Edgar G., and Rold C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 93. Reller, Theodore L., “The Principal As Business Executive,” School Executive, LXXV (September, 1955), 50. Easing the burden of overworked clerical help Gaumnity, Walter H., and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Plan- ning, Pamphlet No. 102, U.S. Office of Education (Wash- ington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947). Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 218. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 169. Policy handbook for staff and students Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementagy School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 78. Jacobson, Paul E, William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 63. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 188. Morrill, Charles L., “7 Easy Steps to Better Public Relations in Your High School,” School Executive, LXXVII (September, 1957), 74. 86 Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 24. Collecting student fees Christy, J. C., “Handling Student’s Funds,” The Nation’s Schools, XLVIII (July, 1948), 42-49. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 210—13. Jacobson, Paul E, William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 655. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, T9527, pp. 329—36. Confusion resulting from teachers’ conflicting interpretations of school policies American Association of School Administrators, Public Rela- tions for American Schools, Twenty-eighth Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1950), p. 133. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941i, 52. McClure, Worth, “Administrative Dilemmas,” American School Board Journal, CIII (November, 1941), 17—18. Mennes, Harold, “Personal Relationships in School Administra- tion,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXX (April, 1946), 116—17. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1956), p. 24. 87 Lack of communication between offices American Association of School Administrators, Staff Rela- tions in School Administration, Thirty-third Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1955), p. 112. Chandler, B. J., and Paul V. Petty, Personnel Management in School Administration (New York: The World Book Company, 1955), p. 497. Mort, Paul, Principles of School Administration (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1946), p. 2. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 166. Sears, Jesse B., The Nature of the Administrative Process (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1950), pp. 33, 99, 277. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954): pp. 334, 338. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1954), p. 203. Pilgrmining the pulse, or underlying sentiment, Ollie school community Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 65. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 124. McClure, Worth, “Administrative Dilemmas,” American School Board Journal, CIII (November, 1941), 17—18. M be emphasized in rating teachers American Association of School Administrators, American School Curriculum, Thirty-first Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1953), p. 37. 88 Ashby, Lloyd W., “What Supervisory Practices Promote Teacher Growth and Cooperation,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVI (April, 1952), 26—32. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 118. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 217. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 347. Monroe, Walter S. (ed. ), Encyclopedia of Educational Research (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950), p. 1453. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 292. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956T, p. 305. Q‘gating better understanding {filing school systems Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 377. Gaumnity, Walter H., and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Plan- ning, Pamphlet NO. 102, U.S. Office of Education (Wash- ington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947). Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 739. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 3. 89 School Plant Inadequate office space and conference facilities Carlson, Richard 0., “An Administrator’s Guide to Community Structure,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XLII (May, 1956), 292—300. Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Personnel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 82. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 301. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 507. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bulle- tin of the National Association pf: Secondary School Principals, XIOWIIITOctober, 1954), 23. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 284. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 207. _Upsatisfactory custodial service Anderson, V. E., “Janitor as Teacher,” School Executive, LXVII (November, 1947), 39. 90 Brainard, Alanson D., Handbook for School Custodians (Lin- coln: University of Nebraska Press, 1952), p. 12. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 531. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 395. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Administra- tion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), pp. 243, 256. Trump, J. L., “Experimental Studies in the Utilization of the Staff in the Secondary School,” Bulletin of the Na- tional Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 1957), 9. Eire-drill policy and procedure Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 170. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 681. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 386. Wprcygiam for maintenance personnel Brainard, Alanson D., Handbook for School Custodians (Lin- coln: University of Nebraska Press, 1952), p. 16. Harlow, J. G., “Building the Principals Team,” Bulletin of the National Associatiopfof Secondary School Princi- pals, XLI (February, 1957), 47. 1’-” . 91 Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 687. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 399. Liability for school—sponsored affairs held at commercial establishments Bolmeier, E. C., “Are School Board Members Officers of the City or State?” American School Board Journal, CVH (May, 1946), 25—26. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 280. Michigan, General School Laws (Lansing: Speaker-Hines and Thomas, Inc., 1955), pp. 143, 389. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), pp. 191, 201. M15 equipment for classrooms Wratories _ Godshall, William V., “Trends in School Building Equipment,” ‘ School Executive, LXXV (August, 1956), 75. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 624. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 538. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 462. -..—-_—.r—-—- initial . . .5 92 Reeder, Ward, The thdamentals of Public School Administra- tion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 208. Thurston, Lee M., Plarming Together for Better School Build- ings, Bulletin No. 412 (Lansing: Superintendent of Pub- lic Instruction, 1950), p. 106. Storage and distribution of school supplies French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 452. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties Of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 623. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 282. Nicessary audio-visual equipment Dale, Edgar, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching (New York: The Dryden Press, 1951), p. 472. Mannino, Philip, ABC’s of Visual Aids (State College, Pa.: M. O. Publishers, 1954), p. 18. Wittich, Walter, and Charles Schuller, Audio -Visual Materials (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1953), p. 498. Superintendent and Board of Education W education subsidization \gihletlc program Brine v. City of Cambridge, 255 Mass., 164 NE. 619 (1929). I’L‘w' (trifvlrlt ‘Po .5,- retard; , ~ \ l|ll 93 Farmer, Floyd M., “The Public High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXII (April, 1948), 82—91. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 469. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 651. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunc e, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 326. Linn, Henry H., School Business Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 552. Parents’ complaints to the board of education French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American Hig_h School_A_dministration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 104. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19157), p. 206. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 687. Purdy, Ralph D., “Cooperative Superintendent-Principal Re- lationship,” American School Board Journal, CIX (De- cember, 1944), 35—36. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 528. 94 Soliciting board of education assistance if formulating written policies Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in tpe Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 272. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 104. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 47. Smittle, W. Ray, An Administrative Handbook for Boards of Education in Michigan (Clawson, Mich.: Oakland Edu- cation Press, 1951), p. 15. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 529. The principal’s role in public relations American Association of School Administrators, Staff Rela- tions in School Administration, Thirty-third Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1955), pp. 165, 169. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 576. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 206. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 696. u. 1":- 1. .. .39.- 95 Pittenger, B. F., “Two Interpretations of Democratic School Administration,” American School Board Journal, CXVI (May, 1949), 17—19. Purdy, Ralph D., “Cooperative Superintendent-Principal Re- lationship,” American School Board Journal, CIX (De- cember, 1944), 35—3 6. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 123. Scheduling Elimination of study halls Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 384. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 260. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 609. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 325. 1339\0fthe library for supervised class study Anderson, Vernon R, Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 393. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 312. 96 Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 259. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 603. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” @- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 23. Length of class periods Davis, I. D., and D. L. Simon, “Class Schedules of Large High Schools in Indiana,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXI (November, 1947), 22. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 89. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 286. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 195. mug examination schedules due to contfiing bus schedules Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships, ” Bulletin of the National Association pf Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 333. 97 Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 490. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 465, 483. Scheduling health examinations Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 305. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 379. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 214. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 120. LLtests as a basis for counseling seniors Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 307—20. Davis, Frank G., and Pearle S. Norris, Guidance Handbook for Teachers (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1949), pp. 117—25. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1957), p. 401. 1" a 98 Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 170, 594. Strang, Ruth, The Role of the Teacher in Personnel Work (New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1953), pp. 370—77. Warters, Jane, Techniques of Counseling (New York: McGraw- Hill Book Company, 1954), pp. 50—89. Adult-education program Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices oLSecondapy Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 250. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 89. Sampson, Carlene, “Business Education Conducts Appropriate Adult Programs,” Bulletin of the National Associption of Secondary School Prinflpals, XLI (January, 1957), 86. Conferences, Meetings, and Allocation of Time m preschool conferences Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 76. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 60. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 202, 207. 99 Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 287. Conference participation Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships, ” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. Farmer, Floyd M., “The Public High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XIOCII (April, 1948), 82—91. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 60. Yeager, William A., Administratipn and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 204. Closing school for teachers’ meetings Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices offiSecondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 466. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 498. Linn, Henry H., School Busipess Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1956), p. 102. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Administra- tion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 133. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 247. CHAPTER IH FACULTY Supervision and Evaluation Letters of Recommendation There are two general types of recommendation letters that concern high-school principals. One type is for the evaluation of a teacher for the purpose of retention or placement on tenure; the Other is for the recommendation of a position elsewhere. The type 0f letter will vary slightly because of the nature of the information being transmitted. If a school district has teacher tenure, the law states that the teachers must be placed on tenure after the second year of em- Ployment. When a letter of recommendation is written it should state the outstanding accomplishments of the teacher, the ability to get along with others, and the person’s potential in education. This time of letter should emphasize the potential because in many cases the teacher has not yet found himself in the short period of two Years. The board of education or the tenure committee is concerned 100 101 primarily with the teacher’s potential and the teacher’s future value to the system. This potential is judged primarily by past perform- me e, so it should be as accurate as possible. The teacher should receive a copy of the letter, and it is advisable to discuss the con- tents of the letter with the teacher before it is written. The discus- sion with the teacher before writing the letter may clear up some points that the principal is not sure of, and a more inclusive letter will result. A letter for a job recommendation will emphasize past per- formance, special skills, and ability, rather than speculating upon the future. A letter for this purpose may or may not be discussed with the teacher, and a copy is seldom given to the teacher. The princi- pal should be fair when writing a recommendation for this purpose. The teacher should be helped if he wishes to improve himself, and the principal should not be vague nor should he send a poor recom- mendation for the sake of keeping the teacher. A poor recommenda- tion may insure the teacher’s staying at the school, but it may hurt his Chances of improving himself in the future. The principal has a moral obligation to be fair even though it means losing the teacher. On the other hand, the principal should not go overboard with his Praise if it is not a true picture of the teacher. 102 Conferences with Teachers Following Observation of Classes The techniques of conferring with teachers after observing the class will depend largely upon the relationship created prior to the observation and also to the impression created during the obser- vation. One cannot change his personality or impressions that others have of him in a‘short time. The principal or any other supervisor must first win the con- fidence and respect of the teacher. He must make the teacher feel that he is trying to help and that suggestions are given for that pur- pose. When observing, the impression of real interest in the class should be given. Do not—as some supervisors do—walk into the room with a long face, sit down, open a notebook, and take notes. This Will do more to frustrate a teacher than any other action. A frustrated teacher will not teach a good lesson and the pupils will not respond. As a result, the interview which follows will be un- successful. 1 \ Willard S. Elsbree and E. Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Per- Wthe Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), 103 If the principal is cheerful and understanding and if he makes himself as inconspicuous as possible during the observation, the teacher will feel at ease. The interview will be conducted on a friendly basis and the teacher will accept recommendations more readily. Teachers have a certain satisfaction in evidences of their achieve- ment. Such evidences offer an opportimity for specific suggestions designed for improvement. . This problem deals with an intangible-personality——and, try as he may, the principal who does not have a deep feeling for others will invariably use the negative approach in this situation.2 When observing the classes of more experienced teachers the attitude of being helpful may not be appropriate. In this instance the display of real interest or curiosity may be used. Here again a friendly relationship should be created before steps are taken in observation. Selection of an Advisory Committee on Purchasing The request for new equipment or furniture will be made by an individual teacher or a group of teachers in most instances. The Principal rarely initiates the request because, in the first place, 1William A. Yeager, Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1954), p. 304. t' 2Ward Reeder, The Fundamentals affine School Administra- &1 (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 131. 104 there is always a budget to limit such purchases, and in order to fulfill the requests that are made by others the money allotted is entirely expended or the requests may exceed the funds allotted. The principal does not have money available to make additional re— quests. Secondly, he is not in the classroom, shop, or laboratory using the equipment every day and probably does not realize that certain things are needed. He must depend almost entirely upon his staff for requests and should inform the teachers of this. Equipping and making use of the physical facilities of a high school call for careful and cooperative planning. The type of furniture or equipment to be purchased will de- pend upon its location. The need will differ in the several subject- area departments, and even among different teachers within the same department. The science teachers will have different needs than the history teachers, and they will both differ from those of the voca- tional education teachers. If a committee is formed, it must include members from the department making the request. These are the people most familiar With the needs. Others on the staff may be selected who can contribute \ 1Walter H. Gaumnity and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Plan- 13%“, Pamphlet No. 102, U.S. Office of Education (Washington, D.C.: vErnment Printing Office, 1947), p. 14. r 1 105 much in the way of advice or as a balance to minimize the selection of furniture that is too specialized or impractical. “Active partici- pation in building by staff and community consistently produces better products. ’ ’1 There can be a permanent committee for this purpose, com- posed of representatives of each department with the addition of the teacher making the request as a temporary member for that particu- lar purpose. The special informal type of committee is recommended over the permanent committee because it will be interested in the Particular purchase, and also because a series of informal commit- tees will vary their methods of equipment selection. Obtaining Sponsors for Extracurricular Activities Sponsors of clubs and activities should be selected in accord- ance with their interests. In any school the interest area of indi- vidual teachers will vary considerably. The interest of any given teacher will manifest itself shortly after the teacher becomes a membEr of the staff. \ S 1B. J. Chandler and Paul Petty, Personnel Management in ~g‘°\01_ Administration (New York: World Book Company, 19% p. 77. v 106 Some pupil clubs and organizations may be extant in a school because of tradition; others may be formed as a result of certain common interests. In many cases teachers will volunteer to act as sponsors of clubs that display interests similar to their own.1 They will be stimulated to volunteer for sponsorship of a particular activity by the students. Teachers are interested in young peOple and will enjoy working with activity groups, especially if the activity is within the special-interest realm of the teacher. There is a problem created in many instances because the extreme popularity of an individual teacher results in each club or Organization requesting him. The principal can be a great influence in regulating the number of activities any given teacher should spon- sor. The teacher should not be permitted to sponsor so many ac- tivities that it becomes a burden either at the expense of his per- sonal well-being or neglect of, classroom assignments.2 When sponsors are needed the pupils may seek out the teacher they Want as a sponsor or they may come to the principal. In the x . 1Edgar G.. Johnston and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities Wm”), Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 134. 2Yeager, op. cit., p. 170. 107 latter case the principal should recommend certain teachers who have displayed an interest in the area. He can either suggest that the pupils contact the teacher or he may talk to the teacher about the sponsorship. Whether the teacher requests the sponsorship or is asked by the principal to act in this capacity, the assignments should be en- thusiastically received. Friction among Staff Members Concerning Requested Student Absences Classroom teachers object when the coach, band director, or others excuse students from academic classes. This is a problem of precedent, tradition, lack of policy, or lack of leadership. The Problem also implies lack of cooperation among staff members. The most important thing to remember is “what is best for the chil .” The function of the school is to provide a well-rounded Education for the pupil.1 It is important that the pupil be excused from school occasionally to participate in athletic contests, band concerts, and other activities. These experiences are every bit as important as academic participation because of social adjustment, but it is also important that the student attend classes. \ 1 Ibid. , p. 379. _A."‘--- ‘r— .‘ 108 If at all possible, the pupil who is on an athletic team or in the band should schedule gym, music, study hall, or a nonacademic class the last period in the day. If this type of scheduling is not possible it can be settled by cooperation between the teachers. There may be a long-standing antagonism which exists between the coach and the classroom teacher, and the objection may be caused by a personal dislike of athletics or the coach, rather than because of the amount of classwork the pupil will miss. To resolve the difference in attitude, leadership and very careful human-relations work on the part of the principal is neces- sary- 1 One method is to call both parties into the office, explain both sides of the question in an impartial way, and endeavor to reach a suitable agreement. Another way of resolving the problem is a discussion at a general faculty meeting. The difficulties can be discussed by the entire group and a solution may be reached. In either case the principal should remain impartial; however, if either party becomes stubborn or unreasonable about cooperating, the principal should make the decision for the particular case at hand. \ R 1L. M. Christophe, “The Principal and the Improvement of SelatiOnships,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary minimums, XLI (October, 1957), 55. 109 Many of these problems will arise, and a method of eliminat- ing the controversy is to incorporate the operating procedure in the statement of policy. Effective Use of Bulletins for Communication with Teachers The problem concerning the proper course of action regarding teachers who do not read bulletins was included to impress upon the beginning principal the importance of administrative bulletins. The fact that teachers do not read the bulletins is of lesser importance. If the contents of the bulletins are consistently worth while, the problem of teachers who do not read the bulletins will be insig- nificant. Bulletins should not be distributed unless there is some worth-while information in them. One principal in the state of Michigan writes a daily bulletin. He Was troubled because the teachers apparently were not reading his daily message. It finally deve10ped that they would not even pick up the bulletin. He solved the problem by insisting that each teacher turn his keys in at the office each night before leaving the building. AS the keys were handed to the teacher in the morning, by the prin- cipal personally, he would present the teacher with a copy of the 110 daily bulletin. This principal would frequently question the teachers at faculty meetings on items that appeared in the bulletin. The best practices to follow are these: (1) Make the bulle- tin a worth-while method of communication. (2) Do not put out bul- ‘ letins so frequently that the staff resents them. (3) Do not let the bulletin become a phobia that causes an emotional upset to staff morale. When the principal enjoys a good relationship with his staff and when he is around the building enough, frequent bulletins are not necessary. If information must be given to the staff it can be done by the use of a short, informal notice. The principal who abuses the use of bulletins is probably the person who locks him- self in his office all day and forbids much teacher-principal rela- tionship. Enforcing Punctuality in Class Dismissal Convincing teachers that they should dismiss their classes on time so that students will not be late to the next class is a matter Of School policy and teacher cooperation. Some teachers feel that the Subject they teach is the only important thing that happens to a youngster while he is in school. They have no regard for the feel- ing 0f others, and they regard other classes as a waste of time. 111 Of course this is the extreme case, but this attitude is prevalent in varying degrees in many teachers. The awareness of this situation will first be manifest through the complaint of another teacher, and the principal should investigate. If it happens once, it may be that the teacher lost track of the time or something unusual happened in class, or it may have been just an error. In this case no action is necessary. If it continues, how- ever, the principal should talk to the teacher and inform him that it is necessary to dismiss his class on time in fairness to all concerned. If the practice persists in spite of the principal’s suggestions, then he should be stern and insist that all teachers dismiss all classes on time. The principal may prefer to make a general announcement at a faculty meeting concerning the importance of dismissing classes on time. This may solve the problem, but if it doesn’t the principal should not belabor the point in subsequent meetings; he should set- tle the issue with the offending teacher personally. Here again, a good school policy can eliminate a problem or at least give the principal an opportunity to insist that regulations be followed without seeming to make it a personal issue or giving the impression of finding fault with a particular individual. 112 Habitual Tardiness of Teachers A principal should be understanding about the tardiness of teachers just as teachers should be understanding about the tardi- ness of children; however, the practice of teachers being habitually tardy should not be tolerated. The teacher has an obligation to the school which employs him, just as any other employee has an obli- gation to his employer. A teacher may be late for work occasionally due to illness in his family, or because of other personal obligations that are impor- tant to him. This teacher should not be considered habitually tardy, because emergencies do exist, and the principal should be understand- ing in such instances. The teacher who is habitually late for work over a long pe- riod of time is probably one who possesses an irresponsible attitude, and the effectiveness in the classroom probably reflects this attitude. There should be a policy that spells out the length of the SCh001 day, and a delineation of the action which will be taken if the rule is violated. The teacher should be warned that he must be on time and should be informed of the consequences if he is not. If the practice persists, the principal should report the teacher to 113 the superintendent, who in turn should request the board to take ac- tion if necessary. Some principals employ methods of ascertaining whether or not teachers arrive at the designated time in the morning, but do not themselves set an example by arriving on time. They may try to justify their actions by stating that they worked late the night be- fore or that they did some of their work at home where they would not be disturbed. Although they may think that they are offering sufficient reason, their remarks may be resented by the staff. The principal should set a good example. If he expects the staff to be on time he should be on time also. The principal may enlist the aid of other teachers informally and attempt to solve the problem by group-pressure methods. Communicating to Teachers the Purposes of the School The fact that the school is operated for the students—and not for the teachers—is something that the principal cannot tell the teacher directly, either by making an announcement in a faculty meeting or by stating it in a bulletin. The philosophy that the school is for the child should be given In the teacher-training institution or should be accumulated over a 114 period of years in the profession. If the teacher has not acquired it by the time he is actually teaching, it will take a long time to implant the notion. If only a few on the staff display the attitude that the school is operated for the benefit of the teachers, they may change their minds by association with others on the staff who are correct in their beliefs on this subject. If a majority of the staff members feel that the school exists for their individual convenience, it will take a considerable period of time for the principal to instill a more professional attitude in his staff. A good method of changing an undesirable attitude is an in- service training program. The beginning theme could be in the area of socialization, followed by information concerning teacher obliga- tions in working with others. After the teachers have developed a cooPerative attitude and have learned to discuss personal teaching problems or those of the school freely,1 the program should be di- rected toward the subject of teacher attitudes and obligations toward Children. The latter area may not be necessary, for if the group is \ T 1Lloyd W. Ashby, “What Supervisory Practices Promote cfaffller Growth and Cooperation?” Bulletin of the National Asso- M of Secondary School Principals, XXXVI TAprn, 1952), 26—32. 