Fundamental adjustments in the educational philosophy and practices of private junior colleges are essential to their survival. There is a great need for public awareness of the private junior college's economic plight, which is due to rising costs and non-competitive prices for students and salaries for faculty. A major purpose of this monograph is to see how the private purposes of private junior colleges are relevant to contemporary public policies in junior college education. The private junior college, being a relatively free agent, is suited to the role of a prototype for the future 2-year college; however, the concepts of equal opportunity, accountability, and individualized instruction must be incorporated into its institutional style. The case study of Mitchell College (North Carolina) shows how the cooperative efforts of trustees, administration, and faculty succeeded in redirecting the purposes and style of a private junior college. It was found that (1) a junior college must be oriented to the needs of the public interest; and (2) individual institutions need local and national organizations to promote and protect their interests. (CA)