The school years which cover grades known as 1 through 8, bring together all the children of the community more nearly than the junior or senior high school, or the college level. In fact, many people think of education as the kind of experience which they had in elementary school as they learned to read, write, figure, and speak. Any attempt to tell what elementary education is or does depends upon an understanding of what general education is as a lifelong process, for the principles of learning are the same for young and old. Teachers, principals, supervisors, superintendents, parents, and other citizens in the community need to decide together how these principles are to be worked out in their schools. Many people as individuals and as groups have expressed their ideas of the nature and purpose of general education, in a wide variety of ways. The present attempt to state the purpose of general education in the form of principles, is based upon many available materials in print. For each guiding principle, the responsibility of elementary education is suggested. [Parts 2 through 4 of this bulletin were never produced. Best copy available has been provided.]