115 able to air its problems and discuss freely the purposes of educa- tion, the undesirable attitudes may change. This self-centered disposition is brought about many times because of low staff morale caused by poor leadership. The princi- pal is the educational leader of the school, and his own attitude will be reflected in those of the teachers. A good optimistic philosophy displayed by the principal will create an atmosphere in which poor attitudes will be minimized. Professional and Instructional Minor Frictions among Teachers The presence of bickering and disagreement among faculty members caused by gossip and clique 'action is really the result of low morale. This may be caused by the personality of the principal or by a change in principals. If an autocratic principal is succeeded by a democratic person, or if an autocratic principal follows a demo- cratic principal, the effect upon the staff will be tremendous. Teach- ers learn to operate under one kind of administrator, and if the ad- m1Distrator is suddenly replaced with one of a different type this causes frustrations among the staff members. Teachers will not know where they stand or what is expected of them. “Experience 116 has shown that discontented employees spend as much effort fighting the administration as they devote to their daily assignments.” The experienced person who comes into a school as the new principal will recognize this and will endeavor to know the type of administrator that he follows. If he desires certain changes, he will proceed slowly and make the transition gradual. The inexperienced principal may not be acquainted with the pitfall of sudden change, and he will in many instances try to change the school overnight. This is a method he uses to impress the board and superintendent, or the staff, that he is progressive and ambitious. One method of eliminating disagreements is by the group- therapy method. If gossip or clique action is present, the shy per- son or the one who does not rush to participate in this sort of be- havior will probably feel better about voicing his feelings in a small B'Poup rather than individually. As the group becomes better acquainted, the self-confidence 0f the sensitive teacher will be strengthened and a more friendly feeling among staff members will result. A principal should not spend a great deal of time listening to gossip or pessimistic conversation. He should refuse to take part \ 1Elsbree and Reutter, op. cit., p. 265. 117 in this activity and try to pass on to his staff an optimistic attitude. Honest praise is a far greater incentive to future development than sharp reproof, no matter how greatly merited the latter may be.1 Extension of Teacher Responsibilities beyond Classes All teachers are aware of the fact that their responsibilities do not end when class is out-—that they are responsible for student conduct in the halls, assemblies, lunchroom, et cetera——even though they may complain about the extra duties or feel that they should be performed by others. Several studies have been made of the noninstructional duties necessarily performed by teachers, but no practical remedy has been offer ed. Harl L. Douglass has devised a formula for determining the teacher’s total load.2 This formula, however, is designed for use in evaluation of the amount of work the teacher does. Several schools have ,used a duty roster for the assiglment 0f extra tasks. A different roster can be prepared for each activity . 1Paul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. Logsdon, WM School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), 2Harl Douglass, Organization and Administration of Second- WE (New‘York: Ginn and Company, 19451, p. 114. 118 and the teacher may be assigned for a day, a week, or a given por- tion of a day. This seems to be a fair assignment method. If the majority of teachers are willing to cooperate in per- forming extra assignments, they will exert group pressure upon the nonconformists. This will aid in securing the desired number of people to perform the required duties. If a duty roster is used it should be prepared to insure fair- ness, all teachers should be assigned equally, and the chores should be rotated. Dissension will be minimized if the reason for the as- signment is clearly explained and if the assignments are just. Some consideration should be shown to teachers who are as- signed more permanent duties such as the sponsorship of a class. They should not be assigied to routine tasks in addition to the more permanent type. If left to the staff to decide, in all proba- bility the teachers who are engaged in other duties will be excused from the routine duty roster. Some writers advocate hiring extra personnel so that teach- ers who perform some of the routine chores may have lighter teach- ing loads. This is sound administration if the school is financially able to stand the expense.1 Yeager, op. cit., p. 198. 119 Organization of an In-Service Training Program An in-service training program can be started by stimulating the staff to participate in committee work or group activity. The principal may start by asking for volunteers to work on a commit- tee to help solve a school problem, and he should exert much effort in making this a pleasant and worth-while experience for the partici- pants. This type of problem-solving can be expanded into other types of group activity. When the staff has participated in committee work and becomes familiar with the group process, they will not resent an in-service training program.1 Participation should be voluntary. At the beginning there may be but a few who will participate, but as time passes the number of participants will increase and it will grow into a profitable program. Many teachers may want the administration to recommend areas Of study. This is not an unreasonable request. Recommendations may be made by the principal, but the group should be permitted to make the final decision as to the area of study chosen. 1W. E. Armstrong and C. L. Cushman, “Evaluating the In- faeg‘zéce Program,” National Elementary Principal, XXI (July, 1942), 6. 120 Some arrangement should be made with a university to send a person to the school, either as an instructor or consultant, and ar- rangements should be made with the institution to give college credit to those enrolled. Many teachers need college credit for certificate validation or for a higher degree, and this is a good stimulation to participate. Others may not be working toward an advanced degree but may want something tangible to show for their efforts; college credit will satisfy this desire.1 The area of study should be centered around a particular local school problem area such as curriculum revision, a health program, improvement of sanitary conditions within the school, or some other appropriate category. At the end of any given training period something of a mate— rial nature should come from the group. Many times it is difficult to show tangible evidence of a study in a short period, but some Written report or evaluation will stimulate others to participate. If and when the group makes a recommendation on the basis of its study, it should be carefully considered by the administration and board of education, and if at all possible the recommendation Should be put into effect. If nothing is done about the work of the \ 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 253. in,“ .r ._ 121 group, the effect will be negative and the number participating will decrease or may make future workshops impossible. Enforcing Rules Governing Teachers Democratic administration and human relations are two areas of school administration which seem to be discussed widely at the present time. Many administrators operate under the assumption that they must be humane in their actions. This is a very good rule to follow, but do not let the staff interpret kindness and understand- ing to mean a laissez-faire operation. There is a code of ethics in the teaching profession, and while teachers are not made to sign the code, as is sometimes done in other professions, they have a moral obligation to live by its pro— visions. There are certain rules regarding behavior and conduct that the teachers should be willing to abide by if they are to be members of the profession. In addition to the code of ethics, every school will have a certain tradition that controls the behavior of teachers. Some schools (may be more liberal in this respect than others, but the behavior problem follows close to the code of ethics. There will also be school policies, either written or unwrit- ten, that the teacher must abide by. Teachers are, almost without 17.3 JVWLNQ 1“ 331.4. 44;} ..£ H. . a 122 exception, informed of the policy regarding behavior when they are hired. These policies generally are brought to the attention of the staff frequently. In addition to this, most schools provide each teacher with a copy of a handbook on school policy or some other document outlining teacher behavior. With all the above-mentioned information available to teachers, there is no excuse for the teacher not knowing what is expected of him. The principal should make absolutely sure that the teacher in question is familiar with school policy. When he is sure that the policy is understood, he should confer with the teacher and inform him that there are certain rules and regulations that are not being followed. In most cases, if the teacher is informed that he is not Cooperating or is not doing what he is expected to do, he will en- deavor to correct his ways. Sometimes the teacher does not real- ize that he is not doing everything anticipated of him.1 If conferences with the teacher do not improve his attitude or cooperation, he should be reported to the superintendent with a recommendation for disciplinary action. The extent of the discipline Will depend upon how flagrantly the rules have been violated. 1Kimball Wiles, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 87. 123 Encouraging Problem-solving by Teachers There are usually a few teachers in any school who will send all their troubles to the office, no matter how minor they are. This is one of the things that the beginning principal must expect. The principal may eliminate this practice, but if he insists that the teachers handle the minor problems he may give the feeling that he doesn’t want to be bothered with teachers’ difficulties. In the typical school a large percentage of the pupils sent to the office are sent by a small number of the staff. It is safe to as- sume that there is not a school in existence where all teachers will handle all the minor problems. Another way of considering this Problem is the fact that what is seemingly minor to the principal may be magnitudinous to the teacher. To minimize this practice, two or three things can be done. The principal may call the teacher to the office and discuss the prob- lem and make the teacher aware of the fact that he has the authority t0 solve many if not all of these so-called minor problems. Another method that has been effective is to assign the teacher to a different grade level. Many teachers, especially the young, inexperienced teaCher, find it difficult to control older pupils. The younger teacher may not look any older than the pupils, and if this is the case the 124 pupils may not take the teacher seriously. The same teacher may have absolute control and confidence if placed in a class consisting of younger children. Still another method for solving the problem is to invite the teacher to sit in on some conferences that the principal has with pupils sent from another room. If the teacher can see the problem from the other side, he may realize that the principal’s time should not be spent on trivialities. (This may help him to differentiate be- tween the minor and the more serious problems. Insuring Proper Subordination If a teacher goes “over the principal’s head” to secure something that he wants, it is evident that principal-teacher rela- tionships are not what they should be. Poor relationships may be caused because of the teacher’s experiences with a previous principal, because the beginning prin- Cipal is new and hasn’t yet established himself as the leader, or by a certain relationship that exists between the teacher and the super- intendent or school board members. When establishing a relationship with the staff, the principal Should convince staff members that he will aid them in any possible Way, A speech on this subject is not enough. He must act in such 125 a way as to prove that he is sincere when promising his support. It will take time to build a feeling of confidence with the staff.1 The beginning principal must realize that he is on trial. This is espe- cially true if there has been a rapid turnover in administrators in a relatively short period of time. The principal should exert every effort to create a good work- ing relationship with staff members. When this is accomplished, many of the difficulties caused by personality conflict will disappear. If a certain teacher or group of teachers are permitted to go to the superintendent with problems or requests, the superintend- ent should be made to realize that it is difficult for the principal to assume responsibility without authority, and a policy should be drafted whereby teachers will go through the usual channels with their requests. When the superintendent understands the feelings of the principal, he will probably refer the teacher back to the prin- cipal when such a meeting is requested. Informal Teacher-Student Relationships There is often a danger that some teachers may become too familiar with students. 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 236. 126 An incident occurred a few years ago in a Michigan school that might have resulted in serious consequences had the principal not recognized the problem and taken the necessary action. A young female teacher was hired; she was very attractive and looked younger than her age. One assignment was teaching a twelfth-grade English class. The class in this instance had a higher than average number of large boys enrolled. This was a chance situation because the class membership was decided before the teacher was assigned. As time passed, the teacher became very friendly in attempting to gain group acceptance. It finally grew to a situation where the boys would not follow any directions whatever. When the teacher became angry and asked them to remain after school, they would laugh, go up to her desk, take her hand in theirs, and in a very nice way say, “Would you keep us after school?” The teacher lost all control of the class and was about ready to forsake her teaching career. The principal learned of the situation and as- Signed the teacher to classes at the eighth- and ninth-grade levels. The teacher gained confidence and became a fine instructor. Many times young teachers will permit pupils to call them by their first names and become very familiar in other ways. The prin— c1Pal should be alert to any situation of this nature and should take Steps to discourage such behavior. EL... flak. *flwfiiwl 127 It is well and even necessary for teachers to be friendly with pupils, but there should be a definite line of distinction, and they should not become too familiar with pupils.1 The most effective teaching is done when there is respect and admiration shown for the teacher, and this feeling will not be present if the familiarity is out of proportion. Morale Frequency of Office Visitation by Teachers To be effective in his work the principal must employ the “open-door policy.” He should be available for consultation at all times and should practice tolerance and understanding.2 This does not mean that he should sit in his office and wait for teachers with problems, but he should be available and should be willing to help. A principal who is too busy to talk to teachers about their Problems, regardless of their magnitude, will not be successful. There are times when the principal is busy and will not have the 11pm, p. 165. 2Harold Mennes, “Personal Relationships in School Adminis- tration,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, xxx (April, 1946), 116—1'7. 128 time to engage in idle conversation with the teachers, but an appoint- ment can be arranged at a later date. The situation wherein teachers bring many problems to the office that could be solved by themselves involves questions of both pupil and personal natures. As the pupil-problem area was discussed previously, the latter phase will be emphasized here. Problems that seem to be insignificant to the principal may be extremely important to the teacher and should not be ridiculed or set aside. If the principal can give the feeling of his willingness to help, he will create good working relations with his staff. , Many times there is no solution that a principal can offer to a personal problem, but it may help the teacher tremendously if some- one will only listen. If the principal is patient and understanding in this respect, he will establish himself in such a way that all the teachers on the staff will respect and admire him, and will cooper- ate to the fullest extent at almost every opportunity.1 These sessions need not be formal conferences in the office. They may be discussed in the halls, the rest rooms, classrooms, or any other place. . 1Theodore L. Reller, “More Adequate Personnel Administra- thn is Imperative,” American School Board Journal, CXXI (August, 1950), 13-15. 129 If the principal is cordial and shows a genuine interest in the teachers, he will probably eliminate many trips to the office concerning things of little importance. Even though the principal will listen and take an interest in the teacher’s problems, he should not spend a lot of time listening to gossip or ordinary griping. If he permits this to happen, he will spend all of his time in gossip sessions and will lose staff respect. Another important point is that the principal should not discuss others in these meetings. If he does, the persons discussed will learn of it, and in time staff members will lose faith in the principal and will refuse to confide in him. Improving Staff Morale Many books have been written on the subject of promoting bet- ter morale, because the reasons for its insufficiency are so diversi- fied. It is impossible to give a complete coverage of the subject in such a limited space; however, there are some basic methods of morale improvement which can be mentioned. The quest for good staff morale should begin with the admin- istration. 'The principal, being the chief administrator in a high 8611001, must shoulder this responsibility. High morale can be fos- tered only in a climate where good will, mutual respect, understanding, 130 and trust prevail. It is the major responsibility of the principal to maintain this environment. The principal’s skill in handling person- nel problems, and his genuine interest in teacher welfare, will de- termine the level of morale in the sChool.1 The principal can capitalize upon the desire of people to re- ceive recognition. The first essential is to give the teachers the feeling that they really do matter and that others are interested in the things they do. When the staff has gained the feeling of self-respect, the next phase is to develop pride in themselves. Each individual must be proud of his identity with the group. Self-respect and pride bring loyalty, not only to the staff but to the principal as well. It is important that morale must be active—mot passive—if it is to be effective. The individual feeling of the staff cannot be de- veloped unless there is a thorough understanding and participation. Both the principal and the teachers must be involved in this, but the principal must assume the leadership.2 1Elsbree and Reutter, op. cit., p. 262. 2Yeager, op. cit., p. 235. 131 To raise the levelof morale there must be a two-way com— munication arrangement, and opportunity should be given for the of- fering of suggestiom and opinions. The principal can facilitate the understanding of school poli- cies, regulations, problems, and administrative decisions by keeping the staff informed on issues- This will be of considerable help in raising morale. Encroachment on Principal’s Jurisdiction by the Superintendent The principal is the direct appointee of the superintendent and has the responsibility to support the viewpoint of the superin- tendent.1 It is well for the superintendent and principal to confer regularly, and any differences in opinion should be settled during these meetings. If these differences cannot be resolved and if the principal is not willing or able to support the views and policies of the superintendent, he has no alternative but to sever his connec- tions with the school. In many instances action as drastic as this is not necessary. If the situation is brought to the attention of the superintendent, he may realize the consequences and discontinue his practices. 1H. E. Moore and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 48. u." 1 132 The superintendent should be made to realize that he should not interfere in matters that have been delegated to the principal. If he makes a practice of this he not only will jeopardize the prin- cipal’s status as a leader, but in so doing he will undermine the morale of the staff. It is unfortunate that there are many autocratic superintend- ents in our schools, just as there are many autocratic principals, but this fact must be recognized. If the principal possesses leader- ship qualities that are strong enough to change the superintendent’s method of operation he may try to do so. The principal must bear in mind the fact that he is obligated to support the actions of the superintendent. He should not openly criticize the actions of the superintendent to the teachers. Any dif- ferences should be discussed with the superintendent privately. This involves the relationship that exists between the superintendent and principal,1 If the superintendent interferes with teachers, and if they resent this interference, a teachers’ group may be formed to approach 1Ralph D. Purdy, “Cooperative Superintendent-Principal Re- ;‘ggnshipfl American School Board Journal, CDC (December, 1944), 6. 133 the superintendent concerning the issue. The principal should not take part in any such group. Unwelcome Advice between Teachers More experienced teachers try to give too much advice and help to those who are relatively inexperienced, which causes re- sentment on the part of the latter, and consequently another problem for the principal. The seasoned teacher should not be dealt with harshly, nor should he be condemned for his actions. In giving too much advice to the beginning teacher he probably feels that he is performing a great service. The new teacher needs the counsel and guidance of more experienced teachers. Many schools have a program of as- signing a more experienced teacher to help the novice. The prin- cipal should arrange to have a helper or advisor for the new teachers. If the principal is careful when making these assignments many of these “overhelp” problems will not arise. The person selected to help the beginning teacher should be one who uses good judgment. He should have experience in super- ViSion, be thoroughly acquainted with school policy, be a good iIIStructor, and be a person who has a genuine interest in helping 134 others. Some principals will select helpers from a duty roster or choose them at random. This should be avoided.1 Teachers who tend to give too much advice do not realize that their advice is taken with resentment. They are only interested in aiding the new teacher. When the principal meets with the new teacher prior to the opening of the school year, or at the preopening conference, he should inform the new teacher that many staff members will appear to be overzealous in their willingness to help. On every staff there are a few instructors who go too far in giving advice. This is a manifestation of the personality and is very difficult to correct. The principal can call the teacher into the of- fice and in a pleasant manner inform that teacher of his shortcomings in the matter of human relations; in this way the situation may be corrected. The principal may eliminate the resentment felt by the begin- ner if he develops a close working relationship. If the new teacher feels close to the principal and comes to him with problems, the Principal can help him to accept the advice as it is intended. \ 1Wiles, op. cit., p. 257. 2Yeager, op. cit., p. 169. 135 It is as important for the principal to endeavor to eliminate the feeling of resentment on the part of the new teacher as it is to try to make over the older teacher. Gaining Teachers’ Confidence There is probably no better way to achieve the acceptance and confidence of the teachers than through the force of personality. One should do what comes naturally if he has a charming Personality. If the principal is aware that the nature of his per- sonality is such that he cannot be naturally vibrant, he should do everything in his power to correct himself. If his personality does n0t possess characteristics of leadership, friendliness, and humane- ness, he should choose an area of work for which he is better suited. Sincerity and simple modesty are very important essentials in gaining staff confidence. Extending a helping hand and displaying an attitude of interest and well-being are all important. The teacher-principal relationship should be one of trust. The principal cannot achieve this by stating that he wants to be trusted, but rather he should demonstrate his faith by his actions. Trust is e==‘trned——not stated. Teachers as well as the principal should have the opportunity to express frankly that which they expect from each other and what 136 they would like to receive from each other in the way of assistance. If the principal will develop this kind of relationship with teachers, he will win their confidence. “It is important that the principal possess good health and that he is free from deformities of speech or hearing.”1 He should also have a good emotional balance so that he will not lose his tem- per and do things which he regrets later. To be effective in gaining and maintaining teacher confidence, the principal must acquire a knowledge of human behavior patterns. The successful principal recognizes that individuals possess differ- ent behavior patterns, and because of this the principal must treat individuals differently. Morale and the Teachers’ Room The presence of‘a teacher’s room in a high school is of great importance. In the old school it was common for the teacher to stay in his room the entire day. As time passed the common practice was to “sneak” down to the boiler room if one were bold enough to Smoke. In recent years there has been a radical change in school administration. Not only have we progressed in providing for better 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 742. 137 school conditions, but we have also made many provisions for teacher comfort. 1 The teacher’s room may or may _not be a place where teach- ers may relax during their free periods, but whether this is provided or not there should be a place where they may go to correct papers and perform their several daily tasks. The practice in the majority of schools is to provide a room where teachers may go to relax. They may smoke if they wish, and many problems may be discussed. Some schools provide separate rooms for men and women, and in some schools a third room is pro- Vided where both men and women may go. The division of rooms or the number of rooms provided will depend upon local conditions, according to the philosophy of the board of education and the space available. The room need not be large, but it should be furnished in a manner that will create a cheerful, restful atmosphere. Drapes, 1Ounge furniture, and a table are essential. Most schools, especially those twenty-five to thirty years old, llave some rooms that are too small for classrooms. These rooms may be converted into teachers’ rooms. If the room is an inside 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 213. ‘2'.)2‘... ‘r‘ 211—.- 138 room or if the windows are inadequate, sufficient lighting should be provided so that the teachers may work if they desire. The amount of money necessary to provide a room for teach- ers is worth many times the expenditure as a means to increase Staff morale. The Role of the Beginning Teacher Frequently a teacher assigned to a school may be classified as one of the following: (1) an untried graduate of a teacher-training institution whose experience is limited to a short period of directed teaching; (2) a recent graduate of a teacher-training institution who has had one or two years of teaching experience; or (3) an experi— enced teacher who has transferred from another school. Each type Presents certain special problems. The principal is presented with the serious challenge of guiding the new teacher to professional success. He is responsible for shaping attitudes, understanding, and desire to serve. The teacher with one or two years of experience will have the same types of problems, but because of his experience he will have overcome many of the frustrations experienced by the new teachers. 139 The transfer teacher with much experience will be able to handle classes without much help except for information concerning the philosophy of teaching. The problems listed above are somewhat different; however, all teachers, whether experienced or not, will experience many prob- lems in becoming familiar with the school, the staff, policy, approved practices, and tradition. The principal should hold several conferences to acquaint the new teacher with the school environment. He should select a staff member to act as a helper or “big brother” to the beginning teacher in order to show him around the school and to answer the many questions that arise during the first year. New teachers should be placed on one or two of the operat- ing committees, but not on a committee that requires much work. The reason for placing new teachers on committees is to acquaint them With other staff members, school tradition, and latent practices. If the teacher is placed on a committee that is concerned with the for- mation of policy, he will become frustrated because of his lack of background experiences. He should not be placed on a committee that requires much time and work, because the new teacher will have all he can manage, without the extra duties.1 \ 1mm, p. 170. 140 Scheduling and Load Time Allotment for Semester-End Paper Work The amount of time allotted for correcting examination papers and recording marks at the end of the semester will depend upon the schedule and conditions in the individual school. A suggestion of a typical schedule is given below. It should be used as a guide only, and should be altered to satisfy individual needs. The typical school has a six-period schedule. The normal teaching load in this situation should be five periods. Where this situation applies, examinations can be scheduled for the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of examination week. Each Period will meet for two hours—the odd-numbered periods in the morning and the even-numbered periods in the afternoon. The ex- aminations may be scheduled from nine to eleven o’clock in the morning and one to three o’clock in the afternoon. When each class has completed its examination, there will be time left in the day for the teacher to correct some of the test papers. Or the teacher may correct preceding class examinations While supervising each examination after the first. He may use the ha115-day during which time his free period is scheduled. 141 In addition to this, Thursday morning may be devoted to cor- recting papers and marking report cards. All cards should be marked by Thursday noon. Thursday afternoon and Friday morning can be devoted to marking cumulative records, and to other tasks which arise at the end of the semester. The pupils may then re- turn to school on Friday afternoon for their report cards. As stated before, the schedule must be altered to satisfy 10- cal needs, as some schools will mail cards home or have a different examination schedule because of conflicting bus schedules. Teachers should be encouraged to correct examination papers during succeed- ing periods, and the time schedule for completion of card-marking should be adhered to if teachers are to mark the cumulative records. At the end of the year, Friday morning can be reserved for turning in class record books and desk copies of textbooks, and for Other things that must be done before the teacher leaves for the Summer. If the teachers are permitted to turn in property Friday morning, they may leave earlier at the end of the day after report cards have been distributed. Faculty Meetings The number or frequency of faculty meetings is not important in the sense that a certain number must be held each year. The 142 most important thing is the actions taken at the faculty meetings and their success in achieving the desired purposes.1 Some principals schedule faculty meetings once each week because they feel it is the thing to do. Faculty meetings should be planned well in advance and should be scheduled only if there is something important to discuss or to decide. In some instances faculty members will request such meet- ings to discuss a problem that exists among a group of teachers or one dealing with the school at large. A beginning principal can become quite unpopular if he sched- ules too many faculty meetings, and especially if the purpose is to expound upon his own philosophy. Faculty meetings should be mean- ingful and relatively infrequent.2 At the beginning of the year there may be a sufficient number of problems to warrant a faculty meeting every week, but as the Year progresses the frequency may diminish to one per month. The day of the week is strictly a matter for local decision. Friday is bad because many teachers wish to leave for week-end trips or conferences. If possible it is well to determine the night 1Daniel E. Griffiths, Human Relations (in School Administra- tififl (New York: Appleton-Century—Crofts, 1956), pp. 265—66. 2Yeager, op. cit., p. 269. 