An examination is made of two separate programs in neighboring communities in western Massachusetts which have approached the development of a teacher center in essentially different ways. One of the programs has, since its inception, responded to the need for teacher-generated and controlled programs by providing inservice activities, staff development, community education, and material resources for the regional high school district it serves. The second program originated as a comprehensive study of secondary education, based on the notion that the people most involved in a given community's school system are also the people best suited for establishing the goals, identifying the needs, and planning the ongoing direction of the school. The evolution of this concept into the development of a teacher center program is studied in this report. Information is presented concerning the two programs' procedures for dealing with needs assessment, inservice programming, organization and publicity needs of a teacher center, administration, program development and funding, and dissemination of research information gathered through program activities. (Authors/LH)