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This paper reports on research designed to explore the status of children and the relationship of patterns of child care to social structure and social change. The study is based on interviews with scholars and government officials, an analysis of statistical data and research reports, and visits to day care centers, playgrounds, and other settings in the United States, Sweden, Israel, and China. While much of the information necessary to assess the system of child care in this country has not been systematically collected and analyzed, there are a number of empirical indicators of child neglect and abuse. The current "crisis" seems to be the result of a combination of social trends of which the following appear to be major ones: (1) changes in the structure of households, (2) changes in sex roles which downgrade parenthood and child rearing, (3) loss of child care options outside the family, (4) a serious imbalance in the supply and demand for child care, and (5) the costliness of children. The role of the child and role system involved in child care which operates in different societies is also discussed. (Author/CS)

John Dewey's 2-year visit to China after World War I resulted in a continuing influence of his ideas on institutions and beliefs of modern Chinese education. Looked at against background of both traditional and Communist China, Dewey's ideas serve to illustrate the thesis that, while he is vilified, Deweyism is alive in Communist China and that his beliefs concerning individualism, democracy, moral persuasion, and theory vs. practice are still part of the Chinese philosophic concern. The current attempt of self-improvement in China is considered a central value in education. Dewey's idea of democracy is close to the Chinese tradition of government which relied more on the power of example and of persuasion than of force. From the point of view of the accountability of the regime to popular opinion, it is seen that Chinese Communists draw on a political tradition altered by Dewey's notion of moral persuasion. Institutions which are most essentially Deweyan today are the half-work half-study or May 7 schools which stress practice over theory, reminding one of the progressive movement in education. Dewey's definitions of individualism, democracy, moral persuasion, and theory vs. practice are not accepted in China, but progressive educational theories are practiced extensively. (Author/KSM)

In order to discover whether there were any differences in negative attitude intensity between the Soviets and Chinese toward United States involvement in the Vietnam war, the Soviet and Chinese English language media broadcasts concerning United States war participation were subjected to a content analysis. The focus of the study was on two contrasting periods of the war: during its height in 1968 and during 1973, a year of unprecedented change in relations between the United States and China. Contents of broadcasts on 80 days, 20 each from the first and last quarters of the two years, were coded and analyzed. Results showed that the intensity of negative assertions was greater during 1968 and that those from China were more intense. While both countries relied on news events as sources, Russian propaganda used argumentative logic as well as emotional appeals, and Chinese propaganda relied on a more vehement, emotional name-calling tactic. (Tables of findings are included.) (JM)

Mao Tse-Tung's view of education and society is based on the belief that the great masses of people are collectively rational. If the masses do not see what society as a whole objectively requires, however, the leaders must be patient and resort to education and explanation, or the requirements must be altered to meet the objections. By the mid 1960's a trend in China's education had developed to create a group of experts to lead China towards modernization. Maoists considered this trend as an attempt to reimpose an elitist society and sharpen, rather than diminish, class divisions. As a result, the cultural revolution brought sweeping reform to the Chinese educational system. These changes included more emphasis on rural and vocational education instead of narrow academic descriptives. Entrance requirements for higher education institutions were eliminated to increase the enrollment of students from less advantaged backgrounds. Tests and examinations were eliminated as a criterion for advancement in order to place more emphasis on learning and less on competition. In addition, all students and teachers were required to participate in manual labor to increase their socialist consciousness. (Author/DE)

These papers from the World Education Workshop on minority education present the question of minority education in its many guises around the world. Basic objectives of the workshop include bringing together people concerned with the polycultural and international dimensions in the preparation of professional educators, promoting recognition of a global perspective as a viable approach to many contemporary issues, and collecting materials that could be shaped into instructional curricula. The major presentations discuss minority education as it is defined and dealt with in Latin America, the Middle East and India. The 19 shorter papers discuss aspects of minority education in Wales, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, Africa, India, the Philippines, Peoples Republic of China, and the United States; discuss minorities as defined by race, color, religion, immigrant status, socioeconomic status, language, military and civilian status; and discuss the processes and programs that the recognition of minority rights necessitates. A list of the workshop participants is included. (JH)

This conference focuses upon various aspects of testing within a society, and upon technical advances in measurement. Philip H. DuBois's paper deals with China, a society dominated by tests, from 1115 BC--1905 AD. Donald W. Fiske discusses the effect of testing on the individual in modern America in his paper, "The Subject Looks at Psychological Tests." Three psychometricians discuss several new mathematical approaches to the analysis of test data: Louis Guttman, "The Structure of Interrelations Among Intelligence Tests;" Henry F. Kaiser, "Psychometric Approaches to Factor Analysis;" and Ledyard R Tucker, "Experiments in Multi-Mode Factor Analysis." Omar Khayyam Moore speaks on "Technology and Behavior." The four final papers dealt with various issues related to the testing of the culturally different: "Measurement Issues in the Counseling of the Culturally Disadvantaged," Martin Hamburger; "Principles of Developing Tests for the Culturally Different," William E. Coffman; "The Measurement of Environments," Richard Wolf; and "Social Class and Cultural Group Differences in Diverse Mental Abilities," Gordon Fifer. (BH)

Eight papers from a two-day workshop to help librarians answer patrons' questions about China are summarized. Topics include women and child care in China, trends in the arts, China as seen in United States government documents, book publishing in China, building a Chinese resource collection, and teaching about China. The attached kit of materials includes bibliographies on the martial arts, cooking, drama-music-dance, medicine and health, the Chinese in California, visiting China, and women in China. (SK)