A CROSS-CULTURAL NURSERY SCHOOL PROVIDED THE MILIEU IN WHICH THE FEELINGS OF THE ALIENATED POOR WERE OBSERVED. TYPICALLY, THE FAMILIES OF THE PRESCHOOL CHILDREN FEEL HOPELESS, HELPLESS, WORTHLESS, AND ISOLATED. THEIR HOPELESSNESS MAY BE A REACTION TO BEING JUDGED AS INCOMPETENT BY SOCIETY AND THEY BECOME PRESENT- RATHER THAN FUTURE-ORIENTED. SUSPICION AND SOCIAL DISTANCE ACCOMPANY THIS HOPELESSNESS. THE ROUTINES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LIFE ARE OVERWHELMING FOR THEN AND, THEREFORE, THEY DEVELOP FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS AND BECOME LESS COMMITTED TO SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS. THE POOR ARE OFTEN FROM MINORITY GROUPS (MAINLY NEGRO) WHO HAVE LONG BEEN SUBJECTED TO SECOND-CLASS STATUS, MADE TO FEEL WORTHLESS, AND HAVE DEVELOPED FEELINGS OF SELF-HATRED. ISOLATION IS ALSO CHARACTERISTIC OF THE URBAN POOR WHOSE ACTIVITIES ARE CONSTRICTED WITHIN AN APARTMENT AND USUALLY CONSIST OF EXTENSIVE TELEVISION WATCHING. ALSO THE LANGUAGE PATTERNS OF THE ISOLATED POOR CREATE COMMUNICATION BARRIERS BETWEEN THEM AND THE MIDDLE-CLASS SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS WITH WHICH THEY COME IN CONTACT. A "SENSE OF CARING" MUST BE ESTABLISHED IN AN EFFORT TO CHANGE THE FEELINGS OF SELF-DEPRECIATION AMONG THE POOR. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN "EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP," VOLUME 24, ISSUE 7, P.589-594, 1967. (NH)