Search

THE RISE OF THE TWO PARTY SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH, REAPPORTIONMENT, AND POPULATION SHIFTS HAVE REMOVED THE SOUTH'S DOMINANCE IN AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS AND INCREASED THE POWER OF THE LARGER COMMERCIALIZED FARMS OF THE WEST. EXTENSION PROGRAMS FOR THE RURAL POOR, WHO ARE LARGELY IN THE SOUTH, WILL FIND LITTLE SUPPORT FROM THE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL POWER STRUCTURE EITHER IN CONGRESS OR AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. SUPPORT MUST BE SOUGHT FROM POLITICAL POWER EMERGING IN MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBAN AREAS, AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS, UNIVERSITIES, AND THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, THE OLD AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS SEEKING SUPPORT ARE LOSING CONTACT WITH THE UNIVERSITIES BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AGRICULTURAL PART OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONALS AND A LACK OF EXPLANATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED KNOWLEDGE ON THE ONE PART AND OF THE NATURE AND PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON THE OTHER. RESEARCHERS AND EDUCATORS WORKING ON AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS WOULD DO WELL TO LOOK FOR POLITICAL SUPPORT FROM THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE PROFESSIONALS EVEN IF IT MEANS LESSER TIES WITH THE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLITICAL FORCES. (PT)

Discussed are some sociological theories about instability in black ghettos, the Negro social class structure, and some policy implications derived from such analyses. The point of departure for this document is Norton Long's theory that ghetto unrest is a result of the absence of a black middle class. The consequent lack of Negro middle class leadership results in an unstable lower class community without brokers to act as middle men between whites and blacks. An assessment of this theory raises some questions of its relevance to current conditions--class antagonism within the black community, the urban crisis, economic factors, and the radical search for a different society. (NH)

This paper gives the results of a study of two measures of delay gratification: age and socio-economic status (SES) in young children. The subjects included 180 four-, five-, and six-year old children. Sixty children at each age level were selected, twenty children within each level of high, 20 of middle, and 20 of low SES. Delay choice scores were unrelated to SES. Age proved to be the only significant variable. The six-year olds were significantly more willing to delay gratification than the five-year olds, who in turn obtained higher delay choice scores than the four-year olds. This study, within the limits imposed by the tasks used and the groups involved, lends no support to the thesis that lower class children are less willing or able to delay gratification than other children of the same age, or that they are less willing to trust adults. (KG)

Recently much linguistic research has been amassed on black language. With rare exceptions, this linguistic research has been directed to the lower working-class members of the black community. The language of blacks who are not lower class, on the other hand, has been summarily ignored, resulting in the middle-class black protest against the popularization and romanticization of ghetto varieties of English. The neglect of black varieties of English spoken by middle-class blacks has served to promote a negative stereotypical notion of black speech no different from linguistic stereotypes of former days. There is testimony that standard speech is no new arrival to the black community. What most linguists have failed to realize is the new dynamic within the black revolution which encourages an appreciation of divergent forms of black behavior for no other reason than the fact that it is black. The concept of a black standard or, more correctly, black standards for English is a new concept which requires elaboration and refinement. (HOD)

MIDDLE-CLASS, FIRST-GRADE STUDENTS (100) WERE TESTED INDIVIDUALLY ON 4 ITEMS OF CONCEPT OF ADDITION AND CONSERVATION OF NUMBER. THE TEST ITEMS WERE IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS INVOLVED. FOR EACH ITEM, TWO PILES OF CANDY WERE PLACED BEFORE EACH CHILD AND THEN MOVED TOGETHER. THE STUDY SHOWED NO MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN PERFORMANCES OF THE CHILDREN AMONG SCHOOLS, SEXES, AND ITEMS. THESE FINDINGS WERE COMPARED TO THE SUBJECTS' SCORES ON A CONVENTIONAL PAPER-AND-PENCIL ADDITION TEST. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE SUBJECTS HAD NOT ABSTRACTED THE CONCEPT OF THE SUM OF TWO WHOLE NUMBERS FROM PHYSICAL SITUATIONS, BUT HAD SIMPLY MEMORIZED THE ADDITION COMBINATIONS (FACTS). FURTHER STUDIES WERE SUGGESTED TO DETERMINE IF THESE CONCLUSIONS WOULD BE OPERATIVE ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF CULTURAL LEVELS. (GD)