143 when few classes are offered by nearby universities or by extension centers because many teachers enroll in these. One afternoon should be decided upon at the beginning of the year, and the principal should schedule all faculty meetings on the same day of the week. This can proceed year after year and teachers can determine which day they are able to enroll in afternoon classes on this basis. Traditional community organizations or clubs may have meet— ings on a certain night that could influence the day of the week that meetings will be scheduled. Teachers’ Unwillingness to Participate in Extracurricular Activities There are teachers in every building who refuse to do any- thing except teach the classes they have been assigned to teach. This is a very serious problem because the course of least resis- tance is to ignore these people and seek out the more willing to help with other duties. This practice is probably more beneficial t0 the children because the person who does not want to work in any type of extracurricular activity probably will do poorly, and as a result the children will suffer. The teacher who is interested will make the best sponsor, and the pupils will gain much more when they are associated with such a person. It; 0" fl» Ivh 144 On the other hand, 'it is not fair to load the willing teachers with all of the extra activities. The teacher who refuses to do any extra work may have a reason for his action. If there is illness or other hardship at home, or if he is working especially hard trying to complete a higher edu- cational degree, or for some other reason important to him, he can- not do extra things and the reason may be justifiable. This should be investigated carefully, and if there is a good reason which is of a temporary nature some provision should be made to excuse the teacher from extra duties. However, if it is a case of laziness or lack of cooperation, the situation is quite different and the teacher should take his turn with the rest. The principal can set up a chart that will indicate the extra duties that each teacher is performing. When someone is needed to sPonsor an activity, the person who has participated the least can be selected. Another method is to operate an alphabetical duty roster Whereby each teacher, in turn, will be assigned the extracurricular actiVities. The principal should confer with the teacher who refuses to Participate and should do all in his power to convince that teacher 145 of the importance of cooperation and the part equitability plays in the orderly operation of the school.1 If, after an honest attempt is made to secure the cooperation of the teacher, he still refuses, the principal should arbitrarily as— sign the necessary tasks to the unc00perative teacher. This is far from democratic, but there are certain things that must be done in the school, and in fairness to all the work should be equalized.2 Teachers’ Overparticipation in Extracurricular Activities While the extracurricular activities program is a vital part » 0f the school operation, because it makes a distinct contribution to the developmental tasks of youth,3 it should not be emphasized to the POint that the academic program suffers. The whole school program Should be kept in a good perspective, and no single phase of the Program should be increased or emphasized at the expense of the Other. Clarence A. Weber, Personnel Problems of School Adminis- m (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1934), p. 125. 2Moore and Walters, op. cit., p. 285. 3Johnston and Faunce, op. cit., p. 23. 146 One of the main functions of any school is to teach children to get along well with one another, and the extracurricular or ac- tivity program is a very important tool to gain this particular end. The other aspect of the program is equally important because pupils attend school to be trained in the several academic areas, which is the basic purpose of the American school. The program or subject that the pupil experiences is no bet— ter than the teacher who is responsible for that activity. If a teacher Spends so much time in any one phase of the program, whether it be extracurricular activities or other duties, that his regular classroom duties suffer, he is not being fair to the pupils. Many schools employ a person to act as a school-activities director. This person can keep an accurate account of how many outside activities each teacher is assigned—which is one control that can be used. Another method is for the principal to keep an activity chart on which is posted all the extra duties in which each teacher is engaging. The principal should confer with the teacher who is over- zealous in his desire to sponsor extracurricular activities, and it should be explained to him, in fairness to the pupils in his classes, that he should curtail his activities. 147 It is difficult to tell someone that he must slow down, because in so doing the principal may destroy the teacher’s enthusiasm and lower his morale to the point where he will not be effective in the classroom. Be tactful, but be sure that the entire program is kept in its proper balance. 1 Health and Welfare Pregnancy Formulation of a maternity-leave policy is really not one of the principal’s duties or responsibilities. Many times a problem is created because of the personal feelings of other staff members or Parents, but the policy and enforcement of the policy is a function of the board of education. The principal is in close proximity to the problems created by this situation, and he should recommend that the board formulate a P011cy if none exists. Maternity leave should be granted, without pay, to any mar- ried woman who has worked in the school district at least a year. Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 313. 148 The leave should be requested within ninety days of pregnancy, and it should be granted for a two-year period. The policy should be somewhat flexible, so that the person may return to work sooner if she is physically able and desires to do so. Teachers who wish such a leave should notify the board as soon as possible in order to give it or the superintendent ample time to secure a replacement. Normally the teacher should not be permitted to teach longer than three months after pregnancy, but this time may be altered slightly depending upon her appearance and health. The time may be extended if it is close to the end of the semester, enabling the replacement to start at the beginning of a term period. Employment should not be extended beyond the fourth month of pregnancy. Some schools have incorporated a provision in their policy to enable the teacher to be paid her regular sick-leave pay during the time ac- tually in the hospital. The best practice in this instance is for the principal to im- Press upon the board of education the importance of having a mater- nitSf-leave policy, and when such a policy is formulated the principal Will be relieved of any responsibility or value judgment concerning each individual case. 149 The Chronically Ill Teacher The solution of the problem of the chronically ill teacher, who even when he is working looks and is ill and ineffective, will depend upon local conditions—upon whether or not the school has an adequate sick-leave policy, the attitude of the board of education to- ward teachers who are ill, the age of the individual, and the time of year the condition exists. It would be reasonable to allow the teacher to continue teach- ing duties if he becomes ill near the end of the school year or if he is a few months from retirement. Many schools insist that all teachers submit to a physical ex- amination every year or two. If this practice is followed and if there is something definitely wrong with the teacher, the board may insist that the teacher request a sick leave until the illness has been cured. ‘ In some instances there are things which happen to teachers that result in their being short of temper or ineffective that may manifest themselves in a routine physical examination. It could be a case of nerves, general fatigue, or a rundown condition.1 The tefileher in this case probably realized the situation, and with \ 1Weber, op. cit., p. 25. 150 counseling on the part of the principal the teacher will go to a doc- tor and even request a leave to recuperate. The principal is responsible for the education of the children and the morale of the staff in the school in which he is employed, and he should encourage any chronically ill teacher to request a leave until he is capable of fulfilling his obligations.1 If the teacher does not submit to this voluntarily, he should be forced to take enough time off to regain his health. Everything should be done to keep this on a voluntary basis, because it is difficult and probably even impossible for the principal to determine accurately the teacher’s health. Some legal complica- tions may result if the teacher is forced to take a leave. The problem will be minimized considerably if there is a sick-leave Policy in effect. The Emotionally Upset Teacher It is very difficult to do anything about the emotionally upset teaozzher, especially if the teacher is employed by a school having teacher tenure. The teacher should be cured of his ailment or Should be discharged. In order to discharge a teacher under tenure, 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 217. 151 a long, detailed, and accurate record of behavior must be kept. Even this is not sufficient to dismiss the teacher at times. Dismissal in- volves a public hearing, and during the course of the hearing the facts must be presented openly, which causes much embarrassment to the teacher. In this case a very unpleasant situation is created, and it probably will not solve anything. The principal may help the teacher to overcome the state of emotional upset if he is willing to spend time in the process. The emotional state of the teacher may be a result of insecurity.1 If this is the case the principal can suggest the usual aids to help bolster confidence. He may also have frequent chats with the teacher, and he should plan to meet the teacher casually in the hall, teachers’ room, at athletic contests, or places other than his office, and by using praise and offering advice he may be able to help the teacher to acquire a feeling of security and thus overcome the prob- lem. If the principal calls the teacher to the office for a confer- ence concerning the problem, the teacher may get the idea that he is being criticized and it may make matters worse. K 1 Griffiths, op. cit., p. 151. 152 The wise principal will proceed slowly and do all in his power to create, in the teacher, a feeling of confidence in him. When this has been established many of the difficulties can be overcome by merely uttering a few words.1 The emotional upset may be caused by something other than insecurity, and if the cause is ill health, personal hardship, or fam- ily problems, therapy in addition to the above-mentioned may be necessary. Responsibility of the Sponsor to Class or Club Members It would be impossible for the principal to set up a schedule that would require a definite number of evenings a staff member should work, or one that would restrict or limit the amount of time that the teacher should spend on a given activity. This may even have a negative effect upon the morale of the individual if he truly enj Oys the activity. Often teachers refuse to act as class or club sponsors, not because of a little dislike for the activity but because of the amount 0f time that must be devoted in the evenings.2 \— 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 236. 21bid., p. 170. 153 If a teacher is willing to devote time and effort to the spon- sorship of activities, he should not allow the pupils to insist upon so many affairs that it is an undue hardship on him. The teacher may be interested enough in the activity or the pupils that he will hesitate to refuse any of the many requests for evening activities. In this case the principal should have a talk with the teacher and if they both agree that the teacher is doing too much he should restrict the number of activities. He can inform the class or club personally or by a written bulletin. In doing this he will not lower the teacher in the opinion of the pupils. They will not resent a re- striction imposed by the principal nearly as much as they will if it is imposed by the teacher. As stated previously, it is difficult to recommend a definite number of activities. By using common sense and good judgment and by conferring with the teacher involved, the principal can determine What constitutes an adequate number of activities. In some communities the pupils want to spend much of their time in the school. While this is a very fine attitude and the prin- cipal should feel happy and proud that they feel this way, he should ghard against pupils who take advantage of the teacher. A greater hardship is placed upon a very few teachers in thls case because the teachers who refuse to spend their evenings 154 in this way are not bothered, but the teacher who tries to be nice and is cooperative is sought after by several individual groups. Miscellaneous Issuing Bulletins A method of issuing bulletins can be set up according to the desire of the principal, and it can be done in several ways. The day of the week that bulletins are issued is not important except that many principals issue a bulletin on each day preceding a holi- day. This bulletin is in the form of a Christmas or Thanksgiving gI'eeting, a farewell note at the end of the school year, or a greet- ing at the beginning of the year. One method of issuing bulletins is to use the bulletin as as method of making announcements. The bulletin is issued daily. It is short and contains necessary announcements. If the bulletin is issued daily, a list of students who are absent can be included. This method of dispensing information is effective. Most teachers read the armOuncements and are informed daily of matters of importance. There are times when something more involved and of utmost importance must be transmitted to the staff. This will necessitate a 1Onger and more detailed bulletin, which should be issued when needed. 155 Delivering bulletins to the teachers is much more effective than posting a notice on a bulletin board. It is more personal and is better accepted by the staff. The longer bulletins should not be issued unless there is something definite about which the teachers should be informed. Some principals will issue lengthy bulletins expounding upon their own philosophy or a lengthy quotation from some article that appealed to them. Teachers are not interested in this sort of thing, and bul- letins should be restricted to pertinent announcements that are vital to the teacher or to the school. If the bulletins are to the point and important, they will be read;1 otherwise they will be thrown away, and if something is important it will be missed because of the lack of interest. Selecting a Professional Library A professional library should be selected and accumulated Over a period of time rather than having a group meet and try to seleCt all the books at one time. 1George C. Kyte, The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and COrnpahy, 1941), p. 294. 156 A budget item for this purpose should be approved. The amount of money allotted can be comparatively small, but it should be allotted each year. The method of selection can be organized on an informal basis. One person must be designated to act as the chairman of the selec- tion committee or to be responsible for ordering. This can be worked through the school library, and the librarian can assume the responsibility. The staff must be informed that money is available for the purchase of professional literature and that teachers may make sug- gestions as to the books selected. In every school there will be a fair proportion of teachers who attend evening classes, and most of the requests will come from this group. Books should be selected on the basis of the frequency of their use. Textbooks for evening classes should not be purchased for the convenience of the teachers, but rather the library should be comp<>sed of volumes which contain research in various areas, devel- °pments in curriculum, administration, and personnel work. Some expenditures can be made for materials appropriate for use in the various subject areas, but again it should be in the re- S“arch area rather than for advanced textbooks. 157 If particular works are not recommended by staff members, extensive bibliographies can be obtained from university instructors pertinent to the area in which the instructor is interested. If sev- eral bibliographies are secured in different areas, the staff members may desire certain volumes from these. The important thing for the acquisition of a good professional library is to make sure that the teachers are aware of the library and that they are permitted to make suggestions. Reporting Pupil Progress It appears that, from the standpoint of the pupil’s welfare, the best method of reporting pupil progress is that practiced in the ma- jority of elementary schools. This is the practice of teacher-pupil Conferences and teacher-pupil-parent conferences. This method of reporting combines the personal aspect with the opportunity for questions on the parents’ part and explanations and background on the Part of the teacher. Letter marks on a report card mean little to the parents without a definition of the symbols used; the main concern is that the reports are clearly understood by parents and puPflSl A letter 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 253. 158 mark on a report card is only a comparative mark based upon an individual teacher’s particular grading system. The systems employed in marking are almost as numerous as the teachers on the staff. The method of conference reporting has not been used in high schools to any great extent as yet, but there seems to be a tendency in this direction, though it is slow. The high-school pupil needs a mark or some device of value- rating if he intends to continue his education, because grade aver- ages are necessary for college entrance. However, only the final semester mark is necessary for this purpose, and the intermediary evaluations could very well be of a conference type. In order to be consistent with the present practice and still keep the child’s welfare in mind, a warning slip of some sort can be sent to the parents approximately two weeks before the end of the marking period. This can be a check list bf the pupil’s weaknesses. If this type is used, it is not too time-consuming for the teacher and is comparatively clear to the parent. It enables the parent to come to the school for a conference and it also points out the pupil’s Weaknesses and gives him an opportunity to make up his work before the marks are finally given. A similar system can be used on a weekly basis if there is a need for it. There is no one method of \ 159 reporting that is best, but the elementary-school method seems to be the most satisfactory. Securing Courses of Study The course of study for each class offering can be written for a student handbook or for any other desired purpose from dif- ferent points of view, depending upon the intended purpose. One description may be the philosophy of what should be taught in each of the several classes; another may be what actually is being taught. The method of securing the information is similar, but one should reach a definite decision as to which approach he chooses to follow. Care should be taken to keep the actual content in fairly close proximity to that desired. The teachers should draft the content material because the principal is not close enough to each class to be sufficiently informed for the preparation of such a document. Where the school is departmentalized the division of work can be accomplished on this basis. The department chairman should serve as committee chairman and should assign portions of the task to the individual teachers within the department. For classes that are taught by one person only, the course description should be pre- Pel‘ed by that individual. Chemistry, physics, shop, journalism, and 160 band are some examples of courses wherein enrollment may not re— quire more than one teacher. In courses wherein the enrollment is high—English, history, science, et cetera—-the individuals who teach the several sections should meet, decide upon the goals for the class, the content, and even the amount of material to be covered. This group can then write the description. When that has been done, teachers should strive to stay within the bounds decided upon. This is especially true for courses which continue beyond one semester, as in English, history, and science. For continuous courses the teachers at each grade. level must be involved to decide upon the content. The task of writing the description, however, may be di- vided among the several individuals. If the course of study has been studied and a description written, the information should be used in a handbook or by the scheduling counselors and not be lost in an inactive file in some obscure corner of the school. The principal should not embark on a Project of this type for the purpose of discipline or busy work. Substitute Teachers The method of selecting a substitute teacher does not pre- sent a serious problem, because there is such a scarcity that most principals take whomever is available. The substitute must register 161 with the superintendent, who examines credentials and submits a list of approved substitutes to the principal. The substitute must be se- lected from this list. If sufficient substitutes are available to permit a choice, the principal should select on the basis of the subject mat- ter or student age group. The substitute should be instructed thoroughly before he en- ters the classroom. Instruction concerning the location of the class- room, the grade level, and the material to be covered are necessary. If the regular teacher knows in advance that he will be absent, he should leave a lesson plan of some sort that will outline the content for the day. He should also leave information pertinent to actions and reactions of any of the pupils that may be an object of concern to the substitute. There should also be information regarding the location of any materials to be used along with instructions for se- curing such materials. During the instructional session with the substitute the prin- CiPal should be very explicit in the description of duties, general s£11001 policies, and especially in his offer to assist in any way if the substitute should need assistance. It is a long tradition in the schools that pupils react much differently to a substitute than they do to the regular teacher, and the substitute should be helped to overcome these hardships. The 162 principal can help the substitute to maintain security and well-being if he is willing to take the time to assure the substitute that he will help whenever needed. It is well to use the same substitutes as consistently as pos- sible because, as the substitute becomes familiar with the school policy, the plant, and other staff members, he will feel more secure in his work.1 This will also enable the pupils to become acquainted with the substitute, and he will enter a class with a greater feeling of belonging. Planning Teachers’ Meetings There are three general types of teachers’ meetings—the social gathering, the administrative meeting, and the supervisory group conference. The social gathering should be similar to any other whole- some gathering. An air of friendliness should prevail, and it may be recreational in nature. The general purpose of this type of meet- ing is for the purpose of welcoming new staff members, receptions for those leaving, those being married, or for some special accom- Plishrnent. The meeting may be planned by a social committee and retI‘eShments or entertainment may be planned for the individual purpose. \ 1Yeager, op. cit., p. 225. 163 The administrative meeting is the type of meeting most often referred to when the term “teachers’ meeting” is used. Occasion- ally there is need for administrative meetings involving all or part of the school staff. Matters discussed will be in the area of routine matters, policy, public relations, and other areas pertinent to the operation of the school. The agenda for this type of meeting should be planned carefully to insure a constructive meeting. If the agenda is not clear, very little will be accomplished, and the principal will find himself with a reputation for calling meetings solely for the purpose of having meetings. Plans for meetings should be analogous to good teaching plans. A definite purpose or area of discussion should be clearly presented to the staff, and their discussion should be confined to certain bounds which are set. If this is not done, the meeting may develop into a free-discussion period of such a wide variety of remarks that nothing definite will be accomplished. An atmOSphere of free discussion and individual remarks should be created and decisions should not be made until all sides of an issue have been aired. The behavior of a group is determined by the formal requirements imposed upon it.2 _\ 1Griffiths, op. cit., p. 259. L 2Andrew H. Halpin, “The Behavior of Leaders,” Educational eadership, XIV (December, 1956), 172—76. 164 A teachers’ meeting should not be a place where the principal mo— nopolizes the floor, expounding upon his philosophy or his achieve- ments. It should have a definite constructive purpose or it should not be held. The third type of meeting—the supervisory group conference —occurs more frequently than the general meeting and involves only a part of the staff. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss prob- lems not necessarily common to the entire group. It also may be for improvement of a certain area of instruction or to discuss a special problem. The principal should be as careful in planning this type of meeting as he is in planning the others. The major differences in the latter two types of meetings are the size of the group and the mamitude of the problem. Selected References Supervision and Evaluation M of recommendation Ayars, Albert L., Administering the Pe0ples School (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1957), p. 120. Chandler, B. J., and Paul V. Petty, Personnel Management in School Administration (New York: The World Book Company, 1955T, p. 260. 165 Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person— nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954Y, p. 253. Reller, Theodore L., “More Adequate Personnel Administra- tion Is Imperative,” American School Board Journal, CXXI (August, 1950), 13—15. Conferences with teachers following observation of classes Ashby, Lloyd W., “What Supervisory Practices Promote Teacher Growth and Cooperation,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVITApril, 1952), 26—32. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 235, 262. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 164. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 59. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958fp. 131. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 304. Mn Of an advisory committee W Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 195D, pp. 359, 474. 166 French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 151. Gaumnity, Walter H., and Wilbur DeVilbiss, Cooperative Plan- ning, Pamphlet No. 102, U.S. Office of Education (Wash- ington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947). Godshall, William V., “Trends in School Building Equipment,” School Executive, LXXV (August, 1956), 75. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 71. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 23. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 195—6), p. 277. Obtaining sponsors for extracurricular activities Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 212, 470. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 307. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondayy Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 133—36. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 141. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), pp. 170, 423. 167 Friction among staff members concerning rguested student absences Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Re- lationships,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 19577, 55. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 262. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 368. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 19497, p. 138. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 379. gfective use of bulletins for communication lith teachers Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 368, 466. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 266. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 114. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 33. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 143. 168 Enforcing punctuality in class dismissal Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, pp. 230, 282. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19517, p. 114. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), pp. 205, 289. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 126. Habitual tardiness of teachers Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 373. Metcalf, Henry, and L. Urwick, Dynamic Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1940), p. 51. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 188. Wicating to teachers the W8 of the school Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grimm, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 375, 469, 476. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 396. 169 French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19517, p. 159. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19417, p. 498. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), p. 246. Professional and Instructional Minor frictions among teachers Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 19517, p. 350. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, pp. 265, 282. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 194T), p. 508. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p.' 269. Yeager, William A., Administration and" the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, pp. 235, 243, 250. Mn of teacher responsibilities W Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 474. ' 170 Douglass, Harl R., Organization and Administration of Second- ary Schools (New York: Ginn and Company, 19457, p. 114. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 394. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 124. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 194. Organization of an in-service training program Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19577, p. 318. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 266. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), p. 80. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 258—67. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956Yp. 247. Enfo&ng rules governing teachers French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 120. Trillingham, C. C., “Teamwork Is the Essence of Good Mo- rale,” School Executive, LXX (June, 1951), 60—61. 171 Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 87. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 508. Encouraging problem-solving by teachers Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19577), p. 177. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 350. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 100. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 31. Heuring proper subordination Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 350. Halpin, Andrew H., “The Behavior of Leaders,” Educational Leadership, XIV (December, 1956), 172—76. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 36. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice—Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 37. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, pp. 164, 236. 172 Informal teacher-student relationships Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 470. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), pp. 151, 512. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, pp. 131, 560. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 100, 250. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 32. Morale me of office visitation by teachers Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 368, 469. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19577, p. 289. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 136. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), pp. 469, 481. llll‘lvlll'illi‘ . . , a 173 Mennes, Harold, “Personal Relationships in School Adminis- tration,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, XXX (April, 1946), 116—17. Reller, Theodore L., “More Adequate Personnel Administra- tion Is Imperative,” American School Board Journal, CXXI (August, 1950), 13—15. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 164. Improving staff morale Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 262. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 289. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 48—53. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 337. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 235. Whment on principal’s jurisdiction Msuperintendent Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 55. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 65, 76. 174 Purdy, Ralph D., “Cooperative Superintendent-Principal Relationship,” American School Board Journal, CIX (December, 1944), 35—36. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Administration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 19587, pp. 20—24. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 156. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 236. Unwelcome advice between teachers Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 70. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 107. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 93. