Adjustment of American Indians to a major urban institution, exemplified by public schools, and adaptations to urban life in general were examined, using data collected between 1965 and 1969, and focusing on intensive observations of 24 randomly-selected American Indian students (19 high school, 5 elementary) attending East San Francisco Bay Area public schools during 1968-69. Most students were adjusted to school; only three were unadjusted. Emotionally-supportive relationships within local domestic units and with extended kin on home reservations and elsewhere were primary in determining adjustment to public schools and urban life. Many families were flexible, extended family groupings, composed of a variable number of visiting kin, besides a central core of kin; many had more than one person in the labor force. Children were frequently subject to multiple parenting and movement between domestic units in the city and on reservations, encouraging strong emotional ties between geographically dispersed kin. Absence of domestic affect often led to personal and emotional disorganization, especially apparent among unadjusted students. Most Indian families were adjusted to urban life. Appendices include data on American Indians in the Bay Area, the interview form, general characteristics of the student sample, Strong Vocational Interest Blank scores, and a 20-page bibliography. (AW)