The State of Texas is endowed with many valuable resources. It has vast oil and gas deposits, huge timber reserves, and land in abundance. Not least among its re sources is water, the key resource. It is water, even before food, which sustains all life on this earth. Without water the human processes of agriculture, industry, and commerce would be impossible. Water serves as a major source of energy, transportation, and recreation. It is not a risky statement to make that water, above everything else on this earth except land, permits man to exist.

This study was made to show the economic growth of the rural area served by the Cooke County Electric Co-Operative association, as well as its history. Locally, the Cooke County Electric Co-operative Association owes a large part of its success to the ability of the rural people to help themselves. In this thinly populated section of the country they have built a successful business where established power companies claimed that it would be impossible. Although the number of farmers continues to decrease, the demand for power continues to increase. The members of the Cooke County Co-operative are proud of their co-operative and are always happy to tell of their accomplishments. At the last memberships meeting a large majority of the members were present.

A study of consumer cooperation in the United States relating to education, labor, business, religion, and government.