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 250. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 170. 9% teachers’ confidence Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19577, p. 302. 175 Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941fp. 740. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 91. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Sclgols (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 337. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 164. Morale and the teachers’ room French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 195?, p. 161. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 404. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu— cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 245. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, pp. 55, 212. Mb of the beginning teacher Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 349. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 227. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 250. 176 Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 169. Scheduling and Load _[ime allotment for semester-end paper work Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 9. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 75. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 225. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 280—85. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 19527, p. 228. Elelflty meetings Griffiths, Daniel E., Human Relations in School Administra- tion (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1956), p. 265. Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 32. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York; Prentice—Hall, Inc., 194D, p. 509. 177 Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 268. Teachers’ unwillingness to participate 1:11 extracurricular activities French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 163. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice—Hall, Inc., 19547, pp. 66, 308, 311—15, 483. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and _ Company, 1947), p. 356. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 263, 283—84. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), p. 125. EaChers’ overparticipation in Eitl‘acurricular activities French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19517, p. 163. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 66, 309, 311—15. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities _i_i_l_ Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 313. 178 Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 26. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel'Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 262. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), p. 120. Health and Welfare Pr egnancy Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- 'nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 173. Moore, H. E., and N. B. Walters, Personnel Administration in Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 306. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), p. 203. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 286. [he Chronically ill teacher Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 169. ‘ ' Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19577, p. 167. 179 Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19417, p. 480. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), pp. 11, 22, 25. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 187. The emotionally upset teacher Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), pp. 368, 469. Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 282. Griffiths, Daniel E., Human Relations in School Administra- tion (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1956), p. 151. Wiles, Kimball, Supervision for Better Schools (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice—Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 65. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 165. ESPOnsibilitLof the sponsor to class 01 Club members Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, pp. 308, 311—15, 597. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 404. ... it] it! ‘7 [I'lll 180 Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis- trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), pp. 124—125. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 32. Miscellaneous Issuing bulletins Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 33. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 54. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 283. Yeager, William A., Administration and_ the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 205. Mug a professional library Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 283. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941f p. 613. Kyte, George C., The Principal aty Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), pp. 321—25. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of'Public School Administration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 19587, p. 598. 181 Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 284. Reporting pupil progress Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 95. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 466. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 405. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 299. _SBCuring courses of study Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Pringipal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 162. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 108. Smith, B. Othanel, William O. Stanley, and Harlan J. Shores, Fundamentals of Curriculum Development (Yonkers—on- Hudson, N.Y.: The World Book Company, 1957), p. 308. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19567, p. 276. SL‘t’stgute teachers Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 486. 182 Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 360. Weber, Clarence A., Personnel Problems of School Adminis— trators (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1954), pp. 212—23. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 223. Planning teachers’ meetings Griffiths, Daniel E., Human Relations in School Administra- tion (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1956), pp. 258—78. Halpin, Andrew H., “The Behavior of Leaders,” Educational Leadership, XIV (December, 1956), 172—76. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19547, p. 117. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 268. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 415. CHAPTER l'V STUDENTS Discipline Student Driving The number of students who drive automobiles to school is ever-increasing. The problem of students who drive to school and about the community in an unsafe and disturbing manner probably will be magnified in the future as more pupils have cars available to them. The problems arising not only involve the pupils who skip SChool for the purpose of joy riding, but range on up through the Pupils’ use of stolen automobiles. To forbid parking on the school grounds or in close proxim- ity to the school is only ignoring the issue. This practice will cre— ate other problems such as tardiness due to the parking problem and also will result in complaints from residents who have too many Cal‘s parked in front of their homes or on their lawns. The best solution for this type of problem is to provide a Parking lot for students. The lot should have a suitable covering 183 184 of cinders, crushed stone, or something similar and should be en- closed by a fence. There should be a very close supervision over the automobile situation because a laxity of strict supervision will result in a defi- nite increase of the problems. The wise principal will pool, coordi- nate, and capitalize on the potentialities of all individuals who can aid in this supervision.1 The parking lot should be supervised, if it is only to have an older student or teacher walk through a few times each day to ob— serve the number of pupils who are sitting in cars during class periods. If the number seems to be large or if an increase is ap- Parent, the students should be dealt with severely and parents should be notified of the pupils’ actions. A pupil monitor can be placed at the gate to prevent pupils from leaving school without an excuse from an authorized person. Each automobile should be registered in the. school office, and it is well to require a written statement from the home approving the Pupil’s driving to school. \ , 1Harl R. Douglass, “Leadership or Authority in School Ad- mlniStration,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XXXIV (January, 1948), 35—36. 185 Many schools require that the pupils deposit their car keys in the office each day; however, duplicates are so easily acquired that this practice does not seem to achieve the purpose. The driving problem may be solved if the students are told what is expected of them in being allowed to drive to school, and if the regulations are violated two or three times and even after ample warning is given, the student should be disciplined and forbidden to drive. This will require a well-defined and well-explained set of r e gulations. The Subtly Demoralizing Student The child who is subtle in his actions and who, although not actually disobeying school rules, has a demoralizing effect on the Other students must be handled subtly. He may be covering up for some inadequacy. There are many things that can be attempted in this problem area, but the principal has no assurance that any one thing will work satisfactorily. It must be understood that this child is not really an individ- ualiSt. He wants to hurt or destroy because he does not have the cOurage of his convictions, because he wants others to like him, or because he is afraid of what will happen if he is found doing these thingS. The whole action probably has recognition or lack of 186 recognition as its foundation. If the child is reprimanded, it may make him worse. If he is accused, he will deny and will feel that he is accomplishing his goal because the accusation cannot be proven. One of the most common ways of solving this problem is through recognition. The principal may be in a better position to rehabilitate this person than the teacher because he can act in a friendlier and more personal way than a teacher who faces the child day after day in class. When the situation is known, the principal should speak a greeting first, and as time goes by he should see to it that he meets the child frequently, becomes better acquainted, and talks more to him. After a friendship has been created, the principal may call the pupil in and explain to him that there is a certain task that must be done and done by one who can be trusted. He should as- sign this job to the pupil and then leave him on his own to do it. When it has been completed, the pupil should be complimented and assigned another task. After a few such assignments, followed by praise, a friendly relationship probably will have been created. During this period the principal should act subtly and try to bring the real feeling of the pupil out in the open. If there can be a free conversation concerning the actions, the problem in all prob- ability will be solved. 187 The assignments should be duties as a hall monitor or a similar task so that others may notice the pupil, and he can show them that he is acting in a position of responsibility. Other techniques of dealing with this problem are parent in- terviews, the use of the school psychologist, and health investigation. Student Pregnancy The problem of pregnant girls attending school must be viewed from several different angles: first, from that of the welfare of the girl herself; second, the effect that her attendance has on others; third, from the viewpoint of both the girl’s parents and the parents of others in the school; and finally, in view of the existing school policy. If there is no written school policy, or if the policy is inade- quate, the principal should begin here. A policy should be drafted that will be in accordance with the feelings and tradition of the per- sons in the local community. Principal leadership is vitally neces- sary to form a sound policy.1 Once the policy is put into effect, it should be adhered to rigidly. Irma, pp. 25—29. 188 The effect upon the other pupils in the school is probably so slight that it does not hear much discussion. The effect that school attendance has upon the girl herself may or may not be of much consequence. If other pupils tease her, or if because of family ridicule or reprimand the involved girl may be affected, some action is required. If the girl continues in school, it is safe to assume that she has accepted the situation and is not affected by it any more than if she were to stay in seclusion. The source of most of the trouble from the principal’s point of view will be complaints from parents of the other pupils. This may or may not be just, but it is not the purpose here to discuss this aspect of the problem. It is contrary to our society for a high-school girl out of wedlock to become pregnant, and the girl should be asked to leave school as soon as the condition is discovered. By doing this the principal is fulfilling his obligation to protect the majority of the children. The girl should not be permitted to return to school until such time as she is physically able and the child is old enough to be left with another. If the same girl becomes pregnant more than once or twice, most principals feel that she is promiscuous and will not permit her to return to school. 189 One important thing for the principal to keep in mind is that, according to precedent in the Michigan laws, it is entirely permis- sible for a pregnant girl to remain in school if she is married. The principal should be exceedingly careful about ejecting a married preg- nant girl, because if the girl or her parents choose to go to court she will, in all probability, be allowed to remain in school. This event will create much unfavorable publicity both for the principal who ejects the girl and for the school. School Dances All dances should be adequately sponsored so as to control the behavior of both students and nonstudents. The number of spon- sors will depend upon the number of students in attendance, and somewhat upon whether the dance is held in the afternoon or eve- ning. The sponsors should be teachers; however, if some parents wish to attend as chaperons they, too, may act as sponsors.1 The teachers in attendance should be of both sexes so that both the girls’ and the boys’ rest rooms can be checked occasionally. In addition to adequate sponsorship, there should be a school- dance policy which spells out just what can and cannot be done at 1Roland C. Faunce, Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 115. 190 the dances. The policy should cover the time, number of sponsors, persons authorized to attend, and other pertinent regulations. Some schools prohibit any person from attending unless he is enrolled in school. Other schools limit the attendance to students but permit each student to bring a guest. Still other schools re- quire nonstudents, whether guests or not, to register and have their names on an approved list prior to the dance. The latter policy en- ables school officials to keep a fairly good check upon the persons who attend the dance. During the dance one of the sponsors, preferably a man, should be stationed at the front door of the school to permit only those who are authorized to enter the building. If teachers alone are not adequate to maintain order, a member of the local police force may be assigned. A policeman who is off duty is often called for this purpose, and a nominal fee is paid for his services. A common policy in many schools is to place a sponsor at the door and allow no one to re-enter after leaving. This policy will eliminate running in and out of the school, sitting in cars, and drinking. No one, under any circumstances, should be admitted to the building if there is any evidence that he has been drinking any al- coholic beverages. 191 Most behavior problems at dances can be eliminated if there is adequate sponsorship and if the sponsors perform their duties 1 properly. Smoking Many principals feel that they should not be concerned about a pupil who smokes. They feel that this is an obligation of the par-_ ent, and if the parent permits the child to smoke it is within his province. Smoking in the building or on the school grounds is quite another matter. Many principals have had groups request smoking rooms for Pupils. This is almost a yearly occurrence in some schools, and some principals are confronted even more often than once each year. In the state of Michigan there is a law which prohibits the sale of cigarettes to minor children under eighteen years of age. Because schools are public institutions, students should not be per- mitted to smoke in the school buildings. \ 1Paul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. Logsdon, ma School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), 192 Another way to consider this problem is that many parents do not permit their children to smoke, and if a smoking room were provided the principal would expect to be accused of permitting, or even teaching, the child to do something that the parents forbid. It is doubtful if any principal knows all of the pupils well enough to to be aware of the permissiveness of their parents in this matter. The principal has an obligation to parents that should be considered in this case. At evening social functions it is difficult to single out the Pupils who are not minors, and most principals, while they do not Openly permit smoking in the building, will not prohibit smoking. In many cases receptacles will be provided in the rest rooms so that Cigarettes will not be thrown in with the paper towels and cause a fire in the building. Most schools suspend pupils who smoke in the school building or on the school grounds. Excessive Display of Affection The problem of couples who show excessive fondness in the School building is becoming more and more common in many schools. It becomes more serious because what the pupils consider proper behav- ior may not be considered as such by principals or teachers. When 193 confronted with the action the pupil’s reply is that he “didn’t know anything was wrong” or that he “really wasn’t doing anything wrong” or that it was “just someone’s old-fashioned idea.” This particular problem is one that may not necessarily be settled by democratic action. The principal and staff should decide what behavior is acceptable and then work together as a team to insure that everyone stays within the set limits. The student coun- cil or representatives from student organizations may be invited to the meeting when this discussion takes place. A council or similar organization composed of parents will also be helpful in formulating a policy in this area. The problem seems to be a very serious one, probably be- cause it is an act which can be seen by all; however, when analyzed more closely it would appear that this type of behavior is practiced by a negligible portion of the student body. By being aware of what is happening in the halls and by be- ing conspicuous in the halls between classes the principal may be able to control this situation without ever talking to any of the pu- PilS individually. If the students are able to participate in formulating a policy r"‘*‘gell‘<1ing pupil behavior in the building, they may be able to keep these actions under control by group pressure. 194 It is within the principal’s province, and really his obligation, to. insist upon behavior that will not bring discredit upon the school. He should do all in his power to see that the pupils’ behavior is Within the acceptable limits of our social customs. Vandalism on School Buses The school buses should be supervised very closely, not only because of damage to the bus, but also because of the safety factor. Many bus drivers worry about meeting the schedule and as a result they are not careful in taking sufficient time to realize what is hap- Pening within the bus. The answer to this problem may lie with the bus driver. When selecting personnel for this purpose, one should thoroughly Check the person’s qualifications; one of the essentials is personality. The bus driver must have the same personality that is required for teaching. He should have a genuine love for and understanding of children; he must be one who gains the respect and has control over the Children he carries; he should be a responsible person—one who thinks of the safety of the children rather than getting back to the garage on time. There seem to be several reasons for misbehavior on the SChool bus: (1) the bus may be overcrowded; (2) the bus driver may 195 have a personality that seems to invite argument and disagreement; (3) the bus route may be too long and the children become tired; (4) the bus may transport children from rival schools; (5) there may be a clique or gang that sit together and cause trouble. Some of these reasons, such as overcrowdedness and length of route, may be unsolvable because of the financial condition of the district; however, the principal should investigate carefully and try to determine the reasons for misbehavior. Ill some instances the teachers may be able to discuss the bus problem with the pupils in class and try to get them to under- stand the importance of good behavior on the bus. In other instances the bus driver should be consulted and given the responsibility and authority for maintaining good behavior on the bus. The principal may wish to ride on the bus occasionally so that he may see for himself just what type of behavior is prevalent, although it may be quite different when he is there. Pupils who will not c00perate or who cause any damage to the buses should be disciplined, their parents should be consulted, and if the behavior does not change they may be suspended from school. In most cases, however, the action taken by the principal need not go this far. 196 Improper Library-Book Withdrawal The problem of students who remove books from the library without signing them out in the prescribed manner may be caused by lack of training in this area. This is not a reflection upon the be- ginning high-school principal because the training should have been given the pupils before the year that the problem was manifest. The beginning principal should recommend a training program to the teach- ers, and library training alone may eliminate future problems. The training program should be integrated into the agenda during the first semester that the pupils are in the school. If the SChool is a “7—12” system, this program should originate at the seventh-grade level, and it can be repeated in the eighth grade if it seems necessary. The teacher should plan a unit on the care of books, library activity, importance of returning books, and other areas pertinent to library science. There will be other areas of importance depending upon local practice that should be discussed. After the classroom unit the teacher should take the class to the library, where previous arrangements have been made, and show the Students were the different books are kept, use of the card cataIOg-ue, and other necessary information. During this period the 1ibl‘elrian is able to build, or at least begin to build, a favorable 197 working relationship with the pupils.1 If enough work is done in this area, the problem will be mitigated. It is a matter of training and respect for books. As an immediate step in overcoming a problem of this nature, a student-monitor may be placed at the library door to check all books that are carried out. If the book is not properly stamped, the pupil should be sent back to the librarian. The pupil who re- fuses to c00perate becomes a discipline problem of another type, and other corrective measures must be taken. If pupils are found destroying books in the library, they should be disciplined and should be made to pay for repair or re- placement of the books. Counseling to Prevent Insubordination The method of counseling will depend somewhat upon whether or not the principal is meeting with a group of pupils or with an indi- vidual. In the group situation, the principal will not become so personal in his attitude. He may talk to the group as a whole and point out what has happened very clearly. He must not lose his 1Paul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 192. 198 temper. He must think logically and state definitely what has hap- pened to cause the pupils to be sent to the office. He should make the pupils understand that cooperation is necessary for the good of the entire student body, and should point out the fact that others in the school will be neglected and will miss a part of their education because the behavior of a few is so time-consuming. This appeal may be wholly effective, depending upon the group, but if it is not, counseling on an individual basis will be necessary. When counseling pupils on an individual basis, it may or may not be the pupil’s first trip to the office. If it is the first time that the pupil is sent to the office, he should be reminded of his obligation to the group. The principal should be very observant in this case because the behavior may be caused by the physical or mental condition of the pupil on that particular day, or it may have been caused by something that happened at home earlier in the day. If this is the case, the principal will obtain far better results if he takes an understanding attitude rather than that of the stern dis- ciplinarian. If the pupil is a habitual troublemaker and defies all teachers, it probably will necessitate future meetings and closer supervision by the principal. It may even be necessary to call the parents to 199 take part in the interview when the same person continues to get into trouble. The principal must be careful in his reprimand and force to maintain order in this particular situation because in so doing he may weaken the teacher and magnify the discipline situation in the classroom.1 Many times a principal goes into the room at the re- quest of the teacher and insists upon good behavior; in doing so he weakens the teacher in the eyes of the pupils and thus creates many new problems. Minimizing Theft The problem of theft within the school somewhat parallels the problem of destruction of school property; both may be done as a prank or may be wanton destruction. Theft may be minimized if a very careful method of locker as- signment is maintained. The person who is in charge of assigning lockers may secure the number needed for each homeroom from the teacher. He may then assign the requested quantity plus a few extra to the teacher, who in turn will assign lockers to the pupils in the homeroom. The location of the block of lockers should be as close _ 1George C. Kyte, The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 390. 200 as possible to the room. When the teacher has made the locker as- signments, a duplicate list of assignments should be given to the person in charge. This enables the principal to know the‘locker location of each pupil and it also is helpful in locating stolen prop- erty during an investigation. If possible, no more than one person should be permitted the use of a single locker. This practice may need to be altered if there is an insufficient number of lockers in the building. If locks are sold by the school, a record of the pur- chases and the combinations should be kept. In addition to locker assignments, a system of hall monitors may be set up. A person sitting in the hall, whether it be a teacher 01' pupil, will tend to decrease theft. The location .of the most numerous thefts will probably be the locker rooms. The physical education teacher or department Should be placed solely in charge of the locker room, and the teach- ers should assign a pupil to sit in the locker room during every Class and allow no one to go to any locker without explicit permis- sion from the teacher. The teacher should be very strict about granting permission. If a theft does occur and the offender is apprehended, he Should be suspended from school or disciplined severely in some Other way. The student body must understand that the school ‘; it, vf[. l '9’ , \ 1.. .III. .I 201 officials will do all in their power to eliminate theft, and they must be aware of the consequences. Occasionally the entire student body should be informed of theft potentials and warned to be careful to lock all lockers. This can be done on an individual-class basis. The warning is merely a method of keeping the pupils aware of theft and of making them more careful in protecting their personal belongings. Overt Defiance of Authority Pupils should be taught not to be disrespectful to teachers, regardless of the reason. It is possible that a teacher may be weak and tolerate this behavior, or it is possible that a teacher through his actions may prompt this, but the principal should not tolerate Pupil disrespect regardless of the reason. Children attend school for the purpose of receiving an educa- tion. One phase of the training includes respect for others. The Pupil is missing an important segment of his education if he is per- mitted to defy other people, whether it be parents, teachers, or other Pupils. “There must be a reasonable amount of order and quietness in a class room so that effective learning can take place.”1 1H. T. Rosenberger, “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals—:— XXXVIIIYOctober, ’1954), 23. 202 In most instances the parents do not wish to have their chil- dren act in this manner, and the principal can expect the fullest co- operation. There are some exceptions, either because the parent dislikes the teacher involved or because the parents cannot or will not believe that their offspring would do such a thing. There are times when the defiant pupil has a personality attitude similar to that of his parents, and the principal is confronted with a problem much greater than the one he had with the pupil. If this is the case, the principal should take a firm stand in regard to behavior within the school. If he does not take a firm stand, he will lose the re— spect of the teacher and it may spread throughout the staff. In the end, the education of all children will suffer. In addition to this, the principal’s position is in jeopardy if he does not have the re- spect and confidence of the staff members.1 Many principals feel that it is much more important to teach a child respect, courtesy, and the art of getting along with others than to teach subject matter only. However, the principals who prac- tice this philosophy seem to be in the minority, and our public schools are criticized because this philosophy does not seem to be prevalent. 1David B. Austin and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National As- S_ociation of Secondary School Principals, XL (January, 1956), 104. 203 The teacher is acting in loco parentis while the child is in his care, and he should be treated the same as the average parent expects to be treated by the children.1 Attendance Poor Attendance and Its Effect on Scholastic Marks There seems to be a vast difference of opinion as to whether scholastic marks should be lowered in response to poor attendance. Many experienced principals feel that punishment for nonattendance should not be reflected in scholastic marks. Other principals feel that, because the child is in school for the purpose of securing an education, he cannot learn if he is not there. This school of thought subscribes to the idea that teachers may pass troublesome pupils solely for the purpose of ridding themselves of the annoyance.‘ This school of thought also states that if a pupil earns good marks in spite of excessive absences then the pupil is basically intelligent and isn’t working up to his capacity. The mark should reflect the quality of work in relationship to his capacity, and therefore the school is not doing much for the individual. Another group seems to feel that they g 1Roger M. Shaw, “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. 204 should lower scholastic marks where there is poor attendance, but either they want to give the pupil every chance and be absolutely fair with him or they hesitate to formulate a policy that they feel will bring repercussion. There seems to be no single practice or even similar think- ing concerning this problem. The only thing that seems to meet with the approval of most principals is that the mark should be given according to the judg- ment of the teacher.1 If the teacher feels that sufficient work has been done to warrant a certain mark, the mark should be given; but if in his opinion the class requirements have not been met, the mark should so indicate. The majority of principals seem to think that because of the quantity of teachers with whom they have worked, the mark is defi- nitely tempered by the pupil’s attendance. In most cases there are excused absences whereby the pupil is permitted to make up his work, and unexcused absences when he is not permitted to make up the work. This practice will make it possible to separate illness or other valid reasons for absenteeism from that of neglect. 