WHEN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IS VIEWED AS A SOCIAL SYSTEM, PUPIL CONTROL IS THE THREAD RUNNING THROUGHOUT SCHOOL CULTURE. THE PART OF THIS SOCIAL SYSTEM MOST CONCERNED WITH CONTROL AND EMPHASIZED IN THIS STUDY IS THE TEACHER SUBCULTURE. SINCE STATUS IN THE TEACHER SUBCULTURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CLASS CONTROL, PERSONNEL WHO FIND THEIR STATUS MOST THREATENED WILL PROBABLY BE MOST CONTROL-ORIENTED. A STUDY OF 1,306 EDUCATORS (468 ELEMENTARY AND 477 SECONDARY TEACHERS, 84 ELEMENTARY AND 97 SECONDARY PRINCIPALS, AND 180 COUNSELORS) SUBSTANTIATES THIS HYPOTHESIS. ELEMENTARY TEACHERS ARE LESS CONCERNED WITH CONTROL THAN SECONDARY TEACHERS (SMALLER CHILDREN PRESENT LESS THREAT TO STATUS), PRINCIPALS ARE LESS CONTROL-ORIENTED THAN TEACHERS (THEIR STATUS IS LESS THREATENED), AND COUNSELORS ARE LESS RIGID CONCERNING CONTROL THAN TEACHERS (THEIR STATUS IS NOT THREATENED). RELATED FINDINGS SHOW THAT EDUCATORS WITH MORE DOGMATIC ATTITUDES EMPHASIZE CONTROL WHILE LONG TIME TEACHERS ARE MORE CONTROL-ORIENTED THAN TEACHERS RECENTLY FINISHING PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION. THE CONTROL ORIENTATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARISES BECAUSE THEY SERVE UNSELECTED CLIENTS WHO ARE OFTEN UNWILLING AND UNRESPONSIVE. IF SCHOOLS ARE TO BE LESS CONTROL ORIENTED, THEY WILL HAVE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED IN THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SOCIAL SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM SERIES (MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, DECEMBER 1967). (TT)