The Man in the Principal's Office

Harry Wolcott's ground-breaking anthropological study into the life of an elementary school principal is now reprinted in a new edition. One of the first studies of its kind, Wolcott uses a microenthnographic approach to analyze a single occupation within urban American society. Originally written in 1973, the text skillfully applies anthropological concepts and methodology to the realm of education.

Harry F. Wolcott is professor emeritus int he Department of Anthropology and the School of Education at the University of Oregon.

Preface, 2003

vii

Select Bibliography

xiii

Preface and Acknowledgments, 1973

xv

1. A Principal Investigator in Search of a Principal

1

(18)

2. A Day in the Life

19

(16)

3. The Principal as a Person

35

(31)

Ed Bell's Early Years,

35

(7)

The Family,

42

(7)

Community Activities,

49

(4)

A Wife's View of the Principalship,

53

(4)

Ed Bell as a Typical Principal,

57

(9)

4. The School and Community

66

(22)

The Physical Plant,

66

(2)

The Staff,

68

(4)

The Taft School Attendance Area,

72

(11)

The Community and the School District,

83

(5)

5. What a Principal Does: Formal Encounters

88

(35)

The Meeting Pattern,

92

(4)

An In-District Meeting of the Elementary School Principals,

96

(8)

Faculty Meetings,

104

(8)

A Meeting of the PTA Executive Board,

112

(5)

A Meeting for "New" Parents,

117

(6)

6. What a Principal Does: Informal Encounters and Daily Routines

123

(55)

Receiving Requests and Handling Problems,

123

(45)

Taking Care of the Building,

168

(7)

When the Principal Is Away,

175

(3)

7. The Annual Cycle of the Principalship

178

(14)

Seasonal Activities of an Elementary School Principal,

181

(11)

8. Maintaining the System: The Socialization of the Principal

192

(35)

Becoming a Principal,

193

(14)

Remaining a Principal,

207

(5)

Ed's Evaluation Conference at the Central office,

212

(15)

9. Maintaining the System: The Principal as Socializes

227

The Socialization of Beginning Teachers,

228

(17)

The Socialization of Experienced Teachers,

245

10. Behind Many Masks

215

(81)

The School Secretary's Impression of the Principal,

276

The Superintendent's Impression of the Principal,

271

(7)

Pupil Impressions of the Principal,

278

(2)

Parents' Impressions of the Principal,

280

(2)

Teacher Impressions of the Principal,

282

(14)

11. Patience and Prudence

296

(21)

Patience; The Eternal Search fir Role,

296

(10)

Prudence: How To Survive in the Principalship,

306

(11)

Epilogue Reactions and Reflections

317

(11)

Ed's Reaction to the Study,

317

(1)

Lingering Thoughts on the Principalship as an Office,

318

(5)

A Note on the Training of Administrators,

323

(5)

References

328

(7)

About the Author

335

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The Man in the Principal's Office

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials