VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND INC
PRER14A, 1998-04-08
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<PAGE>   1

IMPORTANT NEWS
FOR VANGUARD
SHAREHOLDERS

VANGUARD CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND
VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
VANGUARD HORIZON FUND
VANGUARD/MORGAN GROWTH FUND
VANGUARD/PRIMECAP FUND
VANGUARD SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO
VANGUARD SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS
VANGUARD STAR FUND/LIFESTRATEGY
 AND TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIOS
VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUND
VANGUARD/TRUSTEES EQUITY FUND
VANGUARD VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
VANGUARD WORLD FUND


Please Vote Immediately!

You can vote by mail, telephone, or our website . . .
      details can be found on the enclosed proxy insert.


      YOUR VANGUARD FUND WILL HOST A SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS ON JUNE 30,
1998, AT OUR HEADQUARTERS IN MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE PURPOSE IS TO VOTE ON
SOME IMPORTANT PROPOSALS AFFECTING THE FUND.

      THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF THIS BOOKLET SUMMARIZE VANGUARD'S PROPOSALS AND
EXPLAIN THE PROXY PROCESS-INCLUDING HOW TO CAST YOUR VOTES. BEFORE YOU VOTE,
PLEASE READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROXY STATEMENT FOR A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF
OUR PROPOSALS.


PROPOSAL 1:     REORGANIZATION INTO A DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST

We want to reorganize your Fund into a Delaware business trust. Currently, your
Fund is organized as either a Maryland Corporation or a Pennsylvania trust.

WHY? We expect this administrative change to save most Funds (and, ultimately,
their shareholders) a substantial amount of money in state taxes each
year-$13,000 for Convertible Securities Fund, $172,000 for Explorer Fund,
$44,000 for Horizon Fund, $184,000 for Morgan Growth Fund, $471,000 for PRIMECAP
Fund, $525,000 for Specialized Portfolios, $94,000 for Tax-Managed Fund and
$931,000 for World Fund, at current asset levels. The savings realized would
reduce these Fund's expenses. STAR Fund/LifeStrategy and Total International
Portfolios, Trustees' Equity Fund, and Variable Insurance Fund would not realize
tax savings as a result of the change, but they would benefit from the
efficiency of being organized the same way as all other Vanguard Funds.
<PAGE>   2

KEY POINTS: The reorganization would not change your Fund's investment objective
or policies (except for any changes approved by shareholders under Proposal 2).
Your Fund also would keep the same Directors, officers, investment advisers, and
auditors.


PROPOSAL 2: FIVE CHANGES TO INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

We want to make a number of minor changes to the Vanguard Funds' fundamental
investment limitations. Not all of these changes relate to your Fund; you will
have the opportunity to vote separately on each change that does apply. Proposal
2a is the most important of these. It concerns an interfund lending program that
we would like to establish for all Funds. This program would permit your Fund to
borrow money from other Vanguard Funds as needed to make redemptions while
awaiting payment for securities that it has sold. In addition, your Fund could
lend its cash reserves to other Vanguard Funds to meet their temporary borrowing
needs.

WHY: Normally, your Fund has sufficient cash on hand to meet redemption
requests. If not, however, the Fund can either delay paying shareholders for up
to seven days-not an acceptable alternative-or pay them immediately by taking
out a temporary loan. A temporary loan through the interfund lending program
could be cheaper and easier for your Fund than borrowing from a bank. By lending
money to other Funds through this program, your Fund could earn a better rate of
interest on its cash reserves than it might receive from a bank.

KEY POINTS: The interfund lending program would feature a number of safeguards
to make sure it is fair and beneficial to all Vanguard Funds. One especially
important safeguard is this: No Fund could borrow or lend money in the program
unless it would get a more favorable interest rate than a typical bank would
offer.


PROPOSAL 3:  SWITCH TO DOLLAR-BASED VOTING RIGHTS

We want to amend the Treasury Fund's Declaration of Trust to switch from
share-based voting rights to dollar-based voting rights. This is the type of
voting rights that all other Vanguard Funds propose to offer their shareholders
after reorganizing into Delaware business trust form. (See the description of
Proposal 1.)

WHY: When funds offer multiple portfolios-something that your Fund doesn't do
now, but may do in the future-the share prices of the different portfolios
typically diverge over time. If voting is share-based, owners of lower-priced
shares end up with a disproportionate amount of clout on issues voted at the
fund level. Dollar-based voting keeps shareholders' voting rights in proportion
with their relative financial interests.

KEY POINTS: The change to dollar-based voting rights will have no immediate
impact on your Fund, since it offers only one portfolio at this time.
<PAGE>   3


                                     - Q&A-

Q.       I'm a small investor. Why should I bother to vote?

A. Your vote makes a difference. If numerous shareholders just like you fail to
vote their proxies, your Fund may not receive enough votes to go forward with
its meeting. If this happens, we'll need to mail proxies again-a costly
proposition for your Fund!

Q.       I've owned shares of Vanguard Funds for several years. Why is this the
         first notice I've received about a shareholder meeting?

A. Unlike publicly traded companies, most mutual funds do not hold shareholder
meetings every year. Instead, they undertake this expensive process only when
significant issues requiring shareholder approval come up-such as your Fund's
plan to save on taxes by changing its form of organization. The last time all
Vanguard Funds held shareholder meetings was in 1993.

Q.       Who gets to vote?

A.    Any person who owned shares of your Fund on the "record date," which was
March 16, 1998, gets to vote-even if the investor later sold the shares.
Shareholders are entitled to cast one vote for each Fund share owned on the
record date.

Q.       How can I vote?

A.       You can vote in any one of four ways:

         -        Through the Internet at www.proxyvote.com (or by going to
                  www.vanguard.com and clicking on "Proxy Voting").

         -        By telephone, with a toll-free call to the number listed on
                  your proxy card.

         -        By mail, with the enclosed ballot.

         -        In person at the meeting.

We encourage you to vote by Internet or telephone, using the 12-digit "control"
number that appears on your proxy card. These voting methods will save your Fund
a good deal of money (no return-mail postage!). Whichever method you choose,
please take the time to read the full text of our proxy statement before you
vote.

Q.       Is it hard to vote by Internet?

A. Not at all! If you have not yet visited Vanguard's website-at
www.vanguard.com-this is a great opportunity to check it out. Scan our website
and, when you're ready, click on the "Proxy Voting" link on our homepage to
access www.proxyvote.com (the voting location). Problems? Please call us at
1-800-891-5345.


Q.    I plan to vote by mail. How should I sign my proxy card?

A. If you are an individual account owner, please sign exactly as your name
appears on the proxy card. Either owner of a joint account may sign the proxy
card, but the signer's name must exactly match one that appears on the card. You
should sign proxy cards for other types of accounts in a way that indicates your
authority (for instance, "John Brown, Custodian").




<PAGE>   4
 
                      VANGUARD CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND
                             VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
                             VANGUARD HORIZON FUND
                          VANGUARD/MORGAN GROWTH FUND
                             VANGUARD/PRIMECAP FUND
                       VANGUARD SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO
                        VANGUARD SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS
   
                  VANGUARD STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY PORTFOLIOS,
    
   
                 STAR PORTFOLIO, TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO
    
                           VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUND
   
                        VANGUARD/TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND:
    
   
                 INTERNATIONAL VALUE PORTFOLIO, U.S. PORTFOLIO
    
                        VANGUARD VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
   
              VANGUARD WORLD FUND: INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO,
    
   
                             U.S. GROWTH PORTFOLIO
