agencies which are working for any phase of rural advancement in
this state.

III. MEMBERSHIP.--Any organization interested in rural advancement,
which may desire to co-operate with the work of the League, may be
represented in the League.

Any individual in the state interested in rural progress may become
a member of the League upon the payment of one dollar annual fee.

IV. OFFICERS.--The administrative work of the League shall be
conducted by a council, to be composed of one delegate from each
organization represented in the League, to serve until superseded.
The council at the time of each annual conference shall choose from
among its members a president, a vice-president, and a
secretary-treasurer, and these officers shall act as an executive
committee.

V. MEETINGS.--The meetings of the League shall be held at the call
of the executive committee. There shall, however, be at least one
annual Conference on rural progress held under the auspices of the
League.

VI. FINANCES.--The funds necessary to forward the work of the
League may come from three sources:

_a_) Contributions made by organizations belonging to the League
and represented on the council, such contributions to be voluntary
and in such amount as the respective organizations may designate.
The council may, however, make up a schedule of desired
contributions from the various organizations and present it to the
different organizations.

_b_) Membership fees from individual members, $1.00 per year from
each member.

_c_) Private subscriptions.

Probably the first successful attempt to organize a permanent league for
rural progress was accomplished in 1904 through the efforts of Rev. G.
T. Nesmith, of Hebron, Ill. It was called "The McHenry County
Federation," and has held three annual meetings and seems to be on a
solid basis. Mr. Nesmith has endeavored to keep the purpose of the
league on a high plane by endeavoring to state clearly the object of the
federation, which is, "that the people of McHenry County might have
life, and have it more abundantly, and this life was not to be a narrow
life. It was the largest aggregate and highest symmetry of the sixfold
ends of individual and community action, viz., health, wealth,
knowledge, sociability, beauty, and righteousness." He also endeavored
to make i