THE HISTORY OF SMALL SCHOOLS REVEALS THAT EVEN AFTER MASSIVE REDISTRICTING IN THE 1950'S THERE WERE OVER 5000 SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH COULD NOT BE REDISTRICTED. MOST OF THESE SCHOOLS WERE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THEIR PROGRAMS, AND AS A RESULT MANY BECAME INVOLVED IN PROJECTS (10 ARE DESCRIBED HERE) WHICH WERE TO BE ATTEMPTED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS. MULTIGRADED CLASSES, CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION, PROGRAMED MATERIALS, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, AND SHARED SERVICES WERE AMONG THE PRACTICES ATTEMPTED IN DIFFERENT AREAS. THE SPECIFIC PRACTICES THAT SEEMED TO HOLD MOST PROMISE FOR SMALL SCHOOLS WERE THE NONGRADED SYSTEM, TEAM TEACHING, TEACHER AIDES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN THE ONE-TEACHER SCHOOL. IT APPEARS TO BE TRUE THAT ADOPTION OF THE AFOREMENTIONED EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES CAN HELP PREVENT THE ISOLATED SMALL SCHOOL FROM BEING INFERIOR IF THERE IS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, BOARD OF EDUCATION SUPPORT, AND IF AN EXPERIENCED AND HIGHLY TRAINED FACULTY CAN BE EMPLOYED. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK CONFERENCE ON RURAL YOUTH, OCTOBER 23-26, 1967, WASHINGTON, D. C., SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE U. S. DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, INTERIOR, AND LABOR, OEO, AND THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YOUTH OPPORTUNITY. (JS)