244 CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS 



accomplished in 1904 through the efforts of Rev. 

 G. T. Nesmith, of Hebron, 111. 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 indi- 

 vidual and community action, viz., health, 

 wealth, knowledge, sociability, beauty, and 

 righteousness." He also endeavored to make 

 it clear that "the federation does not seek to 

 supplant the other forces. It rather seeks to 

 be a clearing-house of the ideas of all the feder- 

 ated organizations; to be a mount of vision 

 from which each may look and get a complete 

 vision of life; to be a fraternal bond which 

 shall link all together in common ties of sympa- 

 thy, fellowship, and co-operation." 



The results thus far obtained are perhaps 

 best described by quoting the words of Mr. G. 

 W. Conn, Jr., superintendent of schools of 

 McHenry County: 



