FEDERATION FOR RURAL PROGRESS 245 



There is one noticeable omission in the constitution — 

 a provision for the proper financing of the federation. 

 This is partially explained by the fact that the federa- 

 tion has largely centered about the county Teachers' 

 Association and the county Farmers' Institute, organi- 

 zations that are supported in a financial way by the 

 county and the state appropriations. These appropria- 

 tions, in addition to some voluntary gifts, have been 

 sufficient to meet the necessary expenses of the meetings. 



I think that I am safe in saying that the interest 

 and also the attendance has probably increased 

 100 per cent, at each session. Each year has also 

 seen a much larger percentage of our local men and 

 women helping out on the programme. It is a little 

 early in its history to expect much evidence of material 

 results, but I believe that results are already putting in 

 an appearance, especially from the esthetic standpoint. 

 Without doubt more trees have been planted about the 

 country homes and along the country roadsides of this 

 county than in any two preceding years. In a great 

 many places roads have been cleaned. Refuse and 

 weeds have been removed and burned. Landscape 

 gardening on a simple scale is putting in an appearance 

 in places where it was little expected. The naming of 

 farms is another feature that is rapidly growing. Boys' 

 country clubs are being formed and this year, for the 

 first time, three of these clubs met with the federation, 

 had a banquet, and formed a county organization. 



Of course not all of these movements are rightfully to 

 be attributed to the direct influence of the county federa- 

 tion. The public schools of the county have been largely 

 instrumental in stirring the public conscience to a livelier 



