Attitudes of Virginia citizens toward wildlife management programs were studied using a survey questionnaire mailed to 2,000 randomly selected households. The response rate was 56%. Wildlife's ecological, viewing, cultural, existence, and scientific benefits were valued by most of the respondents (81-96%)- Fewer respondents (44-57%) valued wildlife for hunting recreation, food and furs, and economic benefits; 48% valued wildlife because they believed animals have souls. Most respondents (81-96%) participated in nonconsumptive activities which required little time, money, or knowledge of the wildlife resource. Fewer respondents (26-43%) participated in activities which require greater commitments such as photographing wildlife, traveling to see wildlife, and hunting. Most respondents (77%) felt that active management of wildlife was necessary, and most (79%) agreed that management should benefit wildlife populations rather than humans. Similarly, when asked to assign nongame budget percentages to various activities, respondents gave priority to programs benefitting wildlife rather than people. We suggest that most people prefer the intangible benefits they receive from knowing that wildlife populations exist and are being preserved, to the tangible benefits they receive from direct use of the wildlife resource. A second sample of 400 Virginia nongame fund contributors was compared to self-declared hunters from the general public sample. Contributors to Virginia's nongame fund are more likely than hunters to be single, suburban males, with advanced educations and white-collar jobs. Contributor preferences and values are similar to those of hunters except they are less likely to value wildlife for utilitarian purposes. / M.S.

The Virginia Division of Litter Control's education package entitled Operation Waste Watch (OWW) was evaluated at the first, fourth, and sixth grade level in 19 elementary schools in two southwestern counties in Virginia. Evaluation was provided for the standard curriculum program and for a specially modified behavioral version of the original material. Program evaluation for both curriculum packages was provided immediately before, after, and three months after the implementation of the program and consisted of student achievement testing in terms of knowledge about solid waste management and the assessment of actual student behavior. Specifically, the data was analyzed according to the factorial design: 3 Grade (First, Fourth, Sixth) x 3 Curriculum Condition (Standard, Modified, Control) x 3 Phase (Pre, Post, Follow-up). Significant improvements following the implementation of the educational curriculum occurred only for the student achievement tests. Both programs were found to significantly raise student test performance immediately following presentation of the curriculum materials. The level of student knowledge three months later was also found to statistically surpass baseline performance. However, there was little or no evidence, during Posttesting or Followup, of superior performance by students receiving the modified curriculum program. Supplemental information from the teachers concerning the overall effectiveness of the different curriculum components indicated that while the materials of OWW were needed and generally well constructed, there were severe problems concerning the amount of time needed to adequately teach the different student activities. / Ph. D.

This thesis examines the issue of Texas annexation from the viewpoints of two southern cities: Richmond, Virginia, and New Orleans, Louisiana. It looks primarily at four major newspapers, two in each city: the Richmond Enquirer and the Richmond Whig; and the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the New Orleans Whig. These four newspapers were examined thoroughly from January 1844 to July 1845. In addition to the above newspapers, the Congressional Globe and national voting patterns on Texas annexation were examined. Analysis of the editorial articles in the above newspapers offers the best possibility of understanding public sentiment toward Texas annexation and the presidential election of 1844. The evidence examined in this study indicates that Texas annexation became a decisive issue in the presidential election of 1844. It also shows that, although the press and elements within both Democratic and Whig parties were aware that the slavery question was intricately linked to the Texas annexation issue, slavery and sectional politics were not the primary factors influencing annexation. Ultimately, fundamental concerns regarding western expansion in general, especially for the Whigs, and political party loyalty proved the decisive factors in the presidential election of 1844 and Texas annexation. The evidence gathered in this study indicates that Texas annexation deliberately became an issue in the presidential election by the Democratic party. It also shows that although consideration was given to the slavery question by elements of both the Whig and Democratic parties, sectional politics did not enter into play concerning the annexation of Texas.