FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE DATA OF A 1964 SURVEY REPRESENTING A 56-PERCENT RETURN OF ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN ILLINOIS, 70 TABLES WERE DEVELOPED TO DEFINE THE PRINCIPAL'S ROLE AND STATUS IN RELATIONSHIP TO CURRENT PRACTICES AND EMERGING TRENDS IN THE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. QUESTIONNAIRE CATEGORIES INCLUDED--YOU AND YOUR SCHOOL, PERSONAL INFORMATION, EDUCATION FOR THE PRINCIPALSHIP, RECRUITMENT, EXPERIENCE, FINANCIAL STATUS, YOUR POSITION, RESOURCES, PRINCIPAL'S ROLES IN ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION, AND COMMUNITY WORK. VARIABLES ANALYZED INCLUDED THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS' CHARACTERISTICS, USE OF TIME, AND STATUS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. A PROFILE, DETERMINED FROM A NUMBER-PERCENTAGE MEASUREMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS, DESCRIBES THE AVERAGE ILLINOIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AS MALE, 40 YEARS OF AGE, MARRIED WITH THREE DEPENDENTS, ADMINISTERING A SINGLE SCHOOL WITH A STAFF OF 17 AND AN ENROLLMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 550 PUPILS. OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ARE OUTLINED. (JK)