A profile of the attitudes and environment of the child from an impoverished family is drawn, illustrating the factors that inhibit such a child in developing creative problem-solving skills. The attitudes and atmosphere of the poverty home and culture are outlined. It is pointed out that limited vocabulary and low motivation are typical of such homes, making adjustment to school and the cultural values emphasized there difficult. The importance of developing the ability to fantasize and to increase language skills in poor children is stressed. (JD)