Twenty-three articles by five educators who wrote in the 1960's and 1970's about the then new concept of the middle school are gathered, along with current essays reflecting on the insight these papers provide for current middle-school concerns. In the first section, C. Kenneth McEwin reflects on the current impact of these writings of William M. Alexander: "The Junior High School: A Changing View,""Program and Organization of a Five Through Eight Middle School," and "The New School in the Middle". Donald H. Eichhorn presents "New Knowledge of 10 Through 13 Year Olds,""The Emerging Adolescent School of the Future-Now,""Middle School: An Evolving Idea," and his own updated reflections. John H. Lounsbury provides "What Has Happened to the Junior High?,""What Keeps Junior From Growing Up,""How the Junior High School Came To Be,""Assuring the Continued Success of the Middle School," and his own current reflections. Conrad F. Toepfer, Jr. offers "Who Should Teach in Junior High,""Curricular Imperatives for the Middle School,""Some Operational Problems in Educating Emerging Adolescent Learners,""Challenge to Middle School Education: Preventing Regression to the Mean," and a current reflection entitled "Preparing Today's Young Adolescents to Succeed in Tomorrow's World." Gordon F. Vars contributes "Preparing Junior High School Teachers,""Change--and the Junior High,""Junior High or Middle School: Which Is the Best for the Education of Young Adolescents?," and "The Middle School: Fresh Start or New Delusion" with his own reflections. (Contains 149 references.) (RKJ)