The first part of this report contains a case study from each of the eight southern states participating in a late 1970s project which focused primarily on the organization of rural counties for making decisions that affect the well-being of county residents. In the second section, the study counties (identified as low income in 1950) are placed in two groups to facilitate comparison of whether there appears to be a consistent set of circumstances responsible for movement of counties out of the lowest quintile based on per capita income. The "Case Study Commentary" makes it clear that there have been very substantial changes in the counties--they have generally shared in the national trend away from employment in agriculture, they have shared in the very substantial increase in income even though they still trail national averages substantially, formal education has improved markedly, and jobs held require higher skill levels. The "Commentary" indicates that while much of what has happened in the study counties has been due to accidents of history and geography over which the present population has little control, in each of the counties there is clear evidence that some of the developments are the result of local initiative. (BRR)