AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO RELATE THE PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT TO HIS EARLY SCHOOL EXPERIENCES. ALTHOUGH NO DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT PRESENT TO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT THE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM COULD REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF LATER DROPOUT, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE TRANSITION BETWEEN PRESCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND THE SCHOOL. WHILE THE MIDDLE CLASS CHILD IS MADE AWARE OF SCHOOL FROM AN EARLY AGE, NO SUCH PREPARATION IS GIVEN TO THE LOWER SOCIAL STATUS CHILD. EVEN THOUGH DIFFERENCES ARE ACKNOWLEDGED TO EXIST, THE CURRICULUM IS NOT ORGANIZED ON THE BASIS OF THESE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, AND BOTH SETS OF CHILDREN ARE EXPECTED TO PROCEED IN SCHOOL AT THE SAME RATE. BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES IN PREPARATION, THE LOWER CLASS CHILD IS MORE LIKELY TO FAIL, WITH THE RESULT OF GRADUAL BUT EFFECTIVE ALIENATION FROM SCHOOL AND THE OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE CONNECTED WITH IT. SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE TO INVOLVE CURRICULUM, TEACHER PREPARATION, ADEQUATE ECONOMIC SCHOOL SUPPORT, AND IMPROVED SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. THE SUGGESTED PROGRAM WOULD ATTEMPT TO GIVE THE LOWER CLASS CHILD THE NECESSARY PREPARATION FOR SCHOOL THAT HOME, COMMUNITY, AND RELATIVE AFFLUENCE GIVE TO THE MIDDLE CLASS CHILD. SKILLS TO BE DEVELOPED WOULD INCLUDE VISUAL AND AUDITORY PERCEPTION, LANGUAGE SKILLS, GENERAL INFORMATION, FAMILIARITY WITH BOOKS, AND DEVELOPMENT OF CURIOSITY. THE CHILD SHOULD BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE LEARNING PROCESS, AND THE SCHOOL SHOULD EXPECT TO DO A PORTION OF THE TASK TRADITIONALLY ASSIGNED TO THE HOME. THIS PAPER WAS PREPARED FOR THE SYMPOSIUM ON SCHOOL DROPOUTS, WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 2-4, 1962.