THE DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM WAS INITIATED BY GROUPS OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS CONCERNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH CHILD AS A UNIQUE PERSON. TEACHING UNITS WERE NOT RELATED TO GRADE LEVELS, THEREBY ALLOWING FOR TEACHING CONSISTENT WITH GROWTH. THE CHILDREN WERE EXPOSED TO PROGRESSIVELY MORE COMPLICATED EXPERIENCES AND CURRICULUM CONTENT. FOUR-, FIVE-, AND SIX-YEAR-OLD YOUNGSTERS WERE INVOLVED. THE BASIC GOALS PURSUED WERE STATED AS--A ZEST FOR BEING, LIVELY INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITIES, FLEXIBILITY WHEN CONFRONTING CHANGE, COURAGE TO WORK IN A WORLD OF NEW PROBLEMS AND NEEDS, COMPASSION AND JUSTICE IN DEALING WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, SENSITIVITY TOWARD OTHERS AND A STRIVING TO LIVE DEMOCRATICALLY. THE CHILD IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF HIS GROWTH PATTERN - FROM GENERAL BODY RESPONSE TO DIFFERENTIATED RESPONSES, FROM EGOCENTRIC CONCENTRATION TO SOCIALIZED BEHAVIOR, FROM DEPENDENCE TO INDEPENDENCE, FROM CONCRETE PERCEPTION TO ABSTRACT THOUGHT, AND FROM A MAGICAL TO A NATURAL SYSTEM OF THOUGHT. THE CURRICULUM IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES WITH ATTENTION GIVEN TO A CHILD'S LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION AND INTEREST DRIVE, DRAMATIC PLAY MATERIALS OF INTEREST TO HIM, CLASS TRIPS, CLASS DISCUSSION TOPICS, AND TEACHER RESOURCES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT TEACHERS BE FAMILIAR WITH FLEXIBLE CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENTS, THE NATURE OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE "IDEAS" OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION. EACH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MEANINGFUL CURRICULUM.