The principal's first priority is to take care of himself or herself, next the teachers, then the entire school. Laughter and creativity are emphasized as important tools for principals to use in relieving the stress of their positions. Principals need to understand their jobs, that there are few ready made solutions and no magic formulas. They must be aware that they cannot do everything and must learn to compromise. If principals understand their power base and use it wisely, they can excite their faculty. Faculty development should include inservice training, faculty discussions, and exposure to good reading material. The inadequacies of mission statements are discussed; if they do not produce action or describe action already taken, they are useless. A discussion of why parents place their children in Catholic or private schools and how such decisions affect the private schools' mission concludes the paper. (MD)