In which grade in the elementary school should each pupil first be provided with a dictionary? The writer was interested in this question because of its direct bearing on the vocabulary which can or should be used in textbooks for the middle grades. Since school officers must make the decision, it was decided to ask these officers their opinion as to the grade in which the use of the dictionary should begin. A letter was sent to 78o superintendents of schools in cities with populations of approximately io,ooo or more. The superintendents were asked (i) to state whether they believe that dictionaries should be put into the hands of pupils in Grade IV, in Grade V, or in Grade VI, (2) to give their reasons for their opinions, and (3) to give the approximate percentages of the children in each of these grades in their school systems who are provided with dictionaries. Four hundred and ninety-six superintendents and supervisors answered the letter. Their responses to the first question are summarized in Table I. Almost two-thirds of those who replied believe