1Austin and Collins, loc. cit. 205 Because of the compulsory-school-attendance law, the attend- ance officer, through court action, may force parents to send their children to school regularly. If the attendance officer is efficient in his duties, absenteeism should not reach such great heights except in isolated instances. Occasional Truancy Occasional truancy is more commonly known as “skipping school”—the unauthorized absence from school for a period of time, which may represent a single class period, an entire day, or several days. Skipping school is an old problem. Teachers and adminis- trators have been faced with this problem from the time of the first Organized schools. The problem seems to be very serious in many Communities, but there is probably no more skipping now than in the Past. The first thing that should be done to overcoming skipping is t0 organize a good attendance department. The personnel required Will depend upon the size of the school. The attendance officer Should make daily home calls to ascertain the reasons for absences. If he insists that all children attend school, and if he is very strict With both the pupils and the parents, skipping will be decreased. 206 An effective method used in a typical Michigan school is a policy for each teacher to send a list of absentees to the office during the first period in the morning and in the afternoon. These lists are compiled and duplicated; there is a notation of grade and homeroom number following each name, and a copy is given to each teacher during the second period. If a pupil is absent from a class whose name is not on the list, the attendance officer is called imme- diately and he checks either by telephone or by a home call. This system divulges other information besides a control of attendance. It reveals different illnesses that should be known to the school, be- cause the parent will mention them to the attendance officer if the Child leaves school during the day. It reveals home conditions and Parental attitudes. The teachers, whether homeroom or classroom instructors, who think that an individual is absent or tardy too often also report to the attendance officer, who makes an investigation of the individual case. There seem to be many methods employed to counteract skip- ping, but none seem to be entirely effective. About the best that a principal can hope for is to keep skipping to a minimum. A school policy should be formulated concerning this problem, and, in addition to this, the principal‘must be consistent, persistent, and insistent that the staff cooperate wholeheartedly in this area. 207 Deer Hunting One of Michigan’s largest industries is its tourist trade. This includes hunting and fishing. Because of the abundance of wildlife in the state, there is a tremendous number of people who participate in hunting and fishing. This is true not only of the adults but also of the children. When pupils stay out of school to go deer hunting, they seldom go by themselves or in groups composed of pupils; they go with their parents or other relatives. They have their parents’ consent, so they are acting in accordance with the de- sires and wishes of their parents. The problem is common to almost every school in the state, whether it be a small rural school or one in a heavily populated industrialized community. There are some schools which forbid students to absent them- selves from school for this purpose. If the pupil does go hunting he must suffer the consequences; this does not usually prevent him from going, however. Many schools recognize this fact and permit the pupils to go hunting without penalty. A policy should be formulated to get the conditions for leaving and should be made clear to the pupils so that proper arrangements may be made. __ _._- .— — . ' - ~- *~,~-" ' 208 The pupil may secure an excuse slip that he will take to each of his teachers. The slip may state that the pupil may be ex- cused if his work is made up before he leaves. The teacher may assign school work for the period of absence, and the pupil may complete these assignments at home. When the work has been com- pleted, the teacher may $191 the excuse slip and the pupil may go hunting without the worry of making up an excessive amount of school- work when he returns. The principal should recognize the fact that pupils are going to go deer hunting and, rather than forbid it, he may capitalize upon it as a learning experience. By permitting an excuse for this rea- son, the pupil is able to go and still not fall behind in his regular schoolwork. If the principal is willing to cooperate in this situation, he probably will receive better pupil and parent cooperation in other problem areas. Habitual Truancy In this particular instance truancy is used to describe the pupil who is habitually absent from school and whose absenteeism has continued over a longer period of time, despite repeated warn- ings. 209 There is a vast difference in what may be done with pupils under sixteen years of age and the treatment of those over sixteen. The reason for the difference is the compulsory-school-attendance law which states that all children must remain in school until they are sixteen years old. The child who is underage may be truant from school of his own volition, or his truancy may be caused by his parents keeping him away. If the latter is the case, the attendance officer not only has the right, but he has the legal obligation, to serve notice upon the parents insisting that they send the child to school. If they do not comply with this request, a complaint should be filed and the parents will find themselves under the jurisdiction of the courts, which will see to it that the child is sent to school. Upon in- vestigation, the beginning principal will discover that this reason for truancy is probably as common as that of the child staying away from school of his own volition. On the other hand, if the pupil’s truancy is not due to the parents but rather because the child does not wish to attend school, the attendance officer, a teacher, or the principal may insist that the child report to him every morning. This sometimes works. If so, nothing more need be done. If it does not solve the problem, the attendance officer may, after all other methods have failed, file 210 a complaint and have the pupil taken to the juvenile court. In all probability the first appearance will be scheduled with a court ref- eree, who will inform the pupil of the law and of the consequences of the law if broken. At this time the child in all probability will be placed on probation and will be required to meet with a probation officer periodically. If the truancy continues, the pupil may be taken back to court, and after he is given sufficient opportunity to c00perate he may be assigned to a home. The process involved is long and tedious and requires very accurate records, but the court will cooperate. Many principals find themselves with a serious truancy problem because they are not will- ing to spend all the time it takes to correct the more serious viola- tions. In the case of pupils who are over sixteen years of age, after sufficient warning the pupil may be asked to leave school. No court Order is necessary; the pupil is classed as undesirable, and the sChool is not obligated to enroll him. Authorized Absences Students desiring to be excused from classes for part of the day for working, medical appointments, music lessons, helping at home, et cetera, comprise two classes of problems. One is a 211 periodical excuse for a portion of the day; the other is a daily ex- cuse for an extended period. It is very difficult for persons to make medical appointments at their convenience; they must make the appointments when the, doc- tor is available. As the majority of physicians’ office hours are set in the afternoon, near the end of the school day, generally not much time is taken for this purpose. Although it is very annoying to the principal, he should consider the child’s health and if it is necessary to make medical appointments during school hours the child should be excused. The principal should appeal to the pupil to endeavor to make appointments after school if possible. The pupil should bring proof of his appointment because this privilege has been taken ad- vantage of as much or more than any other privilege extended to students. In the case of music lessons, most of the lessons can be ar- ranged for after-school hours. If this is impossible, the principal should excuse the pupil for this purpose. Music is as much a part Of the child’s education as any other phase of schoolwork. Many schools provide time, equipment, and personnel to give music lessons in School during school hours. The pupil generally knows the day and hour of the lesson before he enrolls, and it may be possible to 212 enroll in a study hall during this period, and thus avoid missing an academic subject each week. The other area of this problem deals with pupils who wish to work and wish to be excused for a longer period each day. Whether or not this is permitted will depend largely upon the attitude of the commxmity. In industrial areas many schools permit pupils to work and even give credit toward graduation for this experience. This practice is most common in the upper grades, and in many instances the pupil may be able to fulfill his graduation requirements in one- half of the day, either morning or afternoon, but it may mean that he must spend an additional semester in school. When granting work permits, the principal must be careful to comply with state laws, and especially with paragraphs 409.17 and 409.18, sections 981 and 982 of the Michigan General School Law, Which states that the combined hours of school and employment must n0t exceed forty-eight hours per week. Truancy Investigations It is virtually impossible to make an adequate check on pupil absence if no one is home when the check is made. Neither a \ 1State of Michigan, General School Laws, Sections 409, 966-95. 213 telephone call nor a home call will produce results. Whenever a telephone call can be made it is advisable to do so because it is more convenient. Many times when parents are not home a telephone call will produce a young voice, which may reveal a group of pupils who are out of school without permission. If the attendance officer makes a home call and no one is home, it may be advisable to leave a note on the door or in the mail- box requesting the parent to call the school. This practice may not be effective, however, because if the child is skipping school and if he returns home before the parent returns he may destroy the note. When the attendance officer is employed he should be informed that his job requires him to work when there is work to be done, rather than in accordance with a regular time schedule. If he can— not contact the parents when the home call is made during school hours, he should either call by telephone or make a home visit dur- ing the dinner hour or in the evening. It may be necessary to make Several calls, but he should not stop until the parents have been con- tacted. In some instances, if the pupil is apprehended and the parents cannot be located, the pupil may be sent home with instructions to rmuslin out of school until the parents contact the principal. This 214 is quite effective because the pupil must give his parents a reason for remaining out of school. The locator file in the school office or in the attendance of- fice should contain a telephone number, either at the parent’s place of business or a neighbor’s number, where the parents are likely to be located. This can be used for any emergency, including ill— ness, accidents, attendance, or for other reasons when the parent must be contacted. The problem of contacting parents is as troublesome and time-consuming as that of nonattendance; it is an everlasting prob- lem but an extremely important phase of school administration. Instruction Driver Education The problem of a satisfactory method of establishing a driver- ' education program arises because Michigan law requires schools to Offer a course in driver education. The literature is very fragmen- tary, partly because of the recency of the law and partly because most of the authors reside in states other than Michigan. The prob- lem has not been important enough to warrant much written material on the subject. 215 The law states that training must be offered, but the schedul- ing and method are left to the discretion of the local school district. The problem in this area probably does not lie in the method of instruction nor the type and amount of material covered, but rather in scheduling. The program calls for classroom instruction and behind-the- wheel instruction. The classroom instruction can be conducted on a group basis and can be scheduled in conjunction with other classes, but the behind—the-wheel training makes it necessary to accommodate small groups comprising two or three students, and in many cases only an individual pupil. When the classroom work has been com- pleted, the problem of what to do with the pupils is manifest. A schedule may be set up so that a group may be divided into two sections, one of which may attend the driver-education class while the other attends a class in safety or health, or one not requiring a full semester’s work. At mid-semester the groups may change. The behind-the—wheel training can be accomplished by taking pupils out of the alternate class one or two at a time. Another method used is to schedule pupils into driver educa- tion from the study halls. When the classroom work has been com- pleted the pupils may return to study halls and leave only for the period of behind-the-wheel training. In this manner the pupils are 216 accounted for in each class period during the driver-education pro- gram. Some schools permit pupils to enroll in driver education and attend the classroom period. When this has been completed, the pu- pils make individual appointments for ’behind-the-wheel training and are permitted to go home when this segment has been completed. It is quite difficult to create a satisfactory schedule, because the duration is shorter and because of the small number who can be accommodated in the training car. Supervision of Study Halls The principal may be able to Operate an unsupervised study hall for a small group occasionally, and the results may be gratify- ing; however, there may be some complications if something should happen in a study hall scheduled without adult supervision. If an accident occurs during one of the periods when children are left alone, the principal may find himself involved in a lawsuit of considerable magnitude. Even though some rooms or sections of the school are more susceptible to accidents than others, an acci- dent may occur at any time and in any part of the building. There are many things that could happen—a child could fall on a sharp pencil, a chair could break, someone could get hit in the eye with 217 a paper wad, a pane of glass could fall out and cut someone, and so on. These are things that could happen at any time and in any loca- tion of the school building. The courts have upheld the teacher and principal in cases, almost without exception, where reasonable precaution was taken, but there may be a question of proper precaution if a class is sched- uled for which there is no teacher. This is an exceedingly risky situation and should be avoided. The principal who does schedule a class without an adult present should be aware of the legal obli- gations involved. Some schools dismiss study halls the day preceding vacations; however, if the study halls are dismissed the pupils tend to congre- gate in the halls or visit the city business district, or do something else which will create a nuisance. The pupils are forced to stay close to the school to allow attendance at their other classes. If a Pupil has a good reason for being excused part of the last day, it should be done on an individual basis, but students should not be excnsed in large numbers. The principal should try to be consistent in his actions and Should try to keep his schedule intact; thus it is wise to keep all Of the pupils in school at all times when they are scheduled to be 218 Controlling Class-Schedule Changes In a school large enough to offer several sections of each subject it may be possible to permit pupils to change classes, but in a smaller school all class changes, except when the change is abso- lutely necessary, are very difficult because most class sections are planned and scheduled according to need.1 It is even necessary in many of the schools to operate a staggered schedule whereby the two-semester courses such as algebra, chemistry, physics, languages, and other such subjects are alternated so that both the first and second semesters of the subjects are not offered each semester. Because of this condition pupils should not be allowed to change classes except when there is a conflict, or for some other good reason. If a prerequest system is in effect there should be little rea- son for any change. This method is common in schools and operates by having the pupils fill out a pre-enrollment form or a request for Classes. This should be done through personal interview by the counselor, homeroom teacher, or whomever is responsible for en- rolling the pupil. It can be done five or six weeks before the end 015 the semester. The lists can be given due consideration. \ 1Faunce, op. cit., p. 309. 219 Nonacademic Subjects and Their Effect on Grade-Point Averages Whether or not grades for music, choir, band, and similar subjects should be counted in the grade-point averages will depend largely upon local school tradition. Many schools do not count these credits except as activity credits. In these schools a certain set number of academic credits plus a certain number of activity credits are required for graduation. Where this method is used, activity credits will not be considered in the grade-point average. Other principals feel that every segment of the program is an important part of the total education of the child; full credit is awarded for some activities, and partial credit for others.1 The graduation re- quirements will differ because the total credits that can be earned in any given semester will be different than if part of the program is designated as activity. The principal must have the courage to take liberties with the traditional courses if he is to be successful in providing for all pupils-ee-especially the noncollege pupils.2 1Ibid., p. 213. 2John C. Hudin, “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXV (April, 1941), 129. 220 The present trend seems to be toward the latter description, as the schools are moving from the strictly academic structure to- ward a total-experience type of program. Some go so far as to advocate that practice for athletic contests be scheduled during the regular school day and that the athletic contests themselves be played during the regular school day. There has been much oppo- sition to this because of the scheduling problems that arise and because of the inability of the residents of the community to attend games. If the subjects are part of the total school program and the credits are counted toward graduation, then they should be consid- ered in the grade-point average, but if they are offered as an extracurricular activity the credits should not be included in the grade-point average. In most schools there has been a long-standing policy con- cerning the above methods of counting credits, and the beginning principal will probably find it particularly difficult to change this during his first year. If he has strong opinions for one method or the other and if he works very hard for change, he may be able to do so during his second or third year. It is more important to work with the staff in attempting to establish confidence and 221 prestige1 during the first year than to attempt to alter the tradition of the school. Diplomas Whether one or two types of diplomas should be granted will depend upon local conditions. Making a decision of this kind is dif- ficult for the beginning high-school principal. The basis of the prob- lem is long tradition versus a new innovation in school policy. Changes are comparatively slow and a radical change in school policy, which this change might be, can cause serious repercussions not only from the pupils and staff but also from the community and the board of education.2 Much is to be said for granting a diploma for reasons other than purely academic achievement. Many schools grant an industrial diploma, in which case the emphasis is placed upon shop work rather than academic subjects. Some school officials and teachers advocate a diploma based upon attendance, whereby the pupil is given 1Harold Mennes, “Personal Relationships in School Adminis- tration, ” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School flincipals, IOCXTApril, 1946), 116—17. 2L. M. Christophe, “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary Ehool Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. 222 recognition for remaining in high school the required number of years, without any mention of academic achievement. In the October, 1954, issue of the periodical of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, there is an article by J. D. Thompson,1 entitled “Give Them All a High School Diploma”; the philosophy stated is that the diploma is based upon attendance and conduct. It is an experimental program and at the time the ar- ticle was written it had not been in effect long enough to test its value. There seems to have been no follow-up article reporting progress of the experiment. Many reasons are listed which validate this practice. As the college entrance requirements now stand, it is safe to assume that in the near future only the academic diploma will be awarded because the credits necessary to receive this diploma are generally acceptable for college entrance. The “Carnegie unit” has been an obstacle to proper adjustment.2 If and when other types of diplomas are granted, the recipients should be informed that an at- tendance or other type of diploma will probably not meet the 1J. D. Thompson, “Give Them All a High School Diploma,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 102. 2Hudin, loc. cit. 223 requirements for college entrance. In addition to informing the pu- pils, there should be a clear understanding with the parents as to the meaning of this diploma. This will be more difficult because parents generally are familiar with only one type of diploma; namely, the one they received twenty-five years earlier. Any change must be thoroughly explained to them. Promotion Period—Semester or Yearly Basis Some schools operate on a semester promotion plan, while others use the yearly promotion system; however, semester promo- tion has been replaced by annual promotion in moSt high schools.1 One has no particular advantage over the other, but the school pro- gram must be set up for only one. The semester plan enables the pupils to take several courses of one semester’s duration without obligation to take a similar course the second half of the year. From an administrative standpoint more work is involved in drafting two schedules each year than in one. If the semester plan is used, the marks at the end of each semester should be regarded as final marks for that period and 1Faunce, op. cit., p. 340. ¥ -~..-—~ : 224 should be recorded as such in the permanent records. The pupil who fails a course should repeat the work. In using the yearly plan, most schools employ the quarterly system of marking. The second-quarter marks are given at approxi- mately the time that the first semester would end. The yearly sys- tem necessitates grouping classes; for example, Chemistry I and Chemistry H would be regarded as “Chemistry,” with no semester designation. In this case, if a pupil fails either segment of the course he will repeat the entire year. Where this system is used the repeating of a full year does not seem to be especially important because in many instances pupils who might normally fail the first semester are able to find themselves and to pass the course at the end of the year. Another method is to evaluate students at the end of the se- mester and retain those who are not proficient. These students may be placed with a remedial group until they are ready to continue with the regular class. The time element may vary from one or two weeks up to five or six. This may be called a modified yearly plan or a combination of the semester and yearly plans. -——-—-—--*-—-qu-—-~-v‘—— .A 4 225 Semester-End Dropouts There should be no firm policy in the school that will pre- vent any pupil from dropping out of any course at the end of the first semester. The principal should keep foremost in his mind that the schools are operated for the education of children.1 The term “education” should include the children’s experiences and welfare as well as their academic training. There are many times when the principal or the teacher will be able to find what they feel is a good reason for a pupil not to drop a course. This is especially true of many teachers who are so engrossed in the subject they teach that they think everyone should take that subject because it is “good for them.” In many instances the pupil wants to drop a course for one of two reasons: either he has not been able to grasp the material presented, or he has had some difficulty with the teacher. If he is unable to do work in a certain area and if he realizes that he has done poorly, he should not be forced to suffer through another se- mester of it. If there is a personality clash between the pupil and the teacher it is generally the pupil who loses, and the pupil should be permitted to change courses. 1Rosenberger, loc. cit. 226 On the other hand, part of the child’s education is to teach him to follow directions, respect authority, and feel obligation to- ward certain things. Many pupils Iwould change their schedule every week if they were permitted to do so, and a change in courses for the sake of change is not good because it deprives the pupil of the feeling of a sense of obligation. In addition, it creates a tremen- dous scheduling problem. Most principals feel that when pupils wish to change courses each case should be considered on an individual basis, and the de- cision should be made which will prove to be best for both the pupil and others concerned.1 There are policies which permit pupils to drop courses, but if the course is of a two-semester duration—such as history, physics, or chemistry—no credit will be given for one semester. The pupil must complete both semesters before any credit is given toward grad- uation. Requests for Scheduling in Excess of Students’ Capabilities It is quite common in many schools for pupils to want to carry extra classes, with no regard for their capabilities for doing so. 1Faunce, op. cit., p. 331. _.__‘,P:,A “”4 227 The reason for most requests to carry additional classes is that the pupil desires to graduate a semester or two early in order to become gainftu employed. If the pupil is of normal age for his class, this would permit him to graduate at an age when he is too young to do an adult’s work, since he would be classified as a minor according to the child labor laws. In the long run this practice may be physically and psychologically harmful to students. However, the family may be in the type of financial situation which makes the child’s employment necessary. Many people feel that it is harmful to permit pupils to carry an excessive class load because the work and emotional strain in- volved might be harmful. These people think that a portion of the child’s daily schedule should be devoted to recreation or tasks other than schoolwork. On the other hand, there are many students who are capable of carrying more classes because the educational requirements in the high school are geared to the average. The superior pupil may be permitted to carry a larger class load; this will enable him to se- cure a wider range of experiences and greater depth in his high- school education. Another reason for permitting a child to take an extra class is because of failure in a previous grade, and the extra class _4. 1‘ _._ -5“: .—‘-,.. — 228 enables him to return to his original group and to graduate when he originally planned to. The reason for failure may be due to an ill- ness or injury, rather than to incapability.’ The average school program requirements make it almost im- possible for a pupil to take extra classes unless he is excused from physical education because of a physical handicap or unless he is permitted to forego a study hall and prepare his outside work in his home. Whether or not a pupil is permitted to take extra classes should be decided on an individual basis,1 but the principal should try to discourage such requests and should consider such requests very carefully before permitting the pupil to carry an extra load. Helping the Backward Student Most pupils who are far behind their grade level and who are incapable of learning will drop out of school as soon as they are sixteen years of age. This is one of the most common reasons for dropping out of school. When this point is reached, it is too late to do anything about the situation. 1F. J. Keller, “What We Know About Comprehensive High Schools,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondagy School Principals, XXXIX (May, 1955), 16. 229 For the pupils who remain in school (those who have not yet attained the legal age for dropping out), something can be done. If one is convinced that the school should provide experiences that will enable the children to earn a livelihood and to live a good life, then experiences should be offered in areas other than in a strict academic course of study. The pupil who is behind his regular grade level and who is considered to be incapable may be a person of normal or near-normal intelligence and ability, but one who is unable to do schoolwork be- cause of an inability to read. It should be recognized that school- work is based upon reading; with few exceptions, our tests—whether they be intelligence or aptitude tests—require a knowledge of read- ing in order to answer the questions. The pupil in this classification may be a capable audio-visual operator. There have been cases wherein pupils who were far be- hind in their grade level, and seemingly incapable, were employed by the local theater as a motion picture projector operator because someone took the time to teach them this operation in the audio- visual department. There may be others who are mechanically in- clined who could benefit by taking shop courses in welding, auto mechanics, metalwork or woodworking, or similar classes. 1Hudin, loc. cit. 230 In most cases these pupils will develop an inferiority complex because of their feeling of incapability. This feeling may be over- come if the principal or teachers take a special interest in the indi- vidual and assign him to duties that he is capable of doing and where he is able to display some leadership.1 These duties can include hall monitor duty, locker room duty, team equipment manager, or some of the numerous tasks that are common to all schools. Crediting Transfer Students for Prior Courses Pupils should not be forced to sacrifice credits that have been earned for experiences in other schools, even though some of the courses they have. taken are not offered in their current school. It is necessary for schools in different communities to offer different types of experiences because the needs of each community are different.2 If a child moves from an agricultural area to an in- dustrial area or from a mining district to either of the others men- tioned he will experience a vastly different type of school program. It is safe to assume that a pupil’s change of schools is due to 1Rosenberger, ’loc. cit. 2Richard O. Carlson, “An Administrator’s Guide to Commu- nity Structure,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XLII (May, 1956), 292—300. 231 circumstances over which he has no control, and he should not be penalized for the change. There are certain basic academic courses that are common to all school programs, regardless of their geographic or socioeconomic location. These courses are common to most schools because of college entrance requirements and due to the strong tradition behind our schools. The credits for these courses can be transferred without any difficulty because of the similarity. The other courses may be generalized in departments or segments of the normal program of the school to which the pupil has transferred. Agriculture courses can be grouped with industrial or voca- tional courses, different types of history may be placed in that de- partment, and this method can be followed for each group of courses. In addition to grouping, there is generally a space on any permanent record form for inserting classes or credits that are not included in the printed section of the form. In determining grade level for use in making recommendations, the most important thing is the number of units earned in a given area rather than the specific designation of individual courses. To determine what credits should be transferred and the amount of credit given, the principal, counselor, or one designated for this purpose should have a personal interview with the pupil and 232 make a decision concerning the credits by analyzing the time spent in the several areas. Most course credits can be transferred with little difficulty. Student Welfare Public Telephones Our present-day cultural pattern has as one of its foundations a system of communication that is unparalleled in history. The sys- tem that we have developed accounts to a great extent for the ad- vancements we have made. Because we have developed this commu— nications system to its present level, a telephone is a necessity. It is true that the telephone is used for idle gossip and unnecessary conversation, but it is an important part of our mode of life. The telephone has become an important item of equipment in any business office. The number of calls made fromuthe school of - fice each day is tremendous. It is, however, a business telephone and its use by teachers, pupils, and others for personal reasons should be discouraged. The practice of everyone’s using the tele- phone not only prohibits the use for which it was installed, but over a period of a year it becomes very expensive. If the telephone is available to all, toll calls further complicate the situation. 