The 1978 annual meeting featured 60 papers in 15 subject matter sessions. Authors were primarily from the South, but senior authors from Kansas, New Mexico, and New York also presented papers. Session A, the plenary session, included three papers on contributions of multidisciplinary research to university research and public service programs. Subject matter and number of papers presented in the other sessions were: B. Occupational Prestige (2 papers); C. Status Attainment (3 papers); D. Rural and Urban Culture (1 paper); E. Rural Poverty (3 papers); F. Community Satisfaction (4 papers); G. Occupational Choices (3 papers); H. Community Development (3 papers); I. Demography and Ecology (2 papers); J. Methodology (2 papers); K. Agricultural Institutions (2 papers); L. Rural Institutions (4 papers); M. Extension Sociology (4 papers); N. Potpourri (2 papers); O. Southern Regional Project S-114 (1 paper on "Students enrolled in Colleges of Agriculture at Southern Land Grant Universities: A Preliminary Overview"); and P. Southern Regional Project S-120--"Social Organization for Development of Low Income Rural Counties" (5 papers). This document includes the papers given, history and operating procedure of the Rural Society section, minutes of 1977 and 1978 annual meetings, and a list of all known conference participants. (DS)