ABSTRACT
David Schulz came to know the Pattersons through another family with whom he was doing field work. When he began to interview members of the family intensively in the summer of 1966, he learned that there were, in addition to Mr and Mrs Patterson, eight children in the household, ranging in age from 9 to 19. In addition there were four grown children – two were hers by previous relationships and two his – and Mr Patterson had several other children by other women living in St Louis. At the time the data were collected Mr Patterson was 46 years old and Mrs Patterson was 42. They had been living in St Louis for about sixteen years and in Pruitt-Igoe for about ten years.
