Examines housing conditions and attitudes of 46 predominantly Black residents of substandard single family houses in a rural Georgia community. Finds houses lack indoor plumbing and need serious repairs, but residents like their homes, prefer to stay, and would welcome housing assistance programs. Offers recommendations for improving rural…

Notes three features of current community service satisfaction research that hinder its progress: weakness of study designs, lack of standard service and disregard for how user satisfaction varies with service use. Makes recommendations regarding the content, reliability, validity, and analysis of useful measures of service satisfaction. (SB)

A survey of 523 households in a rural Alberta (Canada) town found that overall, the community supported deinstitutionalization of patients from the town's psychiatric hospital. The strongest predictor of favorable attitudes toward the mentally ill was education, whereas age, employment status, and income were weak predictors. (KS)

Analysis of community social problems by 125 rural West community leaders revealed attitudes toward social services. Two perspectives emerged: focus on family-related problems and focus on public safety problems. Findings suggested--although links between public services and social conditions in health and education are understood--connections…

Describes the Skyline Farms Project in Appalachian Alabama, a largely unsuccessful attempt to transform ex-tenant farmers into independent landowners. Traces the history of Skyline Farms from the 1930s to the early 1940s. Describes community attitudes and social services (education, health, recreation, home economics). Discusses reasons for the…

In-depth, unstructured, interviews with 20 non-Amish public officials, farmers, and business people in Fillmore County, Minnesota, examined attitudes toward the local Amish population, including Amish religious beliefs and practices, taxation and school issues, Amish impact on the area economy, and prejudice toward the Amish as a group. Data were…

After discussing theories of attitude change, recommends that mental health workers overcome the negative attitudes of rural communities toward mental health programs by forming positive, personal, affective bonds with rural community members. Presents strategies for establishing and maintaining these bonds in private life, clinical work, and…

The impact of resort development on Lana'i island (Hawaii) was investigated through community and island assessments, surveys of households and high school students, and focus groups. Assessment results relate to economic impacts, community services, community satisfaction, quality of life, and social impacts. Recommendations are included for…

A telephone survey of relevant agencies in each county resulted in estimates of the number and location of homeless children (age 0-21) in Alabama. Over 17,000 homeless youth were located. Community denial and misconceptions about homelessness were cited as barriers to service coordination. The responsibility of schools, agencies, and society to…

Research indicates that living in company towns created a population lacking in initiative and self-determination. In one community that was a company town until the mid-1950s, key-informant interviews indicated high levels of dropping out, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, poverty, and dependency. However, a survey of high school students revealed no…

Discusses problems associated with teen sex, the relationship between teen sexuality and self-esteem, and problems with traditional sex-education programs. Outlines factors in effective sex education, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive health program. Discusses problems specific to rural areas, and includes examples of programs…

Describes West Virginia's Community Work Experience Program, a work requirement program for public assistance recipients. Examines issues workfare raised in a rural context, explains why West Virginia avoided the controversy usually associated with such programs, and notes benefits including improved images for welfare workers, recipients, and…

Details the history of Big Laurel, West Virginia from 1918-1941, 1941-1965, and 1965-1983, noting the effects on education of events in all three periods. Describes the opening, closing, consolidation, and reopening of community schools, and the construction, development, philosophy, and curriculum of the new Big Laurel School. (SB)