The primary purpose of this study was to identify how boys and girls differ in reported self-concept in lower class inner city schools. In addition, how teachers perceive the "typical" boys' and girls' self-concept was investigated. The Piers-Harris self-concept scale was administered in group sessions to students in grades three through six from various inner city and middle class schools. Elementary and secondary teachers enrolled in graduate education courses were asked to mark the Piers-Harris items as "typical" elementary school boys (or girls) would mark it. In both samples (lower class and middle class) boys tended to view themselves as being less anxious than girls and girls reported they were better behaved than boys. Teachers' stereotypic self-concept scores did not differentiate boys and girls. However, teachers did identify some items which differentiated in the middle class sample. Teachers appeared to greatly underestimate the differences between boys and girls in both samples. In addition, although the lower class girls had significantly lower self-concept scores than boys, middle class girls and boys did not differ in reported self-concept. (Author)

This report points out some of the difficulties encountered by both professional extension personnel and indigenous aides who are hired to work with the disadvantaged. The first problem involves the selection of potentially effective aides, and is followed by difficulties in the aide's family as they adjust to her job situation. The homemaker's aide is expected, after three weeks of training, to become a program salesman, social worker, confidante, referral agent, and change agent. Accepting her as a person and giving her job security are priorities in making her feel a part of the ongoing extension program. She must not be forced into the middle class mold before she is ready for it. The professional home demonstration agent also requires help as she is forced into the role of supervisor of these aides. Aides that can assist with her former job with middle class women are a possibility. A paraprofessional organization would not serve the needs of nutrition aides as well as some of the currently available programs do. (CL)

Mexican American and Anglo 11th grade high school students from lower and middle socioeconomic classes were compared using the locus of control, adequate achievement reality, and temporal orientations as potential correlates of scholastic performance and future education and vocational goals. The sample of 89 male and 87 female students from 3 high schools in Tucson, Arizona, was divided into 4 groups: 48 low-socioeconomic status (SES) Mexican Americans, 26 middle-SES Mexican Americans, 27 low-SES Anglos, and 65 middle-SES Anglos. Students' race and class were identified by their responses to a 15-item Information Scale created for this study. The scales were combined into a single booklet of 60 items. These items measured the student's self-concept, achievement reality orientation, temporal orientation, educational achievement, educational aspiration, and level of vocational aspiration. Findings showed scholastic performance and future educational and vocational goals more closely related to socioeconomic class than racial group. Inferences which emerged were: (1) generalizations from one ethnic minority group to another may be risky even when based on empirical data and (2) different types of programs designed to involve ethnic minority members in the mainstream American society may be necessary for different racial groups. (NQ)

This document presents some of the major challenges facing Developmental Psychologists. Research revealed that middle class children tended to respond in classification tasks to objects and pictures as equivalents, whereas low class black children tended not to do so. The reason for this was investigated. This investigation of the course of development of representational thinking is of import for theoretical and practical reasons: (1) to enhance understanding of a crucial cognitive phenomena, and (2) to provide diagnostic and remediational procedures to insure continued growth and mastery of symoblic activities. Examination of the literature and of parent child data suggested that the children from impoverished environments had less experience in utilizing those processes that are inherent in representational thought, i.e., anticipation, planning, articulation of events in linguistic terms, etc. The basic hypothesis emerged that exposing children to distancing behavior should enhance the development of representational skills. The decision was made to work with two-year-olds in a nursery-school-type setting to give them a chance to engage in representational thought. It became clear very early in the program that the children could and did engage in group-type behaviors and were increasingly involved in a small group setting. (CK)

During the summer of 1969, the authors, two white middle-class psychologists, employed two black assistants, both students at the University of Illinois and residents of the local community. This was done for two reasons. (1) They were involved in a larger project whose ultimate aim is to train both blacks and whites so that interracial interactions in employment settings lead to improved job tenure for black employees. The authors felt that to undertake such an enterprise without first-hand experience of some of the problems would be intellectually dishonest at least, and maladaptive, at worst. (2) Information was needed concerning interracial interactions in the community which only local black persons could obtain. This paper describes both their experiences as employers and summarizes information obtained from other employers and employees. First described and commented upon are some of the bureaucratic problems encountered. Then reported on are their views of the "stimulus," describing some aspects of the behavior of their two employees as it appeared to them in their employer roles. They add their reflections on these descriptions, on the information obtained by their assistants in their collection of critical incidents, and on their perception of their own responses. One of the black assistants commented upon the employers' reactions. His observations are included. (Author/JM)

