THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF A SMALL (3,100), RURAL COMMUNITY IN SOUTHWEST GERMANY WAS STUDIED. DATA WERE GATHERED BY THE AUTHOR DURING TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN THE TOWN AND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR, TEACHERS, OFFICIALS, AND TOWNSPEOPLE. TWO GENERAL CONCLUSIONS WERE MADE. FIRST, WHILE THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ENJOYED THE PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A DEMOCRACY, ONLY THE STRUCTURE AND FORM APPEARED TO BE A REALITY. SECOND, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS MAKING MARKED CHANGES IN THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. (LP)