There is no formula for creating celebrations that truly inspire a sense of community on campus, but the authors describe the convocation program at Western Washington University and how it involves the whole community in creating a welcoming experience. They draw on the compelling campus traditions, give returning students an important role, and…

Investigates cross-level mediational and moderational community and family influences on adolescent depressive symptoms. Findings suggested that the influence of the parent-child relationship on adolescent depressive symptoms is weaker in more adverse communities than in less adverse communities. Findings underscore the importance of placing…

This paper shows how cultural models mediate children's "Discourse about reading" (in Gee's sense), which is considered as a boundary object between the community and school. An empirical case study of the stories of 7- and 8-year-old children, in conjunction with classroom ethnography show gendered positioning in a Discourse about reading, which…

Presents a model 33 item questionnaire which can be adapted by any community college to assess its commitment and skills as a community-based performance-oriented institution. The instrument is intended to be used in a series of structured interviews with a small sample from each area of the college and community. (NHM)

A comparison of data from reputational studies of black community leadership in Providence, Rhode Island, conducted in 1962, 1970, and 1972 revealed a high turnover in personnel, a decrease in average age, more local origin, more orientation to the black community, more employment in positions related to race relations, more residence in the black…

This document describes the struggles of a diverse group of 37 community leaders, called the Greensboro One Task Force, with the issues of race, class, and government in order to develop a bond package that could be supported by the majority of the voters of a North Carolina city. Through quotes from the participants, the document illustrates how…

A decline in the daily reading of newspapers has been observed in the United States since World War II. In the decade from the late 1960s to the late 1970s, most daily newspapers employed market research to document and diagnose trends in readership, to estimate their present and future audiences' composition, and to assess the audiences'…

This model starts with the assumption that a drinking problem is a family problem. Alcoholism is seen as a complex, progressive illness dangerous not only to the individual drinker but also to his family, friends, and society as a whole. Early intervention is seen as important in dealing with the problem. Early warning signs and symptoms are set…

This study of the public libraries in one county in central Iowa examines the workings of the Earlham, Truro, and Winterset libraries, and explores the elements in their respective communities which affect current library services and which have potential implications for future library planning. In addition to detailed profiles of the three…

POWER STRUCTURES IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES VARY, AND THE MAKEUP OF SCHOOL BOARDS AND STYLE OF SUPERINTENDENTS IN ANY COMMUNITY CAN BE VIEWED AS A REFLECTION OF THESE DIFFERENT POWER RELATIONSHIPS. A COMMUNITY MAY BE CHARACTERIZED BY (1) A DOMINATED POWER STRUCTURE, DOMINATED SCHOOL BOARD MAKEUP, AND SERVANT SUPERINTENDENT STYLE, (2) A FACTIONAL…

The purpose of this research was to study a school district in a small American city to understand who controls school curriculum in the local community. The research approach used was reputational analysis, a survey method whereby the reputed influence of leaders is measured rather than taken for granted. Also used was a technique developed by…

As part of a series on library services to disadvantaged adults, this pamphlet provides guidelines for the use of community advisory committees in libraries: the duties and capabilities of such committees, their influence on the library, and their relationships with library boards. The size and composition of the committee are considered, as are…

This report reveals the results of studies made of three groups actively seeking community participation in school affairs in a city noted for its conservative school system. The study utilized participant observation supplemented by interviews and document analysis. Each group had only 15-30 active members and no broad base in the community. All…

This paper describes the beliefs and values of a pluralistic approach to social change and of four competing approaches: social Darwinism, functionalism, militancy, and conflict theory. Stressing the alienation and dogmatism of the competing approaches, the authors relate each approach to its operation in community action projects. Social…

This thesis describes a study that sought to ascertain if evidence could be found to support the idea that a relationship exists between a school administrator's ability to perceive the community power structure and his effectiveness in fulfilling role expectations as judged by his employer. A major thesis underlying this research held that…