Community-Based Research Commons^™

Unlike Most Top 100 Cities, Providence Losing Population, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Given the recent history of population decline in Providence and other large cities throughout New England, one might think that major cities throughout the country are also losing population. Not so."

Rhode Island Gets A 'C' In 1988 Study, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Ranking cities and states for their livability, jobs, taxes, schools and a host of other measures is becoming almost a national pastime.

Perhaps the most comprehensive ranking of cities is the Rand McNally Places Rated Almanac whose most recent edition ranked the Providence metropolitan area as 26th best of 329 evaluated in the nation. Critics have questioned the methodology used in this ranking, but cities rating highly have been quick to capitalize on it. Walking through the airport terminal in No. 1-ranked Pittsburgh, one is greeted by a large banner that proclaims the city to be the most livable in …

Eight Communities Meet To Find And Foot Housing, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When resources are provided to local cities and towns to address housing problems, the results can be both innovative and productive. This was aptly demonstrated at a recent workshop on affordable housing.

The 150 attendees who went to Newport, one of the eight cities and towns that received grants to study the problem, were there to share recommendations on how to best address the Providence metropolitan area's lack of affordable housing."

The Cities And Towns Look Ahead, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"What do you want your community to be? Over the next two and one-half years all communities in the state will be required to address this question, and to come up with a formal statement of what these goals and objectives are to be. And it's about time."

Grade, Sex And Ethnicity Differences In Career Maturity, Level Of Career Aspirations And Decision-Making Of Adolescents, Diane Dougherty Rhoden

Graduate Theses

Grade, sex and ethnicity differences in career maturity, level of career aspirations and decision making of adolescents were examined. The subjects were one hundred and two students drawn from regular seventh through twelfth grade classes of three schools. The subjects were given the Career Development Inventory to assess career maturity. National Opinion Research Center prestige ratings for occupations were used to determine the subjects' level of career aspiration. The subjects were also presented with ten decision dilemmas. The responses to the dilemmas reflected willingness to delay temporal gratification for future goals and adherence to personal goals or deference to the …

Adult Illiteracy: A Survey Of The Material And Teaching Preferences Of Local Tutors, Mary Margaret Byrom

Graduate Theses

An overview of adult illiteracy in the United States from an historical and current perspective is presented. Regarding current efforts at improving reading ability, a study was conducted of local tutors whose names were supplied by the Midland Need to Read program. A survey form was used to indicate 1) the experience level of the tutor, 2) the preference of tutors as to the ability of students they preferred to instruct, 3) the reading series they found most effective, and 4) interesting and effective supplemental materials. Findings indicate that tutors with prior teaching experience have more confidence in instructing students …

Is Owning A Home Still A Workable Expectation?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Part of the American Dream is to own and occupy one's own home, and, in this rich country, most people have attained that goal. But the concern today is that potential home owners, especially those taking this eventful step for the first time, are unable to make this dream a reality because of the high cost of housing in this part of the country. What will be the likelihood in the near future that the young potential home buyers reach this important life goal?"

Canada Teaches Some Simple Lessons, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It's an odd person who doesn't marvel at the cities of Canada on his or her return from a visit to our neighbor to the north. Whether this be a trip to Canada's largest city of Montreal or to a Providence-sized Quebec City, people speak of the cleanliness, the safety, the beauty, the good public transport and the relaxed way of living. What accounts for the livability of these urban centers? And is there something that we can learn from the Canadians that we can use in our own cities?"