A HANDBOOK HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR REPORTERS WHO ARE COVERING THE DESEGREGATION OF ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO INFORM THE PRESS OF THE EFFORTS MADE BY CITIZENS IN THE FIGHT TO KEEP PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPEN. A MAJOR PORTION OF THE GUIDE IS DEVOTED TO A DETAILED, CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BACKGROUND PERIOD (1954-61) LEADING TO SCHOOL DESEGREGATION. THE STORY CONSISTS LARGELY OF THE ACTION TAKEN BY SUCH CITIZENS' ORGANIZATION AS HOPE (HELP OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION), OASIS (ORGANIZATIONS ASSISTING SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER), AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ATLANTA WHO HAVE WORKED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ORDERLY PROCESS OF THE LAW. AFTER THE 1954 SUPREME COURT DECISION, ATLANTA WAS A CITY IN WHICH THERE WERE DEBATE AND A CONTINUING EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. THE WHITE CITIZENS COUNCILS, THE KU KLUX KLAN, AND OTHER SEGREGATIONIST ORGANIZATIONS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, BUT THE HANDBOOK CLEARLY POINTS OUT THAT SUCH GROUPS DID NOT DOMINATE PUBLIC SENTIMENT WHICH OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED LAWFUL PROCEDURES. AS PRACTICAL GUIDES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRESS IN ATLANTA, THE HANDBOOK INCLUDED--(1) A LIST OF PROMINENT PEOPLE WHOM THE REPORTERS MIGHT WANT TO INTERVIEW, (2) A COPY OF THE ATLANTA PLAN FOR SCHOOL DESEGREGATION, (3) SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ON INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, TEACHER SALARIES, FINANCES, LIBRARIES, AND THE HISTORY OF ATLANTA SCHOOL SYSTEM, (4) MAPS OF THE GROUNDS OF FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE INTEGRATED, AND (5) INFORMATION ABOUT THE 10 BUS TRANSFER STUDENTS. LETTERS TO THE PRESS FROM THE MAYOR, THE CHIEF OF POLICE, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARE ALSO PRESENTED.