In an attempt to analyze what social characteristics may account for the Mexican American's "apparent slow rate" of both upward mobility and assimilation into the dominant American culture, this paper postulates a conceptual model of Mexican American mobility patterns that is based on theories of socialization, the marginal man, acculturation, and assimilation. One figure and 40 footnotes are included. Related documents are ED 032 157 and ED 042 556. (BO)

Current sociological theory, in which students are viewed as comprising a "new class," is discussed. "Student consciousness," an analogue to "class consciousness" in the Marxist social change model, is viewed from the aspects of dress, life style, taste, its common fate of dependence on academia and the aggregation of members in and around the academic milieu. These are viewed as forming and validating a consciousness, on the part of students, of themselves as a class whose "mission" it is to reshape society. The specific question to which this study addresses itself is: do students see themselves as change agents and what effect do father's occupational level, student's occupational expectations and mobility expectations, as well as age, race and sex have on students having"class consciousness." Findings indicate that 1/3 of the respondents support the idea that students comprise a meaningful change agent. Social class background does not appear to be a significant factor, though age, race, and future occupational and mobility plans definitely discriminate supporters of the "student consciousness" idea from non-supporters. All findings are carefully presented, and some interpretation given. (TL)

This research was designed to serve two major purposes: (1) to create a substantial library of theoretically neutral observational data as permanent documentation of actual life experiences in the lives of 3-year-old children from different socioeconomic backgrounds and (2) to analyze specimen records in order (a) to describe and quantify the kinds of active environmental inputs received by the children, (b) to assess relationships between home experiences and socioeconomic status, (3) to explore the characteristics of the social environment of children in disadvantaged homes, and (d) to relate findings to certain data in the research literature on child-rearing. Narrative descriptions of behavior of 8 low-income urban, 8 low-income rural and 8 middle-income urban children provide the basic observational data recorded as Environmental Force Units (units of behavior of agents acting with respect to the child). Child behavior is then coded and described according to a set of 26 variables. Similarities and differences across groups on some dimensions of the variables are presented. Results of this analysis feature wide individual differences, some important similarities across the three socioeconomic groups, and some interesting intergroup differences in orientation to child-rearing. (NH)

This paper reports on an analysis of some manifest, surface and verbal characteristics of the classroom behaviors of students and teachers in the first, sixth, and eleventh grades of urban Missouri schools selected for their composition relative to black and white population. Findings indicate that: (1) on the average verbal participation by students increased from the first grade to the sixth grade, but decreased from the sixth grade to the eleventh grade; (2) similar results were found for the average length of individual student utterances; (3) the percentage and length of group responses decreased with increasing grade level; (4) students in first and sixth grade lower class classrooms said less overall and had shorter utterances than did students for those grades in middle class classrooms; (5) in contrast, black eleventh grade students said more and at greater length than did white eleventh grade students; (6) for first and sixth grades, fewer multi-person responses occurred in the middle class classrooms than in the lower class ones; and (7) in these two grade levels, teachers in the lower class classrooms showed less lexical diversity than teachers in corresponding middle class classrooms. (Author/TA)

A 2-year-project with 48 disadvantaged (D) and 48 middle class (P) Israeli 2-year-olds was set up to study how heterogeneous or homogeneous grouping influences social interaction. Twenty-four D's were the homogeneous group, 48 P's and 24 D's were equally divided into three heterogeneous groups with a ratio of 2:1. This report is based on an analysis of narrative records of subjects during 1-hour free play observations. The records were first divided into Social Interaction Units (SIU's). SIU's were then classified into seven categories, and the percentage of SIU's of each child in any one of the categories and with any type of possible interactee (adult, D child, P child) computed. The overall amount of social interactions increased more for the heterogeneous D's than for the homogeneous D's. However, both heterogeneous D's as well as P's interacted more within their own group than with each other, despite the 2:1 ratio of P's to D's in each group which should have favored interaction with P's by the heterogeneous D's. Moreover, the homogeneous D's (like the P's) developed a better ability to cooperate with peers while the heterogeneous D's remained very dependent on adults. (Author)

To study the effects of task and sample variation upon paired-associates (PA) performance, six third-grade and six sixth-grade classes in two urban schools were tested on two PA tasks, one pairing pictures of familiar objects (PA-CF), the other pairing nonsense syllables with Japanese "kanji" (PA-K). Hypotheses tested were: (1) Mean level of performance is higher for PA-CF than for PA-K; (2) There is an SES-related difference in performance on PA-K but not on PA-CF; (3) PA-K is more highly correlated with school achievement than is PA-CF; (4) The variance shared by PA-K and school achievement is independent of variance shared by the two PA tasks. Results provided general support for the hypotheses, but some inconsistent results are discussed. (Author)

