The Nation's Children, a tripartite study of The Family and Social Change, Development and Education, and Problems and Prospects, was first released in 1960 for the Golden Anniversary White House Conference on Children and Youth.

The issues raised in this classic text have now become central. Questions of the appropriate educational objectives for American democracy, equality of opportunity, the relationship between religion and youth, changes in family structure, the role of the Armed Forces as a training institution, bilingualism, juvenile delinquency, and the limits of social welfare institutions are only some of the many subjects covered. The book confirms that the problems of children and youth have still not been satisfactorily resolved.

In his new introduction, Ginzberg reviews the author's successes and failures in assessing and projecting trends. It is an insightful retrospective that reveals what social scientists can learn about the processes of societal change.

Eli Ginzberg is the director of the Conservation of Human Resources, Columbia University. His many publications include Understanding Human Resources; Human Resources: The Wealth of a Nation; The Manpower Connection: Education and Work; and Talent and Performance.