This article is essentially written as two linked parts. The first part considers how space, spatiality and history can contribute to understanding and "doing something about" the sustainability of rural communities. This is done by extensive reference to Soja's (1989 & 1996) space and spatial theorising and selective perspectives of…

Two-thirds of the 33,000 residents of Shawano County, Wisconsin, live in rural areas; agricultural interests comprise 30% of the employment economy. Inventories of Extension programs from 1960 to 1975 and telephone interviews with county and community leaders and a random sample of 1192 county residents yielded data for this survey. Most adults…

A 3-CHOICE ATTITUDINAL SCALE WAS CONSTRUCTED TO DETERMINE COMMUNITY ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS WHICH MIGHT AFFECT THE SCHOOL PROGRAM. THE SCALE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1 GENERAL AND 4 SPECIFIC CATEGORIES--(1) ADMINISTRATION, (2) FINANCE, (3) GENERAL ATTITUDES, (4) PERSONNEL, AND (5) PROGRAM. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT IS INCLUDED, AS WELL AS DATA ON…

A study of rural community colleges in Minnesota and Michigan was conducted to determine to what extent the colleges were fulfilling their stated purposes, whether Minnesota's centralized state community college system is as responsive to community needs as Michigan's decentralized system, and the major criteria identified by community college…

The major objective of this pilot survey was to pretest questions for use in the development and design of a larger, more definitive survey of residents of rural communities in Appalachia, planned for the spring of 1981, and to obtain preliminary descriptive data about the area's residents. Telephone interviews covered respondents' family…

A 1978 preliminary study assessed the attitudes of the residents of Glencoe, Oklahoma, concerning the existing school system and the interest in possible development of a community education program. A door to door and telephone survey was administered to 157 households (a 50% sampling), using a 15-item questionnaire, to determine the attitude…

Reports on an Arkansas survey that illustrates a technique for analyzing the school-related concerns and perceptions of teachers and community members. Shows how the survey can identify problem areas in the schools and explains how administrators can use the survey to improve school-community relations. (SB)

The Arlington, Washington, School District--a mostly rural district with enrollment of 2,790--conducted a survey of its public using both blanket mailing and random sampling procedures in order to compare the views of the total population with the views of the typically small percentage who mail back a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 29…

A 1977 preliminary study for the Community Education Advisory Council of Blanchard, Oklahoma, done in conjunction with the Blanchard Public Schools, sought to determine the need for and receptivity to the possible development of a community education program. The survey instrument, administered using a random sample and personal interview method,…