THE MAJOR SHORTCOMINGS OF A CURRICULUM GUIDE, "WHAT IS A CITY," PREPARED FOR SEVENTH GRADERS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED AND EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN WERE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL INSENSITIVITY OF SOME OF THE CONTENT AND THE OMISSION OF SUGGESTED TECHNIQUES FOR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT OF DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR. GUIDELINES FOR IMPROVING BOTH THE GUIDE AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE SPECIAL SCHOOLS ARE OFFERED--(1) A "HUMAN CENTERED" CURRICULUM (SIMPLIFIED PSYCHOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND ETHICS COURSES) SHOULD BE TAUGHT, (2) CAREFULLY SELECTED STUDENTS SHOULD BE GIVEN PAID SERVICE ROLES IN PRESCHOOLS AS CASE AIDES, (3) PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO COUNTERACT THE STUDENTS'"ANTI-LEARNING" FEELINGS AND TO OFFER THEM AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES, AND (4) TEACHER TRAINING COULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED BY DEMONSTRATION CLASSROOMS UNDER A MASTER TEACHER AND BY MAKING A CURRICULUM REFERENCE LIBRARY AVAILABLE. THE AUTHOR BELIEVES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE SO THAT SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS IN THE GUIDE, AS THOSE FOR COMPREHENSIVE CLASSROOMS AND TEAM TEACHING, COULD BE IMPLEMENTED. THE MATHEMATICS, MUSIC, ART, AND AUDIOVISUAL PROGRAMS WERE ESPECIALLY PRAISED. (NH)