Research Findings: We examined the association between neighborhood median income, child race/ethnicity, and parental perspectives and practical considerations regarding preschool program location. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of parents in Boston, Massachusetts planning to enroll in preschool (N = 1171). Questions measured parental…

Social essentialism, the belief that members of certain social categories share unobservable properties, licenses expectations that those categories are natural and a good basis for inference. A challenge for cognitive developmental theory is to give an account of how children come to develop essentialist beliefs about socially important…

Objectives: To determine (1) reliability of new food environment measures; (2) association between home food environment and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake; and (3) association between community and home food environment. Methods: In 2005, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with readministration to assess test-retest reliability. Adolescents,…

In this article, Jessica Wolpaw Reyes investigates the link between lead exposure and student achievement in Massachusetts. Childhood exposure to even low levels of lead can adversely affect neurodevelopment, behavior, and cognitive performance. Using a panel dataset of cohorts of children born in the 1990s who were third and fourth graders in the…

This article presents an in-depth case study of the Healthy Options for Prevention and Education Coalition's Teens Tackle Tobacco initiative, a 3-year community-based participatory research (CBPR) project about the distribution of tobacco vendors and tobacco advertising in Worcester, Massachusetts. Using two theoretical frameworks, positive youth…

This report complements a national survey of outdoor arts festivals (see "Live from Your Neighborhood: A National Study of Outdoor Arts Festivals, Volume One: Summary Report") by focusing on seven case study festivals: Houston International Festival; Piccolo Spoleto; Lowell Folk Festival; Santa Fe Indian Market; Chicago Jazz Festival;…

This study evaluates how welcoming thirty American cities--the twenty-five largest and five smaller "hotspots"--are to "nontraditional" problem-solvers and solutions. It assumes that the balky bureaucracies meant to improve K-12 education and hold leaders accountable are so calcified by policies, programs, contracts, and…

Several New England states have been rethinking the system whereby small towns make the key decisions about school budgets and staffing under the banner of local control. Maine already has mandated a reduction in the number of local school districts from 290 to 80, allowing localities to vote on the larger districts. This consolidation, unpopular…

Context: Small towns across the United States struggle to maintain an adequate primary care workforce. Purpose: To examine factors contributing to physician satisfaction and retention in largely rural areas in Massachusetts, a state with rural pockets and small towns. Methods: A survey mailed in 2004-2005 to primary care physicians, practicing in…

This study explores Spanish language maintenance in Southbridge, Massachusetts, a suburban town with a vibrant Puerto Rican community. The investigation focuses on the extent to which Southbridge Puerto Ricans use Spanish and English at home, and their attitudes toward Spanish language maintenance. Survey data, especially the impact of factors…

Examines how the Puritan religious outlook influenced relationships with the Indians and the form of New England towns. The form of Puritan towns in Massachusetts reflected the European ideal of the religious utopia. Misunderstandings about the concept of property rights led to conflicts with indigenous Indian tribes. (AM)

As a foundation for the future plans of the Leominster (Massachusetts) Public Library, a study was undertaken to: (1) analyze the physical, economic, and demographic characteristics of the community and their implication for library service; (2) evaluate present library services and identify unfilled needs; and (3) identify goals and objectives to…

This extensive study of the Beverly, Massachusetts, Public Library begins with a description of the community, including demographic characteristics and social, governmental, and educational activities and organization. A chronicle of library governance, facilities, financial resources, and collections is also included. Library services are…

A community analysis study of Arlington, Massachusetts was undertaken to evaluate Robbins Library's activities and services and provide a base for developing short and long range goals and objectives responsive to community needs. Data was derived primarily from 1970 census data and various reports or studies compiled by the library and other…

This community analysis was conducted in order to characterize and identify the information needs of the Wakefield community, and library services and use were evaluated to determine how well the library meets these needs. The study included an examination of the history of the town and its physical characteristics, economic development, and…