THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY WERE TO DETERMINE THE NEEDS FOR STRENGTHENING THE HOMEMAKING PROGRAM AND FOR PLANNING PROGRAMS TO PREPARE YOUNG WOMEN FOR OCCUPATIONS USING HOME ECONOMICS SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS COMPLETED DATA SHEETS FOR 2,679 OF THE 20,000 10TH GRADE GIRLS IN VIRGINIA SCHOOLS IN 1954-55. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 2,300 OF THIS SAMPLE, AND 1,585 RESPONDED PROVIDING DATA ON THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEIR PROBLEMS, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES IN HOMEMAKING. THE GROUP WAS CHARACTERIZED BY EARLY MARRIAGE AND EARLY CHILDBEARING, EARLY TERMINATION OF EDUCATION AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND POST-HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, HOME OWNERSHIP, A MODERATE LEVEL OF INCOME, PAID EMPLOYMENT, AND SHORT TIME ENROLLMENT IN HOME ECONOMICS. PROBLEMS CHIEFLY CONCERNED ADJUSTING TO NEW SITUATIONS AND TO THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A HOMEMAKER. THE SUBJECTS HAVING LONGER ENROLLMENT IN HOME ECONOMICS COURSES SEEMED TO HAVE MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE HOMEMAKER'S ROLE AND PREPARATION FOR IT, MORE INTEREST IN PREPARING FOR EMPLOYMENT IN HOME ECONOMICS OCCUPATIONS, AND A HIGHER REGARD FOR EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. GRADUATES, COMPARED WITH NONGRADUATES, WERE MORE INTERESTED IN TRAINING FOR HOME ECONOMICS WAGE-EARNING OCCUPATIONS, WERE MORE FREQUENTLY EMPLOYED, HAD HIGHER INCOMES, AND HAD SUPERIOR PRACTICES OF MANAGING INCOME. IMPLICATIONS FOR HOMEMAKING PROGRAMS CONCERNED (1) INCREASED ATTENTION TO HOMEMAKING AND WAGE-EARNING TRAINING, (2) EXPANSION TO INCLUDE MORE GIRLS FOR A LONGER PERIOD, INCLUDING POST-HIGH SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, (3) PROVISION FOR ADULT COURSES, AND (4) IMPROVEMENT OF HOMEMAKING COURSES. TABULAR DATA AND SOME PARTICIPANT REACTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE INCLUDED. (BS)