Pilot Cities Program; General Policy, 1973

The Community Research Inc. records are positioned into three series: (1) Community Research Inc.; (2) Pilot Cities Program; and (3) Miscellaneous Papers.

Series 1 holds the essence of Community Research Inc., with records from its creation in 1957 as Metropolitan Community Studies. Other records in this series are focused on the day to day affairs of Community Research Inc., with files on its policies, Annual Reports, Board meeting minutes and other correspondence. Also included in this series are reports and evaluations of community programs and problems that face Dayton as a growing city in the period from 1959 until 1976. This area is of special interest, as these reports, evaluations and studies were the primary goal of Community Research Inc. Materials in Series 1 date from 1957 to 1976.

Series 2 contains records that are focused on Community Research’s role in the Pilot Cities Program. As with Series 1, Series 2 contains reports, Board meeting minutes and correspondence that was focused on the operations of the Pilot Cities Program. (Many of these records were created by staff from Community Research Inc.) At the heart of this series are Federal grant proposals by Dayton civic leaders, members of the police force and local lawyers. This series also includes several bound evaluations of the programs funded by these grants. These records are of special interest, as Dayton was one of the only ten cities in the nation selected to participate in the Pilot Cities Program, which was an attempt by the Federal government to address the problems faces by urban centers in the period between 1971-1975. Materials in Series 2 date from 1970 to 1976.

Series 3 is a collection of miscellaneous reports and information gathered by the staff of Community Research Inc. This information ranges from reports and data on the Montgomery County Court system to the Dayton Police Department’s attempt to purchase a gyroplane to assist them in crime fighting. Information in this series also includes information gathered by Community Research Inc. on urban problems that other cities faced in the 1970s, such as drugs and youth problems. Materials in Series 3 date from 1967 to 1976.