Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

6-3-1968

Abstract

The problem of this research was: what has been the role of the City of Pocatello, Idaho, Advisory Parks and Recreation Board? This problem was divided into five hypotheses:

1. Special interest group influences have operated through individual board members in the decision making process of the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Board.

2. Board member social interaction patterns have not included the power structure of the Pocatello community.

3. Board membership has not been representative of the total Pocatello community in terms of the geographic distribution of that membership.

4. There has been disproportionate distribution of recreational services along social class lines in the Pocatello community.

5. The Pocatello Parks and Recreation Board's role performance has been affected adversely by forces in the community which have taken initiative in recreational matters outside the framework of the board and Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department.

Research methods included participant-observer, tape recording, interviews, and the reputational technique of community power identification. Through use of W. Lloyd Warner's Index of Status Characteristics, the social class dwelling areas of Pocatello, Idaho, were identified. Analyses of findings led to the following conclusions: Hypothesis number one was upheld. In at least one case, special interest group influences were found to be operating through individual board members in the decision making process of the board. Hypothesis number two was not upheld. Contrary to this hypothesis, parks and recreation board member social interaction patterns were found to include considerable interaction with the community power structure personnel. Hypothesis number three was sustained by the research findings. Board membership has not been representative of the total Pocatello community in terms of the geographic distribution of that membership. Hypothesis number four was sustained. There was disproportionate distribution of recreational services along social class lines in the Pocatello community. Hypothesis number five was sustained. The Pocatello Parks and Recreation Board's role performance has been affected adversely by forces in the community which have taken initiative in recreational matters outside the frame­work of the board and Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Lloyd Robert Burley

Second Committee Member

Armond Harold Seidler

Third Committee Member

Charles Emmert Woodhouse

Fourth Committee Member

Harold Dean Drummond

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