COUNTRY LIFE ORGANIZATIONS 231 



State of Texas in 1902. The Union has had a rapid growth. 

 Every southern state and many northern states have Farm- 

 ers' Unions, and the organization claims a membership of 

 nearly three million. The Union has cooperated with labor 

 unions, and seems to have objects and aims similar to -the 

 great labor union organizations, "so far as they will apply 

 to agricultural interests. It pledges that efforts shall be 

 made to preserve the common "rights and liberties," to give 

 preference to the products of labor that is organized, and to 

 have its officers cooperate with those of labor for social, legis- 

 lative, and political amelioration. 



Country life clubs. Under various names, such as coun- 

 try life clubs, farmers' clubs, agricultural clubs, community 

 clubs, etc., rural people have formed local organizations. 

 These organizations usually include the whole families of 

 the farmers. They meet regularly, have programs of music, 

 recitations, discussions of farm, home, and educational top- 

 ics, and frequently lecturers from the outside are invited to 

 take part in the programs. Various forms of refreshments 

 are often served during a social hour preceding or following 

 the club's program. 



All such local organizations, by whatever name known, 

 may now become affiliated with the National Country Life 

 Club by merely notifying the secretary, who, at present, is 

 the author of this book. Such affiliation requires no fees 

 or obligations, but gives the local club the advantage of 

 being united with larger groups from which it may receive 

 inspiration and guidance through its publications. One 

 promising development of country life clubs is the Collegiate 



