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Voluntary organizations providing inservice activities for principals are the newest in the administrative development field. This paper explores those organizations' prospects, particularly the voluntary, administrator-directed "principals' center," and borrows its analytical framework from theories of group formation. The Principals' Center in New Orleans, Louisiana evolved from an interest in Roland Barth's informal learning program for Boston principals. The Center brings in outside "major" speakers or workshop leaders twice yearly and organizes smaller programs during the year. Although the New Orleans structure used the Harvard Center as its model, it differs in the fund-raising area, relying on businesses, foundations, and school districts, whereas Harvard is funded by the Graduate School of Education. Harvard's initial planning was also determined by university personnel, as opposed to New Orleans' board of principals. As interest groups, principals' centers require financial bases and membership groups, both complex issues. Incentives to elicit contributions are important, as is proof of successful training of members. Unlike Harvard, New Orleans is weak in material and solidary incentives, and must basically rely on purposive incentives grounded in forward-reaching curricula and a philosophy of mutual support. (KS)

This paper reports on a research study designed, in part, to explore the expression of bureaucracy (or structural management) and culture (or symbolic management) in the work of eighteen elementary school principals in Louisiana. In addition, the study compares principals in nine of the schools categorized as "more effective" and nine categorized as "less effective," based on mean scores on the reading section of the Louisiana Basic Skills Test (LBST). Findings disclose an apparent reliance on bureaucratic procedures and externally defined purposes, and a sensitivity to adult (political) influences in the less effective schools. This contrasts with a use of process and symbols, a broad and internally forged definition of purpose, and a "child-as-client" orientation in the more effective schools. References are included. (TE)