The Texas Standard, Volume 22, Number 2, March-April 1948 Page: 18
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TEXAS STANDARD
8. Mimeographing
9. Filing
10. General office and clerical work
11. Banking
12. Messenger
13. Enrollment
14. Receiving callers and parents
The above list of duties represent the
clerical activities of a typical elementary
school. Where clerks are not provided
these duties must be performed by the
principal with such help as he may enlist.
In schools with clerks, the routine aspects
of these activities can be delegated, al-
though the principal must retain an active
general oversight and control. Under
some circumstances it might be necessary
for him actually to take over the routine
work until the clerk is fully familiar with
the school policy.
TIME GIVEN TO CLERICAL WORK
Morrison's study in Ohio shows that
the average time given to clerical work
was 12 per cent of the total day. A repre-
sentative group of supervising principals
report 18.94 per cent of their time given
to clerical work; teaching principals re-
port an average of 9.43 per cent of the
school day. Foster reports that the me-
dian amount of time given to routine
office work is 76 minutes daily for princi-
pals of junior high schools; Eikenberry
reports high school principals giving 10
per cent of their time to routine duties.
Principals will wish to check them-
selves from time to time to see how their
allotment to clerical work compares with
practice. Certainly, in view of the greater
importance of class observation and simi-
lar problems, the objective should always
be to reduce the clerical duties to a mini-
mum.
OFFICE ORGANIZATION
The modern elementary or high school
demands a well planned office. There is
need for built-in cabinets, properly lo-
cated windows, and adequate floor space.
The time to think about such items is
while the architect is drawing the plan.
Principals should expect to be consulted
on the office arrangements and should ask
that certain basic standards be observed.
After the building is constructed, then
the principal should study the office ar-
rangements, space, and light so as to use
them most efficiently. Are visitors to the
office forced to sit facing bright windows?
Could the noisy typewriter be moved
away from clerks who must have quiet-
ness for convenient concentration? Could
the chairs for parents and children who
are waiting for appointments be placed
in the hall? Does the principal have for
uninterrupted interviews a place? How
can clerks be used most effectively?
Taylor and Donner, writing in the
Ninth Year Book, urged principals to
make an analysis of the functions of the
office and to allot certain duties to each
clerk. Many principals need to plan and
announce office hours. This step is par-
ticularly necessary in where little or no
clerical help is provided. Some princi-
pals will say, "I must answer the telephone
when it rings or see the parent when he
comes." While one must be reasonable
and courteous in these matters, there is
no harm in trying to prevent distraction.
Would patrons ignore the announcement
of office hours? Is it necessary for the
principal to hear the telephone when it
rings? Should he hear it every time it
rings?
SCHOOL RECORDS AND REPORTS
Two major questions in regards to rec-
ords and reports are: (1) What records
are necessary? (2) Who should be re-
sponsible for making out the records and
reports? Thompson asked high school
principals as to the statistics which they
kept on file in their office. He also asked
principals to suggest their desirable statis-
tical records which they were not keeping
in their office. The common problem
of records fall in the fields of pupil ac-
counting, financial bookkeeping and
teacher personnel. Who should make out
the records and reports? Not infrequently
teachers are called on to keep records
which may be cared for by the school
clerks. Demands are made for informa-
tion during periods set aside for teaching.
While the value of these data may be
great, the principal is strategically placed
and primarily responsible to keep down
the number of class interruptions. Records
and reports are necessary in efficient edu-
cational practice, and their administra-
tion requires the friendly cooperation of
teachers, pupils, clerks and principal.
HOW THE TIME ALLOTMENT TO
CLERICAL WORK MAY BE REDUCED
Two means have been suggested to
assist in reducing the principal's activities
to a minimum: (1) Elimination of unneces-
sary dutes and (2) delegation of responsi-
bilities to pupils, teachers, and clerks. The
elimination of unnecessary work is a
problem to be worked out by the princi-
pal in cooperation with the superintendent.
A large reduction of the principal's time
to clerical duties can be reduced through
the delegation of duties to others. Pupils
can be used in the office to answer the
telephone, run errands, ring bells, copy
letters, distribute supplies and meet visi-
tors. Part of such duties as reports, cor-
respondence, filing, banking and meeting
parents may be delegated to teachers.
These two sources of help are useful but
it must be remembered that both groups
are primarily in the school for other pur-
poses and any assistance given by them
must follow after reasonable progress to-
ward the aims of education.
The Health Week
Poster Contest
1. The subject entered in the poster
contest must be an original com-
position of (a) some personal char-
acter or characters, or (b) some
health activity, or (c) some appro-
priate idealized subject or scene.
2. The poster contest must be entered
by a distinct school unit. It is recom-
mended that an elimination contest
be had between the several classrooms
to choose the best poster.
3. The poster must be accompanied by
a letter or memorandum of trans-
mittal, giving a short story of the
subject.
4. All schools of elementary (grade)
and secondary (high school) stand-
ing are eligible for the contest
awards. Other schools and cooper-
ating organizations may enter post-
ers and receive complimentary cer-
tificates.
5. Each school may enter one poster
only, except that where elementary
and secondary units are in the same
school, one poster may be entered
by each unit. Additional posters will
be accepted for comparison and ex-
hibition.
6. The subject should be of such size,
composition and quality of work as to
facilitate its reproduction for possi-
ble use in printed publications.
7. Any school desiring to enter the
poster contest must make formal ap-
plication to the National Negro
* Health Week Committee, Public
Health Service, Washington 25, D. C.,
not later than the beginning of the
Health Week observance, April 4,
1948. Send for application form.
8. All poster subjects must be received
by the National Negro Health Week
Committee not later than June 15,
1948.
9. The posters entered shall become the
property of the National Negro
Health Week Committee. However,
consideration will be given to indi-
vidual requests for return of poster
entries.
10. The judges for the poster contest
will be chosen by the National Negro
Health Week Committee. The de-
cision of the judges shall be final.
<f
■*/
*-/
APRIL 4-11
NATIONAL NEGRO
HEALTH WEEK
EIGHTEEN
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Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Colored Teachers State Association of Texas. The Texas Standard, Volume 22, Number 2, March-April 1948, periodical, March 1948; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth193748/m1/18/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Prairie View A&M University.