THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN WEWAHITCHKA, FLORIDA, WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS TYPIFIED MANY OF THE PROBLEMS OF STRUGGLING RURAL AMERICAN SCHOOLS. IT WAS BESET WITH EVEN MORE CLASSROOM PROBLEMS WHEN SCHOOL AND TOWN LEADERS VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO DESEGREGATE ALL GRADES IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE FINANCIAL NEED TO CONSOLIDATE WITH A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY. (THE SHIFT TO BIRACIAL SCHOOLS OCCURRED WITHOUT INCIDENT.) FOUNDATION GRANTS PROVIDED FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND INSERVICE TEACHER TRAINING, AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS SET UP A REMEDIAL READING PROGRAM AND PERMITTED THE PURCHASE OF SOME EQUIPMENT AND LIBRARY BOOKS. MANY STUDENTS OF BOTH RACES WERE FOUND TO BE BELOW GRADE LEVEL IN COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND TO NEED INTENSIVE REMEDIATION. AMONG STAFF THERE WERE SEVERAL POORLY TRAINED OR UNCERTIFIED PERSONNEL. TEACHERS HAD BEEN OUTSPOKEN IN THEIR CRITICISM OF THE PAUCITY OF COUNTY AND STATE SCHOOL ALLOCATIONS AND OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE NEGLECT. NEVERTHELESS, TEACHERS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED POSITIVELY BY THE NEW ATMOSPHERE IN THE SCHOOLS, AND SOME INNOVATIVE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED. HOWEVER, THE BURDEN OF CULTURAL IMPOVERISHMENT AND THE LIMITED ECONOMY OF THE AREA REMAINS AS A SERIOUS HANDICAP TO THE POTENTIAL FOR EDUCATION IN THIS TOWN. THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE "SOUTHERN EDUCATION REPORT," VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1, JULY-AUGUST 1967. (NH)