Kathy Leonard, age 13, of High Point, North Carolina, for her question:

When was the League of Nations formed?

After World War I, the weary nations decided on a plan to keep peace in the world. This had been the hope of the world since wars began but none had suggested a practical way to make the dream come true. The practical dreamer who suggested the plan was Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States. In 1919, he helped to draw up a constitution called the Covenant of the League of Nations. The international group was established in January, 1920, with its headquarters in Geneva.

The member nations included England and France, Italy and Japan. The United States was not among them, though Geneva gave full credit to Woodrow Wilson for his plans. The League based its hopes on collective security, the idea that war Could be discouraged by a family of powerful nations dedicated to keep the peace. It did not succeed entirely, but history will show that the League was indeed mankind's first faltering step toward peace on earth.