In this study of Benson, Minnesota, Professors Martindale and Hanson examine the sources and manifestations of local-translocal tensions in the institutional life of a typical small town. The authors begin by describing the town's physical and cultural setting, and briefly sketch the community's history. Their examination of the attitudes and…

Recognizing that knowledge will enable the world's people to cope with worldwide relationships, Alger criticizes the social sciences for inhibiting needed research that would increase awareness of the linkages between human settlements and worldwide phenomena. Presents a progress report on the effort to identify islands of inquiry into the…

In this lesson plan, the city of Malibu (CA) is at the mercy of the weather phenomenon El Nino. The press secretary for the Mayor of Malibu recognizes an opportunity to turn this potential natural disaster into a re-election campaign. A task force will be assembled to protect the lives and property of the community. Students role play members of…

Leonard Covello was an Italian immigrant who taught in East Harlem (New York City) from 1911 to 1956. This article, composed of excerpts from other works about or by him, illustrates his dedication to reciprocal relationships between school and community that are relevant today for both urban and rural communities. When Covello left school in his…

Study examining quality of life in three small rural Arizona communities found that, although residents recognized the lack of amenities and lack of youth opportunities in small towns, they continued to value the small size and remote location of their communities. Describes religious, social, and geographic community divisions and conflicts and…

Canada's Exemplary Schools Project, a study of 21 secondary schools nationwide, involved continual tension between the need for a coherent and shared national research approach and the need to allow local variation and initiative. A member of the national coordinating committee explores how this tension affected research design and the writing of…

Shares the events leading up to the publication of several articles on discrimination in a high school newspaper in Arizona. (MG)

Describes a history program at the Suzanne Middle School, Walnut, California, in which students create, design, and promote local history activities. Emphasizes the accomplishments of the program, including a rise in the school's state test scores from the twenty-second percentile to the ninety-fourth percentile. (RW)

Describes events in Fairbanks (Alaska) resulting from an attempt by some community members to remove a book about homosexuality from the high school library. The discussion covers community reactions, media coverage, and a school board campaign that focused on this issue. Tabbert's speech the night of the vote is presented in the second article.…

This article describes how four Texas school districts responded to changed fiscal conditions following implementation of reforms designed to bring greater equity to Texas school finance. Case studies in two poor districts show that little new money was spent on improvements to the core curriculum. (SLD)

The article describes implementation of the PATCH (Planned Approach to Community Health) model in an urban African-American community. It presents recommendations reflecting lessons learned in that community and notes four components crucial to such a community-based public health effort. (SM)

The process used in Papua New Guinea to integrate national and district health planning in a decentralized setting is described, highlighting the key elements of participation, learning by doing, and integration. The importance of this three-pronged approach for program development and application is discussed. (SLD)

Argues that the greatest constraints to the effective implementation of environmental education in Uganda's elementary schools include the elitist nature of the education system, teacher preparation, materials development, and curricula with little relevance to local communities. Recommendations to solve these problems include strengthening…

Compares three cases in Atlanta, GA, New York state, and Washington, DC, in which advocates fought to have an Afrocentric curriculum implemented in public schools' social studies and history classes. Examines the influences of six local organizational factors on the proposed curricular changes. (CMK)

Describes a lesson consisting of activities such as a mock town hall meeting, forming a lobby group, and attending a town hall meeting. Focuses on community-based issues and the role of citizens in bringing about change at the local level. (CMK)