RECOGNIZING THEIR FINANCIAL STAKE IN THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, HARTFORD BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO REMEDY THE SOCIAL ILLS ENDEMIC TO THE CENTRAL AREAS OF THE CITY. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS HAVE RESULTED FROM A GROWING EXODUS OF WHITE PERSONS FROM CITY TO SUBURBAN AREAS AND A CORRESPONDING MOVEMENT OF POORLY EDUCATED RURAL SOUTHERNERS AND PUERTO RICANS INTO THE CORE OF THE CITY. ALMOST 30,000 OF HARTFORD'S 162,000 TOTAL POPULATION ARE NEGRO, 42.5 PERCENT OF THE 26,458 PUBLIC SCHOOL POPULATION (1966) ARE NEGRO, AND 9.5 PERCENT ARE PUERTO RICAN. ALMOST 15 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION RECEIVES WELFARE PAYMENTS. AT A CONFERENCE ON METROPOLITAN COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT IT WAS DECIDED TO ATTACK THESE PROBLEMS ON A REGIONAL BASIS. AFTER MEETING WITH CONSULTANT SPECIALISTS AND VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN 1966 ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATED PROJECT TO COUNTERACT HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS. PART OF THE PROJECT WAS A PROGRAM TO BUS ABOUT 400 PUPILS FROM THE CITY INTO SUBURBAN SCHOOLS. EXTENSIVE EFFORTS WERE MADE AT THE TIME TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF INFLUENTIAL SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY. AFTER ONE YEAR IN OPERATION, THIS BUSING PROGRAM APPEARS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND PLANS ARE BEING MADE FOR ITS CONTINUATION BEYOND THE ORIGINALLY STIPULATED 2-YEAR PERIOD. THIS PAPER WAS PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA'S CITIES, SPONSORED BY THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS, WASHINGTON, D.C., NOVEMBER 16-18, 1967. (LB)