The basic realities which prompted the development and planning of this 1957 Yearbook (prepared by the Department of Rural Education, National Education Association) are: (1) there are and will always be a need for a large number of small schools; (2) the educational program of every small school can be greatly improved; (3) the extent to which needed improvements are actually realized will depend upon the leadership of small school administrators. The Yearbook emphasized the human rather than technical factors in small school administration, mentioning financing or budgetary practices only when they could contribute to a better understanding of the functions of the administrator, administrative relationships, or major trouble spots in small schools. To determine the unique problems which surround these administrative positions, more than 150 administrators in 20 States identified their major concerns. The most serious problem of every small community school is its inability to provide broad educational programs. Limited financial support, obsolete and poorly equipped school buildings, an inadequate provision of instructional tools and materials, and extreme difficulty in attracting and retaining competent teachers made the educational program not only limited in scope but poor in quality. (KM)