By presenting a brief general history of educators' efforts and struggles to influence the intellectual and social growth of young children, it will help the reader understand why the Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction (ECRI), a research and consulting group concerned with instructional practices, sought for and obtained funds from the U.S. Department of Education to conduct three major studies pertaining to early childhood education over a period of 25 years. The first study was to determine the best age to introduce literacy instruction (three, four, five, or six) and to see if early gains in achievement, resulting from those experiences, would be maintained once the children reached the ages of seven or eight. A second study from 1983 through 1991 known as "Early Start" was conducted with preschool and kindergarten age students as an integral part of a total school curriculum program. A third study, "Enriching a Child's Literacy Environment" (ECLE), was developed and evaluated from 1988 through 1993 and then funded by the Program Effectiveness Panel, U.S. Department of Education in 1994 so ECLE could be disseminated nationally. Its purpose is to teach parents and care providers of infants six months of age to three years of age to enrich their home/center environment and, thereby, improve their children's mental and psychomotor skills. Descriptions of the studies, their findings and effects are described in this paper. (Contains 12 tables and 1 figure.)