This paper challenges those involved in early childhood education to reexamine unquestioned assumptions concerning the benefits of early schooling. A synergic effect is posited by bringing together research areas that had formerly remained somewhat autonomous: Neurophysiology, vision, hearing, parent attitudes, affective domain, comparative school entrance ages, and cognitive psychology. Following a synthesis of these data, the author concludes that there has not been a single replicated experiment that has clearly demonstrated the desirability of early schooling or day care for the normal child who can have the security of a reasonably good home. Research evidence seems to validate the undesirability of placing children under 8 years in programs of cognitive emphasis which require consistent reasoning abilities. Contrary to this, warm and consistent proximity to one's parents until age 8 appeared to be a greater predictor of eventual stability and cognitive maturity than any special effort toward cognitive development. Except where extreme handicap or deprivation indicates clinical needs outside the home, the educational implications of current research indicates that future efforts should emphasize parent and home education. (CS)