To be defined by age as a pupil or student is to be made subject to a system that functions as a total institution, in a society that prides itself on choice and pluralism. What justifies this, in nearly every nation in the world is that fact that the school is accepted throughout the society as the gateway to opportunity; and individual advancement as the most desirable personal goal. Considering the uses to which such talent as has already been identified are put in most societies of the world, this seems both a dubious and circular justification. When the society becomes polarized, the schools come to be considered by those rejecting its more conventional values as instruments of propaganda or repression. If those rejecting the society's values comprise its more privileged youth, both their elders and the underclass are intolerably threatened. A paradoxical alliance then develops between members of the underclass and spokesmen of the establishment to defend the schools against such derogation and abandonment. (JM)

This study sought to determine the self-concept level, expectancy of success in school subjects, and actual achievement in those subjects of disadvantaged youths in high school in comparison to advantaged boys. The subjects (Ss) consisted of 100 disadvantaged and 100 advantaged boys from an urban integrated high school. No Ss were in the college preparatory curriculum. The level of aspiration was determined by requesting Ss to set down the grades they thought they would get at the end of the semester in two courses, English and science. Then, the actual achievement was obtained at the end of the semester. Self-concept was measured with a standard semantic differential instrument. Disadvantaged youths, in comparison to advantaged males, showed higher course-grade predictions, more positive self-concepts, and lower achievement. It may well be that disadvantaged boys, due in part to an inconsistent pattern of past achievement and lower achievement motivation, are less realistic and more variable than advantaged boys about future achievement levels. (Author/JM)

In a study of spatial orientation, 40 boys and 40 girls from kindergarten and first grade placed a series of objects in front, behind, and beside themselves, and in front, behind, and beside other objects. Some objects had distinguishable front and back sides; others lacked such features. Placements were highly consistent within and across children in respect to location of object vis-a-vis the child's own body or the other object. Systematic variations occurred in children's placement of the face of featured objects in reference to self. These variations appeared related to testing order and type of object placed. Results showed that the children agreed as to what defined fronts and backs of objects. In general, results suggest that the concept of front-back is more complex and subtle than previously believed. (Author)

Forty boys and forty girls from kindergarten through fourth grade placed dolls with mobile heads in front of, behind and beside themselves, and in front of, behind and beside another doll to demonstrate development of spatial concepts. The heads and bodies of both dolls were either in convergent or divergent alignment or some combination. Placements were highly consistent within and across children with respect to the location of the doll versus the child's own body or the other doll. Generally, placements were made on the basis of the body rather than the face cue except where use of the face would not violate the body's priority. Girls, and older girls in particular, evidenced greater sensitivity to the face cue than did boys. [Filmed from best available copy.] (Author/MK)

This paper reports findings of a main study and a corollary study designed to clarify the relationship between interpersonal and intrapersonal language by examining the spontaneous classroom interpersonal verbal output of children 4-5 years old in relation to social class and intelligence. The report presents (1) preparation of the data of the main and corollary studies for computer analysis, (2) extensive revision and refinement of the specially designed Functional Category System (a comprehensive instrument covering all verbal statements of the preschooler), and (3) analysis of the results. Findings from the main study support significant relationships between some IQ effects and some social class effects as indicators of linguistic effectiveness (performance). Ethnicity (black, white) was significant only in interaction with some social class effects. Significant sex effects were noted. The corollary study assessed effects of a school readiness program or a child development program and indicated that, in general, no subjects showed significant pre-post changes in IQ. IQ scores of advantaged children (in accord with their initial selection) remained significantly higher than those of children selected from the two Head Start programs. (WY)

This paper reports the results of two related studies. The primary purpose of the first study (involving both nursery and first grade subjects) was to determine what evidence there is of two distinct processes basic to the control over the initiation and inhibition of inappropriate behavior on the Luria task. In the second study the focus of interest was in the relationship between impulsive behavior and the child's success with the academic work presented in the first grade. Other than the fact that the interstimulus interval in the Luria task was shortened to increase the difficulty level to one more appropriate for the first graders, the inclusion of indices of school learning constituted the only departure from the procedure used in the first study. Hence the results of study two permit an important check on the reliability of the initial findings. The data were consistent in indicating that distinct impulse control problems on the Luria task persist longer in the development of the lower SES child than the child of middle SES. The evidence consistently indicated that impulsive behavior is a more general phenomenon in the lower SES than in the middle SES. There is also reason to believe that this general control problem, in the lower SES, was related to the sorts of impulsive behavior observed by their teachers in the classroom. When intelligence was controlled, lower SES subjects obtained significantly poorer relationship between Luria task impulsively and grades in the middle SES. (Author/JM)

