The principal’s role in public relations

106 Pages·04.403 MB·English

by  Anderson, Walter Oliver

THE PRINCIPAL'S ROLE IN
PUBLIC RELATIONS
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Walter Oliver Anderson
June 1950
UMI Number: EP45712
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate's adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
CLp-riJL J-4, 19 J o
Date....
Adviser
Dean
PREFACE
The ever increasing emphasis being placed upon
public relations as a vital phase of public school adminis­
tration is revealed through a comprehensive study of pro­
fessional literature. The large amount of space devoted
to public school relations in professional books and
magazines is mute evidence of the general recognition of
the importance of establishing proper relations between
the school and the community.
The alert public school administrator takes cog­
nizance of community relations as one of the most import­
ant administrative duties. Misner1 places it first in
importance when he says, "The activity of public school
relations is the greatest single responsibility of edu­
cational leadership at all times." Acceptance of this
leadership involves:
1. A bold presentation of achievements, needs, and
conditions of the school.
2. The creation and use of a great many agents of
different kinds to reach the public.
^ Misner, Paul J., "Responsibility For Public
Relations," School Executive, Vol. 64:49-50, July, 1945.
ill
3. Continued effort to improve our educational
programs so that they will merit the respect
and support of the public.
The manner in which the school executive^ conducts
his school relations program is often a decisive factor
in determining the success of his entire educational pro­
gram. Many times it determines the length of his tenure
in a school system.
The greater portion of this project is aimed at
what the writer considers to be the heart-beat of a public
relations program, namely, human relations. The person­
ality of the principal and his ability to create friends
and followers is a prime requisite. If not, the public
relations program operates under a severe handicap.
For helpful guidance and criticism of this manu­
script, the author is indebted to W. Nathan Wilson,
principal of the Marshall Junior High School, Pasadena,v
and to Courtney Monson, Secretary to the Pasadena Board
of Education.
Walter 0. Anderson
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. NATURE AND PURPOSE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS . . . 1
Definition .............................. 1
Purpose............... 1
Interpretation ........................... 3
Standards for school information ........ 4
Truthfulness......................... *I-
Cdntinualness ........................... 5
Clarity and interest ..................... 5
II. PLANNING THE PUBLIC-RELATIONS PROGRAM FOR
A SCHOOL .................................. 6
Dual role •........................... 6
Guiding principles of public relations . . 9
Staff harmony....................... 10
Public relations committee ............... 11
Taking an active part in community life. . 11
Civic-minded..................... .. . . . 12
Talks by teachers................... 13
Talks by lay p e o p l e ................. 13
Speakers! bureau ......................... 14
III. PREPARING THE S T A F F .......... ............ 16
Fundamental process ..................... 16
V
CHAPTER PAGE
Teachers are partners ........ . . . . . 17
Teacher participation ................... 18
Effective preparation ................... 18
IV. TEACHING STAFF IN PUBLIC RELATIONS........ 20
Growing bouquets in the classroom . . . . 20
Teachers' vocabulary can help good public
relations.................. 21
Poor punishments hurt the school........ 22
Homework--good or bad public relations . . 25
V. PUPILS AS INTERPRETERS . . 28
Son, what did you do in school today? . . 28
Units of study about school system . . . . 29
Maintaining good principal-pupil
relationship ........................... 30
Sincere respect shown for pupils ........ 30
Dealing justly with behavior problems . . 31
Pupil conduct........................... 32
The open d o o r .......... . . . 34
Pupil recognition.............. 34
Pupil participation in planning school
policy.................................. 37
VI. NON-TEACHING PERSONNEL IN PUBLIC RELATIONS . 40
Secretary-receptionist ................... 40
Vi
CHAPTER PAGE
.Responsibility ........................... 41
The telephone— an instrument in public
relations.............................. 42
Where can we talk? . . . . . . .' V . . . 43
The n u r s e ................................ 44
The custodian........................... 45
VII. THE PARENTS'WISHES
Some surveys............................. 49
Parental conception ..................... 52
Some conclusions from surveys........... 53
Further implications ..................... 53
VIII. RESOLVING PRESSURES AND CONFLICTS ........ 54
External pressures ....................... 54
Community conflicts ..................... 57
Techniques for resolving community
conflicts . ......................... 57
Criticisms and complaints............... 59
Complaints of trouble-makers ............. 60
Personality conflicts . . . . ........... 60
IX. WORKING WITH CITIZENS' GROUPS............... 62
Wider lay participation.............. . 62
The Parent-Teacher Association .......... 63
The Pasadena P.T.A........................ 63
vii
CHAPTER PAGE
Home and school survey ................. 64
P.T.A. Programs......................... 66
Social contacts ......................... 67
Duties and responsibilities ............. 67
X. TECHNIQUES AND MEDIA . ..................... 69
The newspaper........................... 69
Selection of facts for publicity ........ 71
Newsletters.............................. 75
Audio-visual a i d s ........................ 75
Correspondence............. ............. 75
School newspaper......................... 76
XI. EVALUATING THE PROGRAM....................... 79
Human relationship....................... 79
Factors entering into evaluation ........ 80
f
Informal method of evaluation ........... 8l
Employing objective methods of evaluation. 84
Opinion polls and survey ................. 85
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . .............................. 90
CHAPTER I
NATURE AND PURPOSE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
M
Definition. Schools have a responsibility for
serving.the people of the local school district in two
ways. First, through a constant orientation of keeping
the public intelligently informed regarding the.educa­
tional program and school conditions. Second, through a
program of information which will interpret the school
X
and Its activities to the people. A.B. Moehlman says,
"Interpretation of facts carefully gathered, conscien­
tiously analyzed, and truthfully presented is the basis
of a substantial public relations program."1
Purpose. ^All school employees--teachers, prin­
cipal, superintendents, custodians, clerks, and others--
as well as all members of the community, share in the
responsibility of public relations. This responsibility
is:
1. The sound improvement of an educational pro­
gram for all learners.
2. Making the public schools responsive to the
1 A.B. Moehlman, Social Interpretation (New York:
D. Appleton Century Co., 193h).