This interim report describes in detail the data collection procedures for a study focusing on the relation of education to social structure in Providence, Rhode Island from 1880 to 1925. The objectives of the study are to examine the following: (1) the changing distribution of schooling among various social groups; (2) the extent to which schools helped people get ahead; (3) the extent to which different ethnic groups differed in their use of the schools; (4) the educational patterns in women of different social backgrounds and the role of education in their social mobility; and (5) the extent to which the educational credentials required for a job changed as the average amount of schooling increased. The author details how he chose samples from the census and high school records, how he obtained family background information from the city directory and the tax book, information on school attainment from the census and school records, and information on the sample members' careers, male and female, from the city directory, tax books, and marriage records. Limitations, difficulties, and the possible margin of error are noted in full. The author also describes how he classified and coded occupations and concludes with a description of organizing and processing the data collection. Research findings and implications will be reported at a later date. The data collection chart used is appended. (Author/CK)