233 Because (this practice has been so common, many schools have installed public pay telephones. They may be placed in the corridor, entrance, or other convenient places and may be used by' both pupils and teachers. In many instances an additional telephone has been installed in the teachers’ lounge, for incoming as well as outgoing calls; teachers may inform prospective callers of the periods of the day when they may be reached by telephone, and inform them of the innnber. These telephones are available at no cost to the school be- cause coin-operated telephones are self-sufficient. Even when pay telephones are available, there will be times when a pupil must make an emergency call but does not have the money to use the pay telephone. In this case he may use the office telephone providing the office personnel will allow its use. The use of pay telephones will cut down remarkably on the number of calls made from the office, even when permission is granted for emergency calls. Abusing the privilege of using the office telephone depends largely upon practice. If permission is granted extensively, the pay phone will seldom be used, but because of the purpose of the office telephone it should be restricted to business calls except for emer- gencies. 234 The Teacher-Principal The philosophy and most important concept of any school principal is that the school exists for the children of the community.1 Many of the smaller schools require the principal to teach part-time because of the small number of students and shortage of teachers or because of the financial condition of the school district. Looking at the problem from the point of view of the board of education, there may be some justification for this practice. How- ever, if practiced it should not jeopardize the opportunity of the stu- dents to obtain a good education. ' The best practice to follow is to prohibit the principal from teaching classes. This can be justified by the fact that any school large enough to warrant a building principal should contain enough administrative work to keep the principal busy without the extra burden of teaching.2 The above statement is ideal, but actually it may be imprac- tical or even impossible. The principal who must teach should launch a publicity program that will inform the parents in the com- munity of his limited conference schedule and urge the parents to 1Austin and Collins, loc. cit. 2Ibid. 235 phone for an appointment when they wish to visit the school. This will work satisfactorily if his relations with the community are good. When parents do visit the school during the time that the principal is teaching, the office secretary or student-receptionist can usually manage to have the visitor wait without creating any re- sentment if she is tactful and courteous. If the situation is explained, most visitors will be understanding and willing to wait; however, this requires tact and good public relations. The principal should be called in case of emergency, but such calls generally are not very frequent and the principal may be able to assign written work or a study period during his absence. The problem may be minimized if the principal will prepare the class schedule to prevent his teaching two consecutive class periods. His classes should be staggered throughout the day if he must teach more than one. The Consistently Failing Student “One of the most difficult problems in educational guidance is that of dealing with the failing pupil. No individual case of failure can be solved, without a diagnosis of the underlying causes.”1 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, Duties of School Principals, op. cit., p. 1'71. 236 A pupil who fails a class or two during his high-school years may fail because of.a troubled condition in the home, a death in the fam- ily, or some similar reason. It may not be due to his inability to grasp a particular subject. When a pupil fails consistently, there prob- ably is a more serious underlying reason or a multiplicity of reasons. The child should be given a battery of tests to determine his natural ability and aptitude. The reason may stem from poor coun- seling and scheduling, or it may be caused by the fact that the child is a slow learner or is. retarded. The results of the tests may en- able the principal or counselor to place the child in a grade that is consistent with his mental ability rather than with his age. Another approach is to place the pupil in a different academic setting.1 The child may be adept at working with mechanical things, and the problem may be solved by placing him in a vocational pro- gram rather than a strict academic program. Maw pupils are forced to enroll in an academic program by the parents, who insist that the “family honor be upheld.” If this is true, the problem is somewhat complicated as it necessitates-a, pro- gram of convincing the parents rather than the pupil, which is pos- sibly more difficult. 1Hudin, loc. cit. 237 A variety of experiences and a program that will meet the needs of all the youngsters in the community may be difficult or even impossible in the small school, but if the principal will treat each case on an individual basis he will find a solution in most in- stances. Cooperation with Law-Enforcement Officers The school has an obligation to the children. This refers not only to the children who have difficulties but also to the children who abide by the rules and regulations.1 The police also have an obli- gation. Their job is to protect society. When a child breaks the laws of the land or for some other reason is wanted for questioning by police authorities it is the obliga- tion of the principal to permit such questioning. There are several reasons for a request of this nature. It is possible that the time element may be very important, which makes it necessary for the questioning to occur during school hours. Other students may be involved, and the difficulty could be solved easier if all the students were brought together, or there may be several other reasons for such a request. 1Keller, loc. cit. 238 Another reason for granting permission is that, in order to be successful, the different agencies——both social and governmental—— must work together if the goals of education and social competence are to be achieved.1 Police authorities may be permitted to remove a child from school, but if the child is to be kept at the police station or some other place beyond the time when he would normally arrive home from school the parents should be notified so that they will know where the child is and when to expect him. There may be a difference of Opinion in this matter, eSpecially on the part of the parents. However, it is well to c00perate with the police authorities, and if the principal does not the policewill come to the school with a warrant. Securing a warrant will satisfy their desire, but the public relations between the two agencies will be impaired. Increasing Student Interest and Understanding When the question of increasing interest and understanding in school is raised, it must be assumed that the interest and understand- ing are below what the principal thinks they should be. 1Christophe, loc. cit. ~‘9-"1‘" 239 Good teaching is most important if student interest is to be maintained; however, for the purpose of discussing other aspects of the problem, let us assume that the teaching is adequate. If a program is set up to explain the school and its function to the students, and if the students really understand the school, they probably will be interested in the school and its functions. L 1 The beginning principal should set up a program that will make the students familiar with the school. This can be done by student meetings or by a concentrated effort to have the teachers explain the school’s function in their classes or in the homeroom.1 Another method of increasing interest is by instituting an ac- tivity program. A program of this type will be a method of assem- bling the student body in small groups and enabling them to discuss not only the topic of their club activity, but also the problems and functions of the school. The activity program should be set up to function during the regular school day. This will eliminate the feeling that the students must stay after school in order to participate; it will eliminate the problem of partial attendance because of bus transportation; and, 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, Duties of School Principals, op. cit., p. 708. 240 most important, it will become an integral part of the regular school program. There has been a growing recognition of the fact that the traditional school offering does not meet the needs of a considerable proportion of the pupils. This means that an activity program which is well organized and well administered will do much to meet the i1 needs of a greater number of children.2 The activity program may consist of a student council, club program, school-wide committees, music activities, organized class activities, and many other such activities that will give the pupils the opportunity to participate in school functions. Caring for Ill or Injured Students Pending Contact with Parents The approach to this problem is dependent upon the extent of the illness or injury and also upon whether or not the parent may be reached even though he is away from home. If the parent is available at his place of business he may be contacted for instructions or permission to take necessary action. 1Edgar G. Johnston and Roland C. Faunc e, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 325. 2Hudin, loc. cit. 241 Many schools require that students fill out a card during the enrollment period or shortly afterward indicating a home telephone number, a business number, or the number where a parent may be reached in case of an emergency. The card also contains the name and telephone number of a relative, friend, or neighbor who is a responsible person and who may be contacted in case of emergency. L If a child becomes ill or is injured in school and no contact can be made with the parents or someone close to the family, the principal must decide what action must be taken. Complications may arise due to the financial condition of the family or because of certain religious beliefs that exist concerning hospitals and physicians; however, if the principal uses good judg- ment and acts in a way considered to be normal for a parent, and is careful to take precautions that will be beneficial to the health and welfare of the student he would probably receive full support from the board of education, or from the court if the incident were carried that far. It is important that a clear-cut school policy be formulated which will give specific instructions concerning this problem. It may state the disposition of the case. For example, for a minor illness or injury the child may be taken home, or in the case of a severe injury, such as a broken bone, or an injury or illness that 242 appears to be of a serious nature the extent of which cannot be de- termined, the child should be sent to a physician or hospital. Such a policy passed by the board will be very helpful to the beginning principal. When the policy is formulated the principal should be sure that parents, teachers, and pupils are aware of the policy and should t1 I i be especially sure that all teachers know all the details of procedure. : 4 Noon-Hour Supervision g Because of the short distances between some city schools and the students’ homes, all students attending such schools are required to leave the building at noon. This practice is not in keeping with a good educational program because the most widely accepted precept is to make the school program all-inclusive, which means that the noon hour is as much a part of the school program as any other phase. The noon-hour program is important to the small community school, the consolidated school, or the rural school not only from the standpoint of a good educational program but also from necessity due to the distance between home and school. Where students are required to use bus transportation it is virtually impossible to re- quire that the students go home or even leave the building during the noon hour. 243 An insufficiency of teachers presents a problem, but the noon- hour program is every bit as important as the rest of the day and total teacher-time should be divided to include this as a part of the regular schedule. The required number of teachers may be assigned to super- vise a noon-hour program, or a revolving roster may be put into effect whereby the teachers take turns supervising the noon-hour activities. This practice may necessitate each teacher remaining at the school for a week during the semester, or even less if the num- ber of teachers is larger. Johnston and Faunce1 advocate a student-supervised noon-hour program and have given many illustrations of this as being a suc- cessful method of approaching the noon-hour program. This program will require supervision by teachers or administrators, but after it has been started the supervision may become less burdensome. If a student-supervised noon-hour program is started and enough interest is fostered so that the program is successful, it will eliminate the use of teachers during the noon hour except at inter- vals to determine the progress of the program. 1Johnston and Faunce, op. cit., p. 148. 244 Activities Organizing Extracurricular Clubs Clubs or associations should grow out of the genuine inter- ests of pupils. The teachers and the principal can do much to stimulate interest. When a group has indicated the desire to form L1 a club, there should be a definite procedure for bringing it into existence.1 Many schools use the student council as the central govern- ing body of the schools, and when a club is to be formed it applies to the student council for a charter. To receive the charter the club indicates something of its purpose or plan, the nature of its organization, its membership, and provision for sponsorship. In some schools, clubs apply to the student council each year for a charter renewal. This method of organization will insure that each club reconsider its purposes and will help to keep the club purposes and aims familiar to the older members as well as the new members coming in during the school year. Ibid, p. 127. 245 Planning of the club program calls for some degree of organ- ization on the part of the principal. The school philosophy should be such that the school atmosphere is consistent with the desire to organize a club program.1 A group should be formed consisting of the administration, teaching staff, pupils, and parents to work out the details of club purposes and obligations. This should be done on a broad basis and submitted to the student council to be used as a guide for set- ting up criteria for issuing club charters. Each club should be required to have at least one faculty sponsor, who should be selected on the basis of his interest in the area of the club’s purposes. Care should be taken to prevent too many clubs from requesting the services of one teacher, as this will become a definite hardship and result in either the classes or other organizations suffering, or it may affect the attitude of the teacher and cause him to refuse to sponsor any activity whatsoever. The Student Council Student council members are chosen in a variety of ways. The plan of representation by school clubs is still to be found in some schools. Some high schools use the grade level or school 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, Duties of School Principals, op. cit., p. 267. u—‘w- A..- al.,... -T. L A —-———_—_———M‘" :_H‘___ ‘7” .. 246 class representative base. A few schools have a student council appointed by the principal, sometimes from a list of nominations sub- mitted by the faculty. It seems clear that none of these plans can provide for the true representation of all the school student body. The development of the homeroom presented an opportunity to develop a more representative basis for election to the student council. In contrast to the grade level class, it is a smaller, de- centralized unit which theoretically gives all school citizens a chance to make their voices heard in school affairs. Furthermore, a good homeroom program provides for a regular meeting time during the school day, which lends dignity to the whole business of student participation and broadens its base to include all school citizens.1 The following principles might be applied in developing a student council.2 1. The organization should be such that all school citizens are directly represented in the council. 2. A regular and adequate time should be provided, during the school day, for elections, discussions, reporting, and evaluation. 3. The organization plan should be simple and workable. 1Johnston and Faunce, op. cit., p. 48. 2Ibid., p. 51. 247 4. It should be geared to the purpose of school government. 5. It should be developed to meet the local school’s needs—— not copied from some other school’s plan. 6. It should be geared to the total life of the school. It should thus affect the classroom instruction in various ways. 7 . It should be developed and conducted on a basis of clearly defined, constitutional areas of responsibilities. L1 Student Elections 5‘ {3.2.7— ' The method of preparation for student elections will be dis- cussed based upon the assumption that there has been no election previously. If this is to be used for the improvement of method employed in conducting a school election the reader must. use this as a suggestion or use the method only where it applies. It must also be assumed that there has been a request for a school government brought about by the teachers or students who advocate such an activity or due to the influence of the principal through his philosophy. The first election will be the most difficult to plan because it is a new experience to the pupils and also because the number and types of offices to be filled may or may not meet the needs of the school. This problem must be solved as time elapses. 248 The initial phase of planning may be done by the social sci- ence department. Interest may be stimulated during the study of civics or governmental history. The plan may be expanded in the homeroom and interest in school government may be nurtured here. When there is sufficient interest in school government and a desire on the part of the pupils for school offices, the student coun- t1 cil may propose a list of school offices to be filled by election. These offices may include a school president, vice-president, l secretary, and a school-wide board of directors, council, or a gov- erning body which may be identified by some other name. There may be a list of class officers to be elected at the same election. These would include a class president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. If there is a student council in the school, it may prepare petitions and require a certain number of names before the person, who wishes to run for office, may appear on the ballot. The num- ber of names required may vary depending upon the size of the school Election booths may be set up in the main corridor or other convenient locations. Election clerks, previously appointed, should be placed adjacent to the booth and the voters should register be- fore receiving the ballot. Two ballots should be prepared, one for 249 the general school election and one for the individual class. The ballots should be placed in separate ballot boxes, one for each grade in the school, after they have been marked. The election clerks, school council, or election officers will count and tabulate the ballots and declare the winners. The whole election procedure should be under faculty supervision. The Student Handbook The purpose of the handbook is to facilitate orientation of the incoming pupils in a new environment.1 The handbook is also valu- able for pupils throughout their school careers and will save the school clerk or the principal from answering repeatedly many com- mon questions which pupils ask. Probably no other instrument the principal can use is more economical.2 Such items as school organizations, programs of study, school songs and cheers, attendance regulations, directory of the building, lunchroom location, procedures to be followed during the lunch hour, requirements for graduation, fire-drill regulations, history and tra- ditions of the school, and the use of the library are usually found in handbooks. In addition, the principal may include such other items 1Ibid., p. 189. 2Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, Duties of School Principals, op. cit., p. 343. -;___ 250 as are necessary. The handbook should be of such size that it can be carried in a pocket or handbag. While the size varies, the most frequent size of 212 handbooks which McKown studied was three and one-half by six inches.1 Ordinarily, the handbook does not contain more than sixty -four pages, since a voluminous publication would tend to defeat its purpose.2 The handbook is usually financed through sale to pupils at a ! small price. However, since one purpose of the handbook is for the i orientation of pupils, a copy should be issued to each pupil without i charge if at all possible.3 If the student council has charge of this activity it may allo- cate the cost to the activity fund or some other source. “The handbook is a symbol of the new attitude which students exhibit toward newcomers to the school. Instead of hazing them, stu- dents lend a helping hand to get them orientated and underway in their new school environment.”4 It also conveys to the student some- thing of the spirit or morale of the school. 1H. C. McKown, Extra Curricular Activities (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1936), p. 494. 2Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, Duties of School Principals, loc. cit. 3Ibid. 4Johnston and Faunce, loc. cit. 251 Selected References Discipline Student driving Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 386. H i 1 Langdon, Grace, and Irving W. Stout, Teacher-Parent Inter- views (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 134. 11:35.?“ ’ Shaw, Roger M., “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. The subtly demoralizing student Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William I. Gruhn, Principals and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1954), p. 30. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 415, 527, 536. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952T, pp. 20, 23. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 378. Student pregnancy Douglass, Harl R., “Leadership or Authority in School Ad- ministration,” Educational Administration and Super- vision, XXXIV (January, 1948), 25-28. 252 Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 382-95. Jones, Grenville C., “The Administrator as Problem Solver,” School Executive, LXXVI (August, 1957), 73—76. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), pp. 378—84. School dances Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and‘ Brothers, 19557, p. 115. i Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941f p. 347. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 378. Smoking Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 231. Hendrickson, H. C., “The Secondary School Principal,” _Blil: letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 1957), 188. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954K p. 310. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 380. 253 Excessive display of affection Famice, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 65. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and J ames Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941fp. 136. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 388. Vandalism on school buses Hicks, William V., and Marshall Jameson, The Elementary School Principal at Work (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957), p. 178. Jacobson, Paul B. , William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 683. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 388. Improper library-book withdrawal Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 192. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947i, p. 378. Shaw, Roger M., “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. ‘J'Wi-tfl 254 Counseling to prevent insubordination Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 192. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 390. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 23. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 181. Minimizing theft Edmondson, J. B., Joseph Roemer, and Francis L. Bacon, The Administration of the Modern Secondary School Wew York: The Macmillan Company, 1956), pp. 224—29. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and, Com- pany, 19517, p. 392. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 138. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947i, pp. 378—84. Overt defiance of authority Austin, David B., and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XL (January, 1956), 104. 255 French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19517, pp. 387—95. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 131, 560. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), pp. 378—84. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” _Bu_l_- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 23. Shaw, Roger M., “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. Attendanc e Poor attendance and its effect on scholastic marks Austin, David B., and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondarj School Principals, XL (January, 1956), 104. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 445. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 385. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Administra- tion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1943, p. 382. 256 Occasional truancy Ayars, Albert L., Administering the Peoples School (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 19573, p. 75. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19417, pp. 304, 306, 367. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 378. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1941), pp. 382, 384, 476. Deer hunting Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 217. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 195D, p. 245. Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XXVTApril, 1941), 129. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 385. Habitual truancy French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19517, p. 405. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, .1947), p. 385. MW” " E.“ a- ' "in-“ 257 Lowenstein, Norman, “The High School and Social Class Structure in America,” Bulletin of the National Asso- ciation of Secondary School Principals, XXXDC (May, 1955L 155. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 19417fp. 378. Authorized absences Ayars, Albert L., Administering the Peoples School (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1957), p. 159. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 385. Michigan, General School Laws (Lansing: Speaker-Hines and Thomas, Inc., 1955i, Sections 966—95. Risk, Thomas M., Principles and Practices of Teaching in Secondary Schools (New York: The American Book Company, 1947), p. 478. Truancy investigations Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947f p. 385. Shaw, Roger M., “In Loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), 'p. 176. 258 Instruction Driver education Davis, I. D., and D. L. Simon, “Class Schedules of Large High Schools in Indiana,” Bulletin of the National As- sociation of Secondary School Principals, XXXI (No- vember, 1947), 22. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1950), p. 245. Keller, F. J ., “What We Know about Comprehensive High Schools,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, xxxxx (May, 1955), 16. Michigan, General School Laws (Lansing: Speaker—Hines and Thomas, Inc., 1955), Section 1162. Supervision of study halls Anderson, Vernon E., Paul R. Grim, and William L Gruhn, Principles and Practices of Secondary Education (New York: The Ronald Press, 1951), p. 384. Davis, I. D., and D. L. Simon, “Class Schedules of Large High Schools in Indiana,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXI (November, 1947), 22. Farmer, Floyd M. , “The Public High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXII (April, 1948), 82—91. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941f, p. 609. H.,; u..l-“IP£~».' T‘ 259 Risk, Thomas M., Principles and Practices of Teaching in Secondary Schools (New York: The American Book Company, 194W, p. 549. Controlling class-schedule changes Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19553, p. 309. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- Pany, 19517, p. 285. Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, xxv (April, 1941), 129. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 108. Nonacademic subjects and their effect on grade-point averages Ayars, Albert L., Administering the Peoples School (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1957), pp. 151, 282. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 213. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19507, p. 245. Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XXX (April, 1941f 116—17. 260 Diplomas Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships,” Bulletin of the National Association 2: Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, )OCV (April, 19417, 129. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), pp. 73, 233, 320, 326. Thompson, J. D., “Give Them All a High School Diploma,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 102. Promotion period—semester or yearly basis Davis, I. D., and D. L. Simon, “Class Schedules of Large High Schools in Indiana, ” Bulletin of the National As- sociation of SecondaLy School Principals, XXXI (No- vember, 1947), 22. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 181, 325. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 443. Klohr, Paul, “An Upward Extension of Core,” Educational Leadership, X (May, 1953), 489-94. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 194D, pp. 409—10. 261 Semester-end dropouts Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 331, 335. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 285. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 108. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Pill.- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 23. Requests for scheduling in excess of students’ capabilities Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1951), p. 441. Keller, F. J ., “What We Know about Comprehensive High Schools,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, XXXDc (May, 1955), 16. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 409. Risk, Thomas M., Principles and Practices of Teaching in Secondary Schools (New York: The American Book Company, 1947), p. 138. Helping the backward student Cartwright, Russell W., “Program for Improving Instruction,” School Executive, LXVIII (October, 1948), 55—56. 262 Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XXV (April, 1941), 129. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 544. Reeder, Ward, The thdamentals of Public School Adminis- tration mew York: The Macmillan Company, 1941), pp. 409, 517. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin of the National Association _of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 43. Crediting transfer students for prior courses Bruner, Donald W., “Curriculum Change in the Small High School,” Educational Leadership, X (May, 1953), 470—73. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 197, 355. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, Du: ties of School Principals (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 67. Student Welfare Public telephones Carlson, Richard 0., “An Administrator’s Guide to Community Structure,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XLH (May, 1956), 292—300. 263 French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 19515, p. 251. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952): p. 254. The teacher-principal Austin, David B., and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XL Uanuary, 1956), 104. Bruner, Donald W., “Curriculum Change in the Small High School,” Educational Leadership, X (May, 1953), 470— 73. Eickenberry, Dan H., “Standards for the Secondary School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXII (March, 19485, 160-— 68. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941}, p. 732. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 91. The consistently failing student Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non-College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XXV (April, 194D, 129. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 171. 