This study investigated the effects of training on reciprocity judgments in 43 white, middle class children, ages 38 to 68 months. Hypotheses were (1) children trained to make mature responses to interpersonal conflicts would make more mature judgments in illustrated story conflict situations than those receiving no training, (2) children exposed to discussion and role playing during training would make more mature reciprocity judgments on a story posttest than those exposed to operant discrimination training, and (3) there would be no sex differences on reciprocity judgments. Treatment A children acted out, discussed, and suggested solutions to a conflict situation, and then re-enacted the situation using the trainer's mature response to resolve the conflict. Treatment B consisted of operant discrimination training without discussion. Treatment C children listened to a story and answered questions. Children verbally solved 10 illustrated conflict situations on a posttest. Hypotheses (1) and (3) were supported; however, operant discrimination training was more effective than role playing and discussion training. (DO)

The purpose of this study was to generate a library of 198 specimen records of the behavior of 24 3-year-old children in different socioeconomic environments: low income urban, low income rural, and middle income urban. (A specimen record provides a continuous narrative in natural language of the behavior of an individual together with the environmental context of that behavior.) Following a period of adaptation visits, each child was observed at home for 40-50 minutes from seven to 10 times. The specimen records for each observation were divided into Environmental Force Units, defined as a goal-directed activity initiated by another person (agent) in the child's environment. (For example, one unit might consist of the mother, or agent, telling the child to put on shoes and socks.) The rate of Environmental Force Units per minute for each child was figured, and analysis showed that middle urban children had the highest mean rates. The percent of units in which the mother acted as an agent was determined, and middle urban mothers had the highest percentage. Appendixes include a typical observer's log of visits and a specimen record of a low income rural child. (DR)

In a search for the causes of student unrest, it is difficult to separate basic causes from the spoken and rationilized causes. This paper attempts to present a level of analysis which is sufficiently generic so as to discern basic trends and issues but at the same time descriptively specific, so as to be useful in facing practical issues and consequences. Some of the primary causes are: 1) dissatisfaction with the "system"; 2) the quest for identity. Among the dissenters are: 1) the frustrated advantaged youth who have been given too much; and 2) middle-class students who hope to improve things and have become frustrated in their attempts. The Informed counselors have begun to prepare their schools and students for a world of unease by: 1) listening carefully, 2) communicating the real issues; 3) being a sounding board, and 4) maintaining contact with students. When over demonstration seems imminent, a counselor can: 1) establish trust on both sides; 2) define the problem or need; and 3) cause each side to sharpen their definition of goals and objectives. Those schools which develop an internal base of security and competence so as to maintain a quality of empathy and openness to the real needs of students will probably remain open. (KJ)

This paper summarizes the research conducted for a doctoral thesis at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in February 1969. It gauges the effect of the complete desegregation of Chapel Hill schools on its fifth, seventh, and ninth grade students. The achievement scores of those students who attended segregated schools during 1965-66 were compared with the scores of the students who later attended desegregated schools. Comparisons were then made between students in grades five, seven, and nine of segregated schools with students at the same grade level who had experienced one and two years of desegregation. Desegregation in itself does not appear to have had any significant negative effects on the academic achievement of either race, the only significant changes having been of a positive nature. In general, Negro students failed a higher percentage of their courses than did white students during the period of this study. However, this may well be due to the orientation of the curriculum and teaching methods of Chapel Hill schools to the average middle-class white student. (JM)

To assess mother-child interaction, 23 mother-child pairs from the West Harlem ghetto (half lower class and half middle class Negroes) and from Washington Square (white middle class) were observed. Children were 3-year-old boys. Each pair spent 30 minutes in a laboratory playroom and were observed and tape-recorded. Children's nonverbal exploratory behavior was assigned to a precoded category system. Verbal behavior was grouped for frequency, form, mode, response, and manner. Although there was wide variation in verbal interaction, results indicated that the two groups did not differ in (1) mean number of total utterances, (2) ratio between the mothers' utterances and the children's (3) percentage of times mothers initiated a change in topic, (4) types of information contained in mothers' verbalizations, and (5) percentage of times they responded to or ignored their children's statements. Significant differences between the two groups were: (1) West Harlem mothers asked more questions, (2) W.H. interactions contained more requests for clarification, and (3) utterances of W.H. children contained more permanent information and W.S. children more fantasy. Washington Square mothers who ignored children were ignored by them, but children in Harlem demanded more attention when ignored. (DR)

