This thesis explores the stereotypes of Texans portrayed in American entertainment media, and attempts to identify the reasons for both the existence, and persistence of these images. The study includes a brief history of Texas, and background information on the formulation of stereotypes. Cultivation theory is used to explain the process of stereotypes formed through television viewing. Content analysis of the responses from an on line survey involving 52 participants revealed that people outside the state of Texas have strong perceptions about Texans that are consistent with media representations. As the level of television viewership increased, so did the indelibility of the impressions. Those who watch more television were more likely to perceive the image of Texans as negative, and less likely to change their opinions of Texans after visiting the state.

The purpose of the investigation was to determine if participant attitudes toward recreation program elements varied significantly according to racial origin of the individual. The subjects were adults involved in structured and unstructured recreation programs at six community recreation centers operated by the Dallas Recreation Department. The chi-square test was used to determine significance of the difference among participant attitudes. The results of the investigation revealed a statistically significant difference among the three racial groups with regard to their attitudes toward various program elements. Conclusions were that participants from these three racial groups appear to be more different than alike in their attitude toward recreation programming.

The problem of this study is a comparison of minimum competencies needed for high school graduation as perceived by local professional educators to those perceived by the local school community. The source of data is Community Survey of Essential Student Skills. This survey instrument is a rating of the importance of minimum competencies by 1,931 patrons in the local school community. A total number of 401 professional educators had previously rated these competencies. The following conclusions are based on the analysis of each hypothesis and observations during the study. 1. There is an increasing amount of emphasis in the literature that major perceptual differences exist between professional educators and school communities. Educators need to identify and act upon the perceptions of their patrons. Increased emphasis upon community involvement is supported by findings of this study. For example, the community could be involved in curriculum development for life skills. Patrons, students and parents could serve on advisory committees to school boards. 2. There is evidence that increased communication efforts are needed to narrow the gap between perceptions of educators and school communities. Educators perceived the reading and writing skills in this study as Essential but patrons did not. Better clarification to patrons relating to why and how skills are taught would be helpful. Otherwise, it will appear to patrons that schools are out of step with requirements for coping in today's society. 3. Inflation has increased the cost of education, and taxpayers are not willing to support a system that they feel may not be doing an effective job. While there is a large majority of the American public that still has confidence in schools as indicated by the 1978 Gallup Poll, there needs to be a bolstering of support. It behooves educators to set and monitor expectations of achievement, provide resources to meet needs of diverse students, inform and involve patrons and promote a caring, disciplined atmosphere in all classrooms.

The purpose of this study is to determine the public image of industrial arts education in Dallas, Texas. Information sought is obtained from interview schedules using random sampling techniques. The results of the study indicate that the public is not generally informed about industrial arts education. It is recommended that the public be informed as to the difference between industrial arts and vocational education. It is also recommended that more girls be introduced to industrial arts. It is further recommended that the world of construction and world of manufacturing be expanded.

Historians of the prohibition movement in Texas have assumed that the state's main ethnic minorities-Germans, Mexican Americans and African Americans-strongly opposed restrictions on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. This study focuses on the voting patterns in fifteen counties chosen to represent varying percentages of these ethnic minorities in their populations during three statewide anti-alcohol elections (1997, 1911, and 1919) in an effort to determine exactly the extent of opposition to prohibition on the part of ethnic minorities in Texas. It also examines the actions of the prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists in courting the vote of ethnic minority groups. This analysis and comparison of election results in fifteen counties confirms overwhelming opposition to prohibition on the part of all three of Texas's ethnic minorities.