264 Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Administra- tion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1941), pp. ‘40‘9', 418, 517. Risk, Thomas M., Principles and Practices of Teaching in Secondary Schools (New York: The American Book Company, 1947), pp. 140—41. Cooperation with law-enforcement officers Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Re- lationships, ” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 391. Lowenstein, Norman, “The High School and Social Class Structure in America,” Bulletin of the National Asso- ciation of Secondary School Principals, XXXIX (May, 19557, 155'. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration ofTPublic Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 19527, p. 171. Increasing student interest and understanding Hudin, John C., “Adjusting the Curriculum of the Small Sec- ondary School to the Non—College Pupil,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pjls, XXV (April, 1941f 129. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of SchoolJ Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 320, 708. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1952), p. 325. 265 Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondary Schobl Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954), 23. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 19527, pp. 169— 72. Caring for ill or injured students pending contact with parents Ayars, Albert L., Administering the Peoples4 School (New York: McGraw—Hill Book Company, 1957), p. 305. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 227. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1941), p. 76. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration o_f_ Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 19527, p. 335. Noon-hour supervision Elsbree, Willard S., and Edmund Reutter, Jr., Staff Person- nel in the Public Schools (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), pp. 96, 411. Farmer, Floyd M., “The Public High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXII (April, 1948), 82-91. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941fpp. 304—7. 266 Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 148. Activities Organizing extracurricular clubs Bruner, Donald W., “Curriculum Change in the Small High School,” Educational Leadership, X (May, 1953), 470— 73. Harlow, J. G., “Building the Principals Team,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XLI (February, 1957), 47. Hendrickson, H. C., “The Secondary School Principal,” __B_\_11_- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 1957), 188. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941?, p. 330. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 48, 51, 123—27. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 194%, p. 382. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 1954i, 23. The student council Ayars, Albert L., Administering the PeOples School (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1957), pp. 156—60. 267 Bossing, N. L., Principles of Secondary Education. (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1949), pp. 440—41. Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), pp. 248—50. Jacobson, Paul B., William Reavis, and James Logsdon, The Effective School Principal (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 19545, pp. 334—40. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities in Secondary_Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 35—46. Student elections Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 19557, p. 231. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 319. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 382. The student handbook Farmer, Floyd M., “The Public High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, )QCXII(April, 1943, 82—91. Hendrickson, H. C., “The Secondary School Principal,” l_3_u_1- letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 1957), 188. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 321, 343. 268 Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunce, Student Activities Ln__Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 188—89. McKowen, Harry C., Extra Curricular Activities (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952f, p. 494. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” Bul- letin Of the National Associatiolgf Secondary School Principals, xxxvm (October, 1954), 23. CHAPTER V PARENTS Attendanc e Failure of Parents to Obey Attendance Laws m1” -.r—'=!-s.—r“ The school laws of the state of Michigan clearly state the conditions which govern compulsory education in the state: Every parent, guardian, or other person in the state of Michigan having control and charge of any child between the ages of six and sixteen years, shall be required to send such child, equipped with the proper textbooks necessary to pursue his or her school work, to the public schools during the en- tire school year, and such attendance shall be continuous and consecutive for the school year.1 There are some exceptions to this sectiOn of the law, but these are for the children who attend private, parochial, or denomi- national schools, or children who are employed as pages or messen- gers in either branch of the state legislature. This problem is troublesome because Of the time involved in ascertaining degree of nonattendance and reasons therefor. 1 Michigan, General School Laws, 1955, Section 406. 269 270 Larger school systems will employ an attendance officer to work entirely within the school district. Smaller schools must rely on the attendance officer employed by the county superintendent.1 When this problem occurs, it is the lawful duty of the teacher or principal to report the incident to the attendance Officer. He in turn is obligated to investigate the case and try to convince the pupil and the parents of the wisdom of voluntary attendance. If this does not have the desired results, he is bound by law to serve legal notice, and if the parents are convicted they will be charged with a misdemeanor.2 If the nonattendance is due to the child’s attitude, and is unbeknown to the parent, the child may be sent to a detention home or some other place designated by the probate judge. Attitudes Scheduling Conferences with Parents Scheduling parent conferences is sometimes a very serious problem. The conference itself and the attitude it may create is a strong public-relations aspect that is generally of vital interest to the pupil. 1Ibid. , Section 408. 2Ibid., Sections 414, 415. 271 By creating a good feeling among parents, the principal may be able to eliminate many other problems, not only during his ini- tial year but also in the years that follow. The beginning principal should do all in his power to sched- ule parent conferences even if it means after-hours work. The extra time spent during the first year may well be rewarding in later years.1 Many parents, both fathers and mothers, work during the day and find it impossible to come to the school earlier than late after- noon. Teachers may stay after school occasionally to participate in parent conferences; however, if this occurs too often the teacher may relate all pertinent information to the principal, who may sub- stitute for the teacher. Most school districts require the principal to remain at school later in the day than the teachers, so the time element does not present as great a problem. It might even be nec- essary occasionally to schedule a conference on Saturday, and, while this is an inconvenience to the principal, it could prove worth while. The above comments apply to the conference that may be con- sidered of a friendly nature; however, in the case of a meeting based 1David B. Austin and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High-School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National As- sociation of Secondary School Principals, XL (January, 1956), 104. 272 upon the pupil’s serious misbehavior, truancy, or trouble serious enough to send the child home, the parents may be summoned to the school regardless of the inconvenience it may cause, since in some cases if the parents are inconvenienced they may resort to stronger disciplinary methods than would otherwise prevail, thus perhaps im- proving the child’s school behavior. Inducing Parents to Visit School If parents can be brought to see the school in operation they will better understand what the school is attempting to do. It is generally recognized that parents, especially mothers, visit the regular sessions of schools during the elementary school period but that the practice is less frequent at the secondary level. The reason, no doubt, is due in part to the unwillingness of adolescents to have their parents participate in activities, as such action conceivably might result in the youths being consid- ered immature by his fellows. In an effort to get large numbers of parents to visit the school, some principals hold night sessions of the regularly scheduled daytime classes. For example, two afternoon classes may be dismissed and held during the evening. Each parent who' comes may be asked to attend the classes in which his child is enrolled. Principals who have tried this plan are enthusiastic about the number of parents who attend and their sincere inter- est and keen appreciation of the opportunity.1 Parents and patrons are always much interested in the more spectacular school activities such as the band, shops, and laboratories. 1Paul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), if. 703. _J ‘ 3E: -W“ 273 Opportunities for inspection of these activities with pupil interpreters is valuable and informative. The showing of educational films or a concert may act as a fitting climax to the visitation. Many activities and visitations are planned for American Edu- cation Week, although any other time is entirely satisfactory. Other programs that may be planned to draw parents to the school are open-house activities, individual class plays, concerts, or other activities, exhibits, and programs of entertainment. The success of school visitations may depend upon the princi- pal’s ability to organize a good public -relations and communications program. Assuring Textbooks for All Students Parents of school-age children in Michigan are required by law to send their children to school equipped with the proper text- books necessary to pursue this schoolwork. If the parents or guardians do not comply with the law in this respect the teacher or principal is obligated to notify the attendance officer, who in turn must make notification and legal action if neces— sary, charging the parent with a misdemeanor.1 1Michigan, General School Laws, 1955, Sections 406, 415. 274 The above statement is what may be done according to the law, and the principal should be aware of his Obligation in this matter; however, the problem may be solved in other ways. The principal may schedule a conference with the parent and endeavor to convince him of the importance of textbooks and other supplies and try to alter the attitude and make the parent want to equip the pupil with the necessary materials. Some Of the undesirable attitudes may be formed by the fact that the parent will give the child enough money to purchase the necessary books and the child will spend the money for some other purpose. When all of the facts are known in such a case it is apparent that the parent has no objection to pur- chasing books; in fact, he may think the books have been purchased. In most instances it isn’t a case of the parent not wanting to purchase books, but rather it may be caused by financial inability to . do so. In this respect many school boards allocate an item in the budget to purchase books for the pupils who are unable to do so. If this is a school policy the principal should appoint a person to in- vestigate each individual case and determine whether or not the pupil is entitled to textbooks according to criteria established in formulat- ing the policy. The investigation should be thorough, because there will be many requests for books by persons who can afford to pur- chase their own, but would rather obtain them without cost. 275 Educating Parents in Proper Grade Evaluation The periodic report to parents regarding pupil progress is a time-honored tradition in all schools.1 In more recent years many report cards have undergone revisions by committees of teachers and parents. As a result many school systems have departed greatly from the old-fashioned monthly type of report card, giving percentage marks, designed to inform the parents of the progress made by their children in the subjects of study in the school. The newer reports are intended to indicate to parents the nature and character of the growth of their children and the problems encountered by the teachers in their work with the children. In reality the report is intended to serve as a basis for a conference between the teacher and parent if the progress of the pupil is not satisfactory.2 The National Education Association committee on school rec- ords and reports3 asserted that the main objectives of the periodic report are: (1) improvement in the education results of pupils; (2) improvement in the professional knowledge and skill of the teacher through the appraisal of his pupils; and (3) improvement in the con- fidence of parents and of the general public in the school and its work. 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 253. 2mm, p. 255. 3School Records and Reports, Research Bulletin, Vol. V, NO. 5 (Washington, D.C.: Research Division, National Education Associa- tion, 1927), p. 269. 276 The report is important only if the parents understand the system used in this evaluation process. Care should be taken to make the report as concise and simple as possible, and it should be presented in such a manner that it will not be confusing to the parents. Either the explanation of marks as symbols should appear on the card or a separate explanation should accompany the report card. It is difficult to relay information to the parents when the reporting system is changed, mainly because the parents are familiar with the card that was used when they were in school. When the system is changed, the explanation should be given to parents by letter, parent meetings, seminars, or a combination of these. Selected References Attendanc e Failure of parents to obey attendance laws Grieder, Calvin, and William Rosenstengel, Public School Ad- ministration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1953, pp. 338—39. ‘ Hagman, Harlan L., The Administration of American Public Schools (New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1951), p. 234. 277 Lowenstein, Norman, “The High School and Social Class Structure in America,” Bulletin of the National As- sociation of Secondary School Principals, XXXIX (May, 1955), 155. Michigan, General School Laws (Lansing: Speaker-Hines and Thomas, Inc., 1955), Sections 406—7, 415. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), pp. 384—85. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), pp. 175-78. Attitudes Scheduling conferences with parents Austin, David B., and James S. Collins, “A Study of Attitudes toward the High School Principalship,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XL (January, 19565, 104. Boardmm, Charles W., “What Are Good Techniques in Achiev- ing Democratic Administration in High School?” Bul- letin of the National Association of Secondagy SchOOl Principals, xxxm Glpril, 19492—20645. Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Relationships,” Bulletin of the National Associayion of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 1957), 55. Langdon, Grace, and Irving W. Stout, Teacher-Parent Inter- views (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1954), p. 277. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 19527, p. 176. \w4t-w— 278 Inducing parents to visit school Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 703. Johnston, Edgar G., and Roland C. Faunc e, Student Activities in Secondary Schools (New York: The Ronald Press, 1—952), p. 79. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 422. Misner, Paul J., “Responsibility for Public Relations,” School Executive, LXIV (July, 1945), 49—50. Assuring textbooks for all students Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of Schoolélirincipals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 315. Michigan, General School Laws (Lansing: Speaker-Hines and Thomas, Inc., 1955), Sections 406, 415. Shaw, Roger M. , “In loco Parentis,” School Executive, LXXIV (May, 1955), 56. Educating parents in proper grade evaluation Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 253. Keller, Irving A., “An Evaluation of the Dual Grading Sys- tems,” Bulletin of the National Association of Second- ary School Principals, XXXIX (November, 1955), 38. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 405. ‘t I.“ 3* 279 School Records and Reports, Research Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 5 (Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1927). CHAPTER VI COMMUNITY Use of Facilities Public Use of School Facilities Policies on the use of school facilities by nonschool groups must be an outgrowth of the philosophy of the community. It will behoove the board of education to develop a well-written, concise statement which reflects the philosophy which caused the policy to be written. Practice would indicate that the use of an advisory lay committee on this problem is helpful if the philosophy as written is to be accepted by the community.1 During the last two decades there has. been a growing feel- ing that the school should not only serve children or adolescents during the day but should also serve as a community center in the late afternoon and evening. In addition to using the school 1Hugh Schram (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 219. 280 281 facilities for academic training, many schools have begun to function as community centers for social, recreational, or civic activities. With the coming of shorter hours of work and more leisure, adults have found time which they could spend in social activity and recreation. In organizing the school as a community center, the prin- cipal has a major role in encouraging its development, although there is no reason why he should personally direct it if there is someone else who can and will do it acceptably.2 There can be little doubt that the wider use of the school as a community center is shortly to be expected. Whether the school or some other agency directs the program depends upon the school personnel. The school principal is in a strategic position to give direction to the movement. Parent-Teacher Organizations Every parent-teacher organization has been created for primarily one set of purposes: (1) to promote child welfare; (2) to raise the standards of living, especially those which af- fect children; (3) to secure legislation serving these aims; and (4) to develop intelligent cooperation between parents and 1Paul Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 715. ’ , 2mm, p. 716. 3mm, p. 718. 282 teachers in meeting the children’s needs. Actuated by these commendable objectives, the members of the organization not only influence one another but also reach almost every person in the1 community through their social, business or other con- tacts. In some communities, particularly at the secondary school level, the parent-teacher organization is not successful. The diversity and number Of the population prevent the feeling of homogeneity so often present in the elementary school. As a result some schools have developed grade councils, homeroom groups, mothers and fathers clubs, school improvement leagues, or other organizations which have similar improvement pur- poses. NO school principal can overlook the social aspect of a parent-teacher organization. For many parents it serves as a needed social contact. For all parents it offers an opportunity to become acquainted with the present or prospective teachers Of the child. From such an understanding, the organization can go on to an interpretation of what is being done, answering ques- tions which are of concern to parents and interpreting the entire school system. A wise principal will work unobtrusively with the program committees to suggest topics or demonstrations which will enlighten parents. Outside speakers may be desir- able on rare occasions. Ordinarily demonstrations of new methods of teaching or explanations of school policy or finance will be more effective. 1George C. Kyte, The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1941), p. 426. 2Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 713. 3Ibid., p. 712. 283 Selected References Use of Facilities Public use Of school facilities Grieder, Calvin, and William E. Rosenstengel, Public School Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1954), p. 508. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), pp. 715, 718. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 219. Parent-teacher organizations Harlow, J. G., “Building the Principals Team,” Bulletin of the National Association of_Secondary School Princi- pals, XXXIX (February, 1955), 47. Hendrickson, H. C., “The Secondary School Principal,” _B_ul_- letin of the National Association Of Secondary School Principals, XLI (February, 19577, 188. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 712. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 426. McKeehan, Rallin, “.A Principal’s Study Council,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Princi- pals, XXXD( (May, 1955), 48. Wahlquist, John T., et al., The Administration of Public Edu- cation (New York: The Ronald Press, 1952), p. 115. CHAPTER VII PUBLIC RELATIONS Building and Maintaining Sound and Productive Predilections Creating a Workable Publicity System The primary general purpose of communications may be stated as an effort to facilitate a consistent and harmonious action of all individuals within the organization toward the achievement of a common goal. In school organization this action is toward the better teaching-learning situation. Two facets of this broad general purpose of communications as adopted from purposes stated by Miller are as follows: (1) providing infor- mation, and (2) using the information provided to strengthen group relationships.2 Keeping the focus directly on this broad purpose, as well as on the two elements of the purpose, may be a somewhat com- plex task, considering the numerous complicating factors that enter actual operations.3 1B. J. Chandler and Paul V. Petty, Personnel Management i_n School Administration (New York: World Book Company, 1955), p. 505. 2George A. Miller, Language and Communications (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 19517, p. 253. 3Chandler and Petty, loc. cit. 284 285 There are three parties to an educational publicity program: (1) the school, (2) the public press, and (3) the community. Each has an interest in the program.1 Cooperation of the school, the press, and the community in regard to public education is essential if the press is to function as a desirable instrument of better school-community relationships.2 To develop a good publicity program, it is essential that the school principal be public -relations conscious. One of the important means of bringing school problems to the attention of the public is through the medium of publications. Fine and Anderson have suggested the following program to aid in pre- paring publications: .‘ . . (1) work closely with the board of education in plan- ning publications, (2) enlist the cooperation of staff members and laymen in the publications program, (3) work toward the goal of having a trained person responsible for publications, (4) give authority to the editor or publications director to develop the basic principles in cooperation with co-workers, (5) spend enough money on publications to make them worthy of your school system, and (6) be flexible. Unscheduled publications may be needed, such as for a bond drive, a special educational conference, or a little White House Conference. Plan your bud- get to meet these needs. 1William A. Yeager, School—Community Relations (New York: The Dryden Press, 1951), p. 247. 2Iloid. ' 3Benjamin Fine and Vivienne Anderson, The School Adminis- trator and His Publications (New London: Arthur C. Croft Publica- tions, 1957), p. 125. 286 Publicizing the School Program In selecting media or methods of informing the community of the school program, no specific recommendations can be suggested which would apply in all situations. The activities applied to one situation would not necessarily be workable in another community. “Public relations activities must be tailor-made and not selected at random for the sake of expediency or because a certain technique has become popular. ”1 Among the means of interpreting the school to the public may be mentioned: reports to parents; newspaper releases in the commercial press and school newspapers; television presen- tations, addresses over the radio, and to school assemblies; the observance of special days, such as Education Week, school vis- iting days, and exhibits of the products of the school; and the interpretation of the school to the pupils who in turn interpret it to their parents.2 “One of the fundamental considerations of a school in meeting its public relations needs is how to utilize its own available resources and facilities, and how to focus them on its own particular needs.”3 1Hugh Schram (ed.), A look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrator, 1955), p. 128. 2Paul B. Jacobson, William C. Reavis, and James D. logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 698. 3American Association of School Administrators, Public Re- lations for American Schools, Twenty-eighth Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1950), p. 275. 287 The size of the school system affects the range of the public relations program. Devices, techniques and procedures must be mobilized so that there is direct contact with every home in the area. Rural school districts may need to concen- trate on first hand relationships, both in the school and through- out the community, supplemented by occasional articles in the local weekly newspaper. In larger school systems many other channels must be used to contact the various publics. The larger the community the more inadequate the “grass root” techniques become.1 In his planning the principal should consider two types of agents. One type is directly responsible for the public-relations program: school board members, administrators, teachers, sec- retaries, custodians, and other school personnel. The second type includes all persons who are not directly employed in the school system but who may be important participators in the public-relations program: the pupils, the parents, newspaper- men, civic officials and other citizens. News Releases The alert principal will use publications to good advantage in his over—all public relations and publicity program. Frequently an article of general interest appears in the school newspaper, the school journal, a folder, booklet or annual report. News- paper editors and reporters might be interested, but they will not, as a rule, seek out the stories. The technique used to bring the publication and the press to- gether is relatively simple. The principal should appoint a staff 1Ibid. 2George C. Kyte, The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1941), p. 403. 3 Fine and Anderson, op. cit., p. 121. 288 member to keep in touch with the local newspapers and to write up an interesting item that may be the basis for a news story. The entire report should be included because reporters may want to see the original source of the article. Because this principle is not often practiced, considerable news coverage is lost by the schools. There have been survey re- ports and other items that would make front-page stories if they were sent to the newspaper. Place the newspaper editors on the school mailing list and send them copies of all publications. It is not sufficient to send the publications without explan- atory information. Editors receive scores of school reports, brochures and other forms of publications. They are too busy to scan all of them so a wise public relations practice is to send a release with the publication. In addition to sending news releases, the principal—especially in a smaller community——should become acquainted with the newspaper editor and should strive for a good working relationship with him. This relationship will result in many news articles based upon the things that happen in the school. A weekly telephone conversation, luncheon, a meeting at a service club, or other organization meeting 1 Ibid. 2mm, p. 122. 289 will accomplish this purpose. The release timing is of no conse- quence. Every editor will hold the story until the release date if such date is specified. There may be a slip occasionally, but it is rare. The principal should be sure to mark the release date and time plainly on each news release. Preparing Plans for an Open House One of the most effective methods of interpreting the school to the patrons is the Open house. At such affairs in secondary schools, talks may be given by various members of the faculty upon such topics as college entrance, new curriculum provision, extracurricular opportuni- ties, the social program, guidance and the like. In some cases the Open house presentation may be by the students in which narrators describe slide presentations prepared by the school’s photography club or a similar presentation of student activities.1 An open-house program may be planned to include posters, musical concerts, and similar activities, but these activities may involve only a small percentage of the pupils. A more effective type of open house, both from the standpoint of greater pupil par- ticipation and informing the patrons of actual school Operation, is to have the regular classes meet during the evening and invite parents 1Jacobson, Reavis, and Logsdon, op. cit., p. 703. 290 to visit the classes. This may be done on a school-wide basis or by departments. If the departmental method is employed it is well to use the vocational arts department as the initial open house because this department may be more diversified in nature to create greater in- terest. The students in all shops may prepare small gifts such as leather bookmarks, metal paperweights, or a special issue of the school paper before the visit. The students may work on these projects during the actual open house, but if the gifts are prepared previous to the visit a number sufficient for all may be prepared. Parents and friends may visit all the shops and observe an actual class in operation. The operation of machinery and craft work is more spectacular than regular academic classwork and will create enough interest that parents will return for another open house. The sponsoring department may be rotated, or the program may be planned by a club or activity group. The choice of the Sponsoring activity will vary, depending on the community. 291 Selected References Building and Maintaining Sound and Productive Predilections Creating a workable publicity system Chandler, B. J ., and Paul V. Petty, Personnel Management in School Administration (New York: The World Book Company, 1953, p. 505. Fine, Benjamin, and Vivienne Anderson, The School Adminis- trator and His Publications (New London, Conn.: Ar- thur C. Crofts Publications, 1957), p. 125. Miller, George A., Language and Communications (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1951), p. 253. Yeager, William A., School-Community Relations (New York: The Dryden Press, 1951}, p. 247. Yeager, William A., Administration and the Teacher (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956), p. 375. Publicizing the school program American Association of School Administrators, Public Rela- tions for American Schools, Twenty-eighth Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1950), p. 275. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 194D, p. 698. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 401. Schram, Hugh (ed.), A Look at Your Job (Lansing: Michigan Association of School Administrators, 1955), p. 128. 292 News releases Carlson, Richard 0., “An Administrator’s Guide to Community Structure,” Educational Administration and Supervision, XLII (May, 1956), 292—300. Christophe, L. M., “The Principal and the Improvement of Re- lationships,” Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, XLI (October, 19577, 55. Fine, Benjamin, and Vivienne Anderson, The School Adminis- trator and His Publications (New London, Conn.: Ar- thur C. CroftsPublications, 1957), pp. 121—22. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 698. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1947), p. 434. Mennes, Harold, “Personal Relationships in School Adminis- tration,” Bulletin of the National Association of Sec- ondary School Principals, XXX (April, 1946), 116—17. Preparing plans for an Open house Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James Logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941), p. 703. Kyte, George C., The Principal at Work (Boston: Ginn and Company, 19477, p. 422. Rosenberger, H. T., “A Proper Setting for Learning,” _B_l_11_- letin of the National Associationyof Secondary School Principals, XXXVIII (October, 19547, 23. Yeager, William A., School Community ielations (New York: The Dryden Press, 1951),7p. 385. -—_~_~’.‘.