THIS DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY AND EVALUATION WAS UNDERTAKEN PRIMARILY TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF NATIONAL AND STATE NEEDS FOR FUTURE PLANNING. A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE PURPOSES FOR HEAD START PROGRAMS IS GIVEN. FIFTY-SIX PROGRAMS WERE OPERATED IN MASSACHUSETTS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1965. CENSUS DATA IS GIVEN ON THE PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES AND SPONSORS OF THE CENTERS. THREE TRAINING PROGRAMS WERE HELD IN BOSTON FOR JOB PREPARATION WITH HEAD START. THE TRAINING SESSION AT WHEELOCK COLLEGE IS DESCRIBED. TWO OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE TOUCHED UPON. A REUNION IN SEPTEMBER OF WHEELOCK TRAINEES BROUGHT OUT MANY WEAKNESSES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS IN THE PROGRAMS. TWO RESEARCH ASSOCIATES WERE CHOSEN TO HELP MAKE A FIELD STUDY OF 23 HEAD START PROGRAMS INVOLVING 30 MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES. COMMENTS ON EACH CITY, INCLUDING NARRATIONS OF SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES, ARE GIVEN. ALTOGETHER, 289 PERSONS WERE INTERVIEWED. ANALYSES OF DATA COLLECTED ARE INCLUDED IN MANY TABLES. AFTER CONSIDERATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS MADE WERE (1) HAVE MORE CONSULTATION WITH POTENTIAL USERS, (2) EXAMINE THOROUGHLY THE HOURS AT WHICH PROGRAMS OPERATE, (3) USE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS FOR NON-PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE INVOLVING PARENTS, (4) EXPLORE DAY CARE SERVICES FURTHER, (5) SECURE INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION OF BUSINESS CONCERNS, (6) PROVIDE MORE PREPARATION FOR KEY PERSONNEL TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING OF NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND (7) GIVE MORE TRAINING FOR NON-PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL. (APPENDICES GIVING RELATED INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED.) (EF)