The principal

The principal is a character in the story “Mr. Mumsford” by Larry French. He is a short man (l. 31), most likely white. We know that he is married because Bibs advises him to eat dinner with his wife instead of spending extra time at school (ll. 45-46). He has a tendency to work overtime, so he looks tired. On the evening when Bibs decides to confront him, he leaves the office at a little past 10 p.m. (ll. 13-14). 

The principal is an intelligent man. When Bibs tells him he wants to murder him, the principal attempts to engage Bibs in conversation and keep him busy so he can figure out what to do next. For instance, he tells Bibs his name is “a strange name for a black man” (l. 35), and suggests he goes to the library to research it. This is an attempt to distract Bibs f...