his authority unjustly. Mutual respect, confidence, and coöperation are essential to satisfactory results.

The Actual Division of Duties will depend on the size of the school. Where fewer than six teachers are employed, the superintendent usually prefers to assume responsibility for the general management, supervision, and discipline of the high school as well as of the grades, consequently the duties of the principal are confined to teaching and the partial management of the school after it has been organized under the direction of the superintendent. He has little to do with the selection or supervision of teachers, and severe cases of discipline are referred to the superintendent. In such a school the principal is much more subordinate in fact than he is in a large city where the management and supervision of the high school is practically intrusted to him. Neither law nor custom provides specific rules for the division of authority between superintendent and principal; and it is only fair to each party, as well as to the general public, that in any particular case the extent of the authority of each should be defined by agreement as definitely as possible. The principal should not be held responsible unless he has adequate authority.

RELATION TO TEACHERS

Officially Superior. - By virtue of his greater authority and responsibility the principal is, in a way, always the

superior of other teachers who work with him. The degree of difference between them will depend upon the extent to which he is held responsible for the organization and management of the high school. In the small school the organization is effected under the direct supervision of the superintendent, and the official superiority of the principal is scarcely more than nominal. In the large school, where the principal organizes the school, selects the teachers, places them, and supervises their work, the relation is altogether different. In such cases the teacher stands in much closer relations to the principal than to the superintendent. The former is then the responsible head to whom allegiance is due. Under such circumstances, if he is the real, as well as the official, superior of the teachers, they will often turn to him for assistance.

Assistance. A considerable part of the time and energy of the successful principal of the large school will be spent in rendering such assistance to his teachers. In an official but unofficious manner he should invite their confidence, and their questions in all difficulties. It is an important part of his business to help them to help themselves. When young or untried teachers begin service, he should watch them closely at first that the weak places, if there are any, may be discovered and strengthened before it is too late. The pupils lose no time in discovering them, why should the principal be less vigilant?

There are three important ways in which the principal

may be of assistance to a teacher. First, he may point out some personal habit or mannerism which is likely to interfere with success, a loud voice in the class room, too much talking, too much reserve or too little dignity in association with pupils, carelessness in personal appearance, or lack of promptness in the performance of duties. It requires tact to make these personal criticisms effective without giving offense. Second, he may help the teacher to do better teaching by quietly calling his attention to specific ways in which improvement is possible. Unless such suggestions are definite they are not worth much. They may refer to the assignment of the lesson, lesson plans, mode of questioning, repetition of question or answer by the teacher, steady speed without haste in the class room, more thorough mastery or better organization of the subject-matter on the part of the teacher, thorough drill on fundamentals, especially at the beginning of a new subject, enthusiasm arising from real interest in subject-matter and pupil. Third, he may help the teacher in matters of discipline and management by calling attention to what may reasonably be expected of a certain pupil in a given situation and by helping him to study impulses and motives, his own as well as those of pupils. The art of wisely avoiding trouble is particularly important. The wise, observant principal will find many opportunities for rendering assistance along these lines and an equal number of opportunities for the exercise of kindly tact in giving aid.

He should use the same wisdom and tact in dealing with his teachers that he expects them to use in dealing with pupils.

The Teachers' Meeting is the principal's opportunity for unifying the work of the school on the side of teaching and management. It should be made a time of instruction and inspiration, rather than of monotonous routine. To this end it should begin and close promptly, and it should not be too long. Every minute of time should be used and when there is nothing more to do, it is time to adjourn whether the scheduled hour for adjournment has arrived or not. The principal should preside and direct the course of the proceedings, but he should not occupy all the time himself. If he has announcements or instructions to give, let them be given clearly, concisely, and as quickly as possible. It is the hour for the development of individual teachers and the esprit de corps of the school. Matters of discipline or management should receive deliberate but prompt consideration. The teacher to whom the principal place on the programme has been assigned should be given due time, and discussion should proceed until it is finished or until time for adjournment. Under no circumstances should the meeting be permitted to drag, and very rarely should it extend beyond the specified hour for adjournment.

There are many professional topics that may profitably claim the time of a group of high-school teachers, for example:

The physical needs of adolescents.

The social needs of adolescents.

The bright pupil, how to give him enough to do.
The dull pupil, how to help him most.

The psychology of adolescence.

The high-school programme of studies.
Relation of the high school to the grades.

Relation of the high school to college and university. History of secondary education in the United States. Secondary education in England, France, and Germany. Vocation studies in secondary education.

Whatever the subject chosen for consideration, the study of it should be systematic, and as thorough as circumstances will permit. Different methods of study may be used: for example, when the general subject has been selected, special topics may be assigned to different teachers for the preparation of papers to be read at appointed times; or, all the different phases of the subject may be studied by all teachers; or, a single book may be studied by all and discussed together under the leadership of one appointed for the purpose. Every teacher should do some regular professional or general reading, and some of it can be profitably done by the group of high-school teachers together. This work can be so conducted that the best teachers may exert a stimulating influence upon their colleagues. In such work, as elsewhere, the principal should be the leading, inspiring spirit.