-r CHAPTER VIII RECORDS Attendance and Performance Keeping Attendance Records I The teacher’s daily register and the daily and monthly attend- ance reports are the usual records basic to attendance management. The teacher’s daily register should show absences, tardiness, en- trances, withdrawals, promotions, failures, and other information which may be desired by the administration. The daily attendance report is used by principals to Obtain information for checking on pupils’ absences and tardiness. This form is not standardized and is usually made up by the local admin- istrator to meet local needs. The teacher’s monthly report (gives a summary of the at- tendance data taken from the daily register. This form is usu- ally made up by the state department of education, since a yearly summary is made of these monthly reports and filed with the state department.1 1Calvin Grieder and William E. Rosenstengel, Public School Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1954), p. 389. 293 294 There are several methods being used to control absenteeism from individual classes. The teacher of the first morning and first afternoon class may submit a list of all absentees, with homeroom number or grade indicated, to the office, where a complete list of absentees may be compiled, duplicated, and distributed to all teach- ers This task may be done in time for each teacher to receive the complete list during the second period. The list may be compiled by office-practice students to eliminate extra office work. meaty-:4— ” _. _ Any pupil who is absent from the subsequent classes, but not on the absence list, may be considered as “skippers,” andhn inves- tigation may be made. Another method of checking attendance is to schedule a short homeroom periOd at the beginning Of both morning and afternoon ses— sions, for the purpose of Checking attendance. Classroom teachers may send an absentee list to all homeroom teachers, who in turn can use the lists as a check against the actual attendance in the home- room, and those not accounted for are “skippers.” This will serve as a double check when making out the daily attendance registers. The Cumulative Record The cumulative record brings together successive meas- ures, ratings, and important items on the same traits over a period of years and different traits over an extended time. The 295 real value of such records lies in the uses made of it. Among the persons using these records frequently, both during and af- ter the child’s school life, are the principal, attendance officer, teachers, parents, guidance workers, nurse, physician, and other specialists, and those interested in research on all school prob- lems. The nature of the data provided for in the cumulative rec- ord depends upon the individual school system. This record co- ordinates all the personnel activities carried on by the school staff, and, at the same time, it should present a picture of the pupil’s growth and development.2 Teachers and others are coming to grasp more fully the essential concept that real education involves the whole child. These persons are no longer satisfied with a cross-section of an individual at any given time or in a given situation, but de- sire a complete picture of the whole child in the total situation.3 The principal must decide how complete the pupil personnel records of a high school must be without burdening the staff to the point where it makes so many records that no one has time to use them. Many schools tend to individualize their approach , to each student. Administrators and counselors need individual case histories of each student just as a doctor needs a case his- tory of each patient whose health he is supposed to care for.4 The cumulative record should be easily accessible to teach- ers, counselors, and others in order to encourage its use in pupil guidance, scheduling, and in conferences with parents. 11pm, p. 376. 2Ibid. 3mm, p. 377. 4{Will French, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Company, 1957), p. 416. 296 Selected References Attendance and Performance Keeping attendance records Grieder, Calvin, and William E. Rosenstengel, Public sglool Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 19547, p. 389. Koos, Leonard, et al., Administering the Secondary School (New York: American Book Company, 1940), p. 599. Reeder, Ward, The Fundamentals Of Public School Adminis- tration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 19587fpp. 380—85. The cumulative record Faunce, Roland C., Secondary School Administration (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955), p. 167. French, Will, J. Dan Hull, and B. L. Dodds, American High School Administration (New York: Rinehart and Com- pany, 1951), p. 416. Grieder, Calvin, and William E. Rosenstengel, Public School Administration (New York: The Ronald Press, 1954), p. 376. Jacobson, Paul B., William C. Reavis, and James logsdon, Duties of School Principals (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1941?, p. 245. CHAPTER IX SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Summary The problems selected for this dissertation were placed into general categories, and a further analysis was made for a more related grouping within the general category designation. The problems related to administration were divided into groups relating to office administration, school plant, superintendent and board of education, scheduling, and conferences. Problems related to the faculty were divided into groups re- lating to supervision and evaluation, professional ethics and instruc- tion, teacher morale, scheduling and load, health and welfare, and miscellaneous. Problems related to students were divided into groups relat- ing to discipline, attendance, instruction, student welfare, and ac- tivities. The parents group was divided into areas of attendance and attitudes. The community category was divided between the use of 297 298 facilities and parent-teacher associations. The number of problems relating to public relations and record-keeping was very small, and no further division was necessary. The solutions to the majority of the problems analyzed rec- ommended a philosophy of democratic administration and were cited in order to aid the beginning high-school principal in similar situ- ations rather than to recommend specific solutions to specific prob- lems. The greatest number of problems related to students, admin- istration, and the faculty categories. The problems relating to parents, community, public relations, and record—keeping were few in number. The nature of the problems submitted seemed to indicate that the beginning high- school principal is troubled with the mechanical operation of the school, rather than the basic philosophy or the improvement of instruction. Problems classified as instructional are those directly re- lated to classroom instruction, supervision of instruction, teacher growth, and academic improvement. All other problems are of a mechanical nature. Although there may be a relationship between the two types of problems, a distinction was made to show that a major portion of 299 the principal’s time is. spent in the mechanical operation of the school rather than in the improvement of instruction. Table II indicates the number of problems selected for each category and the number of problems classified as mechanical or instructional. As the principal gains experience and is better able to cope with the mechanical operation Of the school, more emphasis can be directed toward organization and supervision to improve the instruc- tional program. In the pursuit of solutions to the several problems, it was found that there was an abundance of material in the areas of in- structional improvement, group dynamics, personnel organization, curriculum study, and child growth and development. Information concerning discipline—especially of troublesome or misguided stu- dents—is extremely inadequate. Other areas where information seemed inadequate are organization and training Of the clerical staff, suggestions for solving problems involving the superintendent and board of education, allocation of time, procedure for students who become ill or injured during the school day, and directions or suggestions for an efficient record-keeping system. The literature displayed a hypothetical or philosophical atti- tude and seemed to elaborate on “what should be” rather than “what is and what should be done about it.” Because of the fact 300 TABLE II NUMBER OF PROBLEMS SELECTED FOR EACH PROBLEM AREA, INDICATING THE NUMBER CONSIDERED MECHANICAL AND THE NUMBER CONSIDERED INSTRUCTIONAL Number of Problems Pmblem Area Mechan- Instruc- ical tional T°ta1 Administration: Office administration .......... 12 School plant ................ 6 Superintendent and board of education ................ Scheduling ................. 2 Conferences, meetings, and allo— cation Of time ............. _9_ Total ................... _g; Faculty: Supervision and evaluation ...... 6 Professional and instructional . . . 6 Morale .................... 6 Scheduling and load .......... 2 Health and welfare ........... 4 Miscellaneous ............... _2 Total ................... _2_§___ 11 6 1 4 2 :21 3 2 4 l H mm Student: Discipline ................. Attendance ................. Instruction ................. Student welfare ............. Activities .................. Total ................... Parents ..................... Community ................... Public relations ............... H H H HoowlaJtowcooo. lHlohONt—tl—Iw Lulu 010 tow H H to NleUImoh-JOODH dmlbth-J-JCD «199 «lb Grand total .................. 84 41 125 W_,~"‘..t~:.. " ' ‘ ' 301 that the information was very sparse in specific problem areas, it was necessary to cite reference that answered many of the problems by implication rather than by direct statement. In areas where different authors seemed to display a conflict- ing point of view, further reading was necessary to determine whether the statement of either had been cited as an example or of fact. In each and every case the solution that was selected seemed to be most conterminous with accepted practices of democratic administra- tion. The study indicated that many problems are common to a ma- jority of high-school principals regardless of the geographical loca- tion or social status of the community. This statement is verified by the number of duplicate problems eliminated as indicated on page 10. The problems used for the study were those of the twenty- five participating principals, and no inference is made that this par- ticular group of principals is a representative sample of all beginning principals. The writer assumed throughout the study that a beginning principal would be employed in a small high school. Principals in larger schools generally secure their positions by virtue of promo- tion from subordinate administrative offices, and, while they are 302 technically beginning principals, they are quite familiar with the school organization, policies, and personnel and do not experience the same types of problems as the beginner in a strange environ- ment. The solutions are focused upon the small high school, but they may also apply to larger schools in many cases. Conclusions One of the basic assumptions upon which this study was based was that the high-school principalship is a specific position in a pro- fession which requires specific training. One may conclude from this study that the beginning principal is less adequately trained in solving the mechanical problems because there were so many more submitted than there were problems concerning instructional improvement. If this conclusion is valid, then it may follow that the institutions which train school administrators are neglecting an area of instruction for which there is a great need. In the administration category, the problems were most nu- merous in the group concerning office administration, the reason probably being that the principal is directly responsible for the op- eration of the office. It is virtually impossible for him to delegate this responsibility. He is aware of what is taking place in the of- fice and of the many problems which exist because he is physically 303 located in a position where he constantly observes the office. There may have been more problems in other areas which were not sub- mitted because they were unknown to the principal. One might con- tend that situations that are unknown are not problems; however, the principal is responsible for the effective operation of the school and is responsible for all problems, whether or not he is aware of their existence. If he is not aware of existing problems he should be, and he will not be an effective principal until he is. The problems concerning the school plant may be delegated to the head custodian, and scheduling to designated staff members; as a result, the princi- pal may not be aware of the many other problem areas which exist in a school. There seems to have been no particular area in the faculty category wherein problems were in abundance in comparison to other areas; however, the mechanical problems were greater in number than were the instructional problems in all areas except the miscellaneous group. One would suspect that the instructional problems would out- number the mechanical problems in this category, because the instruc- tional improvement of a school should begin with the teaching staff, but this was not the case. The mechanical problems in the student category far outnum- bered the instructional problems in the areas of discipline and 304 attendance, which is understandable. Problems in these areas defi- nitely reflect or influence the instructional program, but the prob- lems submitted were mechanical in nature. The instructional prob- lems loomed greater in the area of instruction in this category. It was surprising to note that the problems concerning student welfare and student activities were comparatively small. The reason for this is unknown, but one could assume that aspiring principals are given adequate training in these areas. It was not surprising, nor unusual, that the problems sub- mitted concerning parents, community, public relations, and records were much less numerous in comparison to the other categories. A principal usually does not spend as much of his time in these areas in the beginning, but is more concerned with the effective operation of the school. He feels that as much time as possible should be spent becoming familiar with school policy, staff, students, and other matters concerning the school itself. When this has been accom- plished, the typical principal will become more involved in community affairs. As he becomes better acquainted with parents and others in the community, he is requested to give more of his time in this area. Another reason why problems concerning parents and the community may not have been submitted is that many principals en- joy this association and do not consider this area Of their work as ll,|it! -‘l'l. ii. 1. 305 a problem. It would seem reasonable to assume that if a study were made of more experienced principals the problems concerning the community, including parents and public relations, would reflect a much higher percentage than in a study which involves only beginning principals. Recommendations On the basis of this study, the writer would recommend that a further study he made to determine whether or not the problems submitted by this group of twenty-five beginning high-school princi- pals are typical of those encountered by all, or at least a large majority of, beginning high-school principals. If such a study would indicate that most beginning principals are troubled with the mechan- ical operation of the school, rather than with instructional improve- ment, then more adequate training in this area should be provided. It is further recommended that the training institutions should investigate the nature of problems encountered by their beginning principals to determine the kinds of problems, or obstacles encoun— tered by these principals. When this has been determined, instruc- tion and requirements should be altered to meet the needs of the greatest number of students. This statement should not be inter- preted as a criticism of present requirements, but rather as a 306 recommendation that additional instruction or experience in everyday operational problems be included in the training program. This study indicated that problems encountered by the begin- ning principal were not necessarily troublesome to an experienced principal. This would indicate that experience on the job tends to eliminate many problems, and if this is true the writer would strongly recommend an internship whereby the aspiring principal might become familiar with solutions to the many problems that are encountered by a high-school principal and thereby gain security and confidence which would ultimately make him a better administrator. There are many factors which influence the effectiveness of a high-school principal: (I) the needs, whims, prejudices, and peculi- arities of the community in which he is employed; (2) whether or not his educational philosophy and attitude is conterminous with the philosophy and attitude of the community; (3) his relationship with the superintendent and board of education; and (4) a feeling of se- curity and confidence in the individual. It is hoped that by the compilation of solutions to the several problems, and the information presented in a short and concise form, this study will aid the beginning principal to arrive at effective conclusions and decisions more rapidly and with greater ease. In doing so it is further hoped that it will aid in establishing a sense 307 of security and confidence in the beginning principal, and help him to be happier and more effective in his work. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Alberty, Harold. Reorganizing the High School Curriculum. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1953. Alexander, William, and Galen Saylor. Secondary Education: Basic Principles and Practices. New York: Rinehart and Company, 1950. American Association of School Administrators. Public Relations for American Schools. Twenty-eighth Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1950. American Association Of School Administrators. American School Curriculum. Thirty-first Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1953. 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APPENDIX INDEX TO PROBLEMS ANALYZED Administration Office Administration Problems What is a good method of setting up a petty—cash fund, and what provisions can be made for it? ............. How can the principal avoid committee work and meet- ings in order to spend more time on the job? ......... What is a good method for planning a curriculum study? . . . How should a social committee be formed, and what should its function be? ......................... What is a good method of revising the report card? ..... How far can administration or staff go in the disciplin- ing of students ? .............................. How should school assemblies be financed? ........... What can be done to ease the burden of clerical help when the work piles up and the clerks get behind? ..... What should a policy handbook for staff and students contain? ................................... What is a good method ‘of collecting student fees? ...... What can be done when conflicting interpretations of school policies cause confusion among the teachers? . . . . 324 Page 13 15 17 20 23 26 28 30 31 33 34 How can one solve the problem of the lack of communi- cations between offices? ........................ How can a principal overcome the difficulty of getting the pulse of the school to see how things are going? . . . . What points should be emphasized when rating teachers? How can an individual principal, or group of principals, create a better understanding between school systems on such matters as school policies, student behavior, teachers’ duties, child accounting, curriculum matters, and methods of reporting student progress? ........... School Plant What can be done when proper office space or facilities for conferences are not available? ................. What can be done about janitors who do not do their work? ...................................... How can a good fire-drill policy be established, and how can faculty and students be made aware of the policy ? .................................... Can a training program be provided for janitors, cus- todians, engineers, and other maintenance personnel? . . . . What is the liability of the school when skating, bowling, or other school-sponsored parties .are held at commercial establishments? .................... What is a good method of selecting equipment for the classrooms and laboratories? ..................... Should there be a central supply room and how should supplies be distributed? ........................ 325 Page 36 37 39 4O 42 44 46 48 50 51 53 What is an adequate amount of audio-visual equipment necessary to operate a good program? .............. Superintendent and Board of Education To what extent should the board of education subsidize the athletic program? .......................... Should board of education members listen to parents’. complaints rather than the superintendent or principal? How can one convince the board of education that writ- ten policies are needed and that it is their obligation to help formulate such policies? .................. If the principal recognizes a weakness in the educa— tional program in his school or in the over-all program of the district, should he expose this weakness to the community if the superintendent paints a rosy picture of the school system? .......................... Scheduling How can study halls be eliminated? ................ How can the library be best used for supervised class study ? .................................... What is a good length of time for classes? ........... Is it advisable to change or alter the examination schedule to fit the bus schedule? ................... How should the principal set up a schedule with . the nurse for hearing, sight, and physical examina- tions ? ..................................... 326 Page 54 56 58 6O 61 63 65 66 68 '70 Should I.Q. tests be given to seniors as a basis for counseling? .................................. How can an adult-education program be organized? ...... Conferences, Meetings, and Allocation of Time What is a good method of planning preschool con- ferenc es ? ................................... There are many conferences with probation officers, attendance officers, and others concerning students. Should the principal participate in all of these and, if he should, what is a good method of working them into the school day? ............................... What is a good policy for closing school so teachers can attend clinics, conferences, etc.? ................ Faculty Supervision and Evaluation What are some types of letters of recommendation for teachers and what should they contain? .............. What are some techniques of conferring with teachers, after observing classes, without seeming to be c ritic al ? .................................... What is a good method of selecting committees to look over equipment and make recommendations for purchases ? .................................. How can one provide adequate sponsors for clubs and other activities ? .............................. 327 Page 72 73 75 78 79 100 102 103 105 Classroom teachers object when the coach, band director, or others excuse students from academic classes. What can be done about this problem? ....... What can be done about teachers who do not read bulletins ? .................................. How can one convince teachers that they should dismiss their classes on time so that students will not be late to the next class? .................... What should be done about habitually tardy teachers? . . . . How can one inform and convince teachers that the school is operated for the students and not for the teachers? ...... . ............................ Professional and Instructional What can be done about bickering and disagreement among faculty members caused by gossip and clique action ? .................................... How can one convince teachers that their responsibili- ties do not end when class is out, that they are re- sponsible for student conduct in the halls, assemblies, lunchroom, etc . ? ............................. How can an in-service training program be organized? How can one get teachers to abide by school rules governing their conduct in and out of school, arriving and leaving on time, use of free periods, getting to class on time? ............................... How can one encourage teachers to provide their own solutions to minor problems that come up in class? ..... 328 Page 107 109 110 112 113 115 117 119 121 123 How should one deal with a teacher who “goes over the principal’s head” for various purposes? ........... What is the danger of a teacher’s becoming too fa- miliar or too friendly with students? ................ Morale Teachers bring many problems to the office that could be solved by themselves. How can this be eliminated without the teacher’s feeling that he is not wanted in the offic e ? .................................. How can one raise morale that is very low? ........... Teachers complain that the superintendent interferes in matters that are the principal’s duties or responsi- bilities. What can be done about this? ............... Older (in years of service) teachers try to give too much advice and help to younger (in years of service) teachers, who resent this. How can the problem be solved? ..................................... How can one gain the teachers’ confidence to the point where they will freely come to the office for help? ...... A very definite morale problem exists because there is no teachers’ room. How can this be solved? ........ What is the role of the beginning teacher in the school? Scheduling and Load How much time should be allotted for correcting examina- tion papers and recording marks at the end of the semester? . . 329 124 125 127 129 131 133 135 136 138 140 How often should faculty meetings be held and what day of the week is best? ........................... What can be done about the problem of teachers who are unwilling to work in any extracurricular activities? . . . Some teachers spend so much time on extracurricular activities that their classes suffer. How can this be corrected? .................................. Health and Welfare How long should a pregnant teacher be allowed to teach, and should a policy be established for this? ........... What should be done in the case of a chronically ill teacher who, even when working, looks and is ill and ineffective ? .................................. What should be done about an emotionally upset teacher who has many personality clashes with students? ........ To what extent should class or club sponsors come back to school for evening functions merely because the students want something to do? ................ Misc ellaneous What is a good method of issuing bulletins, how often should they be issued, and what day of the week is best? . . . .................................. What is a good method for teachers to select a pro- fessional library? ............................ What is a good method of reporting pupil progress and how often should reports be submitted? ............. 330 Page 141 143 145 147 149 150 152 154 155 157 What is a good method of securing a course of study for each department of the school? ................ What is a good method of selecting, instructing, and assisting substitute teachers? .................... How may one plan worth-while teachers’ meetings? ..... Students Discipline What can be done about the problem of students who drive automobiles to school and who drive about the community in an unsafe and disturbing manner? ........ What can be done about students who are subtle in their actions, whose influence is demoralizing to others, but who do not overtly disobey school rules? ......... What should be done about pregnant girls in school? How long may they remain in school, and when may they return after the child is born? ................ How can the behavior of students and nonstudents at dances be controlled? .......................... What can be done about students who smoke on school grounds and in the building during school and at so- cial or athletic functions? ....................... What can be done about couples who show excessive fondness in the halls between classes? .............. How can misbehavior and damage to school buses be prevented? ................................. 331 183 185 187 189 191 192 194 What can be done when students will not sign out for library books? ............................... How can students be counseled to insure that they will do what they are told to do by the teacher? .......... How can theft be controlled in the school? ........... What can be done about students who openly defy teachers ? .................................. Att endanc e Should scholastic marks be lowered to counteract poor att endanc e ? ................................. What can be done to overcome “skipping,” both from individual classes and from full-day sessions, and what punishment should be inflicted? ............... Should a policy be established governing the excuse of students from school to go deer hunting? . . . . . ..... What can be done about the truancy of students who are under sixteen and students who are over sixteen years of age? ............................... What should be done about students who want to be excused from school for part of the day for working, medical appointments, music lessons, helping at home, etc.? ..................................... What is a method of checking student absence when parents are not home or do not have a telephone? ...... 332 Page 196 197 199 201 203 205 207 208 210 212 Instruction What is a method of setting up a driver-education program? .................................. How may study halls be operated without adult super- vision and what is a good policy for holding study- hall periods on days before vacations? .............. What should be done about excessive requests for class changes? .............................. Should grades for music, choir, band, etc., be counted in grade-point average? ........................ Should two types of diplomas be granted? ............ What type of grades should be given at the end of the first semester? If a student fails, should he repeat? Students want to drop out of courses at the end of the first semester. Should they be permitted to do so? . . . . Students want to carry more classes than they are capable of carrying. Should this be permitted? ....... What can be done for students who are far behind their grade level or incapable of learning? ........... What should be done about the credits of transfer students who took courses not offered in the school which they now attend? ......................... Student Welfare Should a public telephone be installed for student use to eliminate students’ using the office phone? ......... 333 Page 214 216 218 219 221 223 225 226 228 230 232 What can be done about the problem of the principal who teaches classes? This practice does not seem fair to the students who must take such classes. ....... What should be done about students who consistently fail? ..................................... Should police authorities be permitted to come into the school to question students? Should they be permitted to remove the students from the school? ...... How can one increase student interest and understand- ing in school? ............................... How can one care for students who are ill or injured whose parents are not home? .................... What should be done with students during the noon hour when there is no supervision because of a teacher shortage? ......... . .................. Activities What is a good method of organizing extracurricular c lubs ? .................................... What is a good type of student council organization and how can it be started? ...................... What is a good method of preparing for, and holding student elections? ............................ What is a good method of preparing a student handbook? What is the purpose of a student handbook? .......... 334 Page 234 235 237 238 240 242 244 245 247 249 Parents What can be done about parents who fail to send stu— dents to school because they do not believe in educa- tion, and the child does not like school? ............ What can be done about scheduling parent conferences because of inconvenience to parent and school? ........ How can one get parents to visit the school? ......... What should be done when parents refuse to buy books or pay book rentals? .......................... What is a good method of educating parents in inter- pretation of grades, both scholastic and citizenship? . . . . Community What. is a good policy concerning the use of school facilities by the community? ..................... What is the function of the Parent-Teacher Association and what is the principal’s role in the organization? . . . . Public Relations How can one create a good workable system of school publicity that will take information into all homes? ..... How can one get the school program before the community ? ................................. What is a good practice for news releases and release timing in both school and local papers? ............. 335 Page 269 270 272 273 275 280 281 284 286 287 What is a method of preparing plans for school open house ? ............................ Records What is a good method of keeping attendance records? . . . What is the purpose of the cumulative record? 336 Page 289 293 294 {L.(Julvl GEE UL! coma If”? .."~?:W Q». - on. 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