Upper-middle and low socio-economic level (SEL) subjects were compared on a discrimination learning task and on personality measures of locus of control of reinforcement and need for approval (Napp). Upper-middle SEL subjects were found to be faster discrimination learners than low SEL subjects only when the relevant stimulus cue was on a highly attended stimulus dimension. No SEL differences occurred when training was on a cue of a low attention level dimension. As predicted, internal subjects learned the discrimination task faster than external subjects, but this relationship held only for the upper-middle SEL subjects and only after the correlation was corrected for the attentuating effects of the low reliability on the IE scale. No relationship between Napp and the learning task was found for either SEL. Low SEL girls were found to be more external and higher in Napp than low SEL boys and upper-middle SEL girls and boys. Results suggest that the attention level of the relevant dimension is a major variable in discrimination learning. Further investigation of the personality correlates of discrimination learning is also suggested. (Author)

This paper describes the evolution of the Children's Television Workshop, which was originally suggested in a study made by Joan Ganz Cooney for the Carnegie Corporation, and which was responsible for the development and production of the daily, 1-hour educational program, "Sesame Street:" As envisioned in the Carnegie proposal, the program was to combine entertainment value with solid educational matter. The target audience was to be inner-city disadvantaged children from 3 to 5 years of age. Briefly outlined in this overview are instructional goals, pre-production research and planning, funding, methods of evaluation, future plans, and general conclusions of the first-year evaluation report submitted by the Educational Testing Service. (NH)

The study described here was intended to test Basil Bernstein's contention that different types of speech patterns can be identified for lower and middle class children, and that lower class children may, because of their speech behavior, have difficulty in performing cognitive tasks necessary for success in the school situation. Spontaneous speech samples were collected "unobstrusively" by an observer who recorded, verbatim, the verbal interactions between fifty lower and fifty middle class mother-child pairs in a doctor's waiting room. These interactions were analyzed according to formal categories, such as the number of words used, and to content categories based on the nature or purpose of the interchange. The authors found that the language used by the two different groups fell into divisions very similar to the language modes described by Bernstein, a lower overall verbal productiveness being typical of the lower class group. The authors feel that if the observations made in waiting rooms can be assumed to be valid for other contexts as well, then this study can be said to support the notion that the home situation gives middle class children an important advantage in school, as well as the idea that compensatory programs may be necessary for lower class children. (FWB)

Starting with the observation that attitudes towards death cannot be divorced from attitudes towards life, the author proceeds with a critical and reflective look at American society's poor management of death, both in terms of the dying person and the bereaved. Denial is the mechanism used to protect ourselves from facing the fact of death, and the result is a cold and inappropriate ritual which assigns the primary roles to the undertaker and the physician. Much is said about the stages through which a dying person goes in making his peace with death, and about the "grief work" of the bereaved in learning to live with his new situation. The unfortunate and lonely ways in which people are forced to handle these critical periods is examined. Specific suggestions for changing the attitude toward death includes: (1) stop denying its existence; (2) humanize the procedures that surround it; (3) redesign the rituals so as to humanize them; and (4) teach about death, appropriately, throughout life. (TL)

In this study designed to generate hypotheses concerning adult learning, cognitive processes, and the reeducation of disadvantaged adults, the phenomena of concept attainment, symbol manipulation, verbal behavior, differential instruction, and awareness levels were investigated. Attention focus (cognitive style) in the concept attainment process was not satisfactorily measured. The symbol manipulation process of literate and illiterate adults varied sufficiently to suggest further testing. The verbal behavior of lower class rural adult women was distinctly limited when compared with middle class rural women in the same community. This suggested that differentiated instructional programs should be examined. A design for manipulating the instructional variables was developed for possible use in dealing with variance in the "awareness stage" of learning. The present report summarizes conditions which suggested investigation, the objects for preliminary explorations, and resultant findings. (Twelve references, two tables, and a diagram are included.) (Author/LY)

A locus of control measure was administered to 431 lower and middle class children in grades one, two, four and six. Subjects did not differ significantly from each other on locus of control in grades one and two, but by fourth and sixth grades the differences had reached significance. Correlations between locus of control and achievement were generally positive for both lower and middle class children. Results were interpreted in terms of the social control function served by the public schools. (Author)