This book contains the six Patten Lectures presented by Tyler at Indiana University in 1974-75. In the lectures, he examines education in the United States and identifies some of the continuing problems, some of the reforms, and some of the needs and possibilities that lie ahead for education. The volume represents an eyewitness history of U.S. education since 1915, based on Tyler's personal experiences and observations acquired during his career as an educator. Several troublesome issues are identified, such as the failure of some students to acquire fundamental academic skills. Also, the specifics of schooling and various proposals and developments designed to make schools more effective are discussed. The lectures are titled (1) Universal Education in the United States: Myth or Reality; (2) Educational Benchmarks in Retrospect: Educational Change since 1915; (3) Have Educational Reforms since 1950 Created Quality Education; (4) Wasting Time and Resources in Schools and Colleges; (5) Educational Research: Can It Help to Improve Educational Practice; and (6) Can Our Schools Meet the Demands They Now Face. A paper Tyler wrote in 1941, Educational Adjustments Necessitated by Changing Ideological Concepts, is included in the volume. Topics and issues discussed in the paper are still relevant today. A chronological bibliography of Tyler's works concludes the book. (ND)