School closures in Colorado's San Luis Valley were surveyed, listing the pros and cons of closing school during the potato harvest. In 1958, 12 of 31 elementary schools and 7 of 13 secondary schools ceased operation for periods up to 18 days during the potato harvest, closing schools to 4,447 students. Of these students, 904 elementary children and 786 secondary students worked in the fields. Individuals who favored strong education programs felt school closures created a negative tone among students; early school enthusiasm was lost and never regained; subject study was seriously interrupted; remedial work was retarded; pupil absenteeism was quite serious both before and after school closure periods; closures caused disruptions in extra curricular activities schedules (e.g., inadequate training in athletic programs); absenteeism lost revenue from state grants based on average daily atttendance; and incoming New Mexico children lost several weeks of schooling. From the valley economics position, school closures were favored because the potato was the valley's major economic asset; there was an urgent necessity to complete the harvest with all possible speed before weather conditions or a freeze destroyed the crop; and there was no alternative to closing some schools to induce enough workers from outside to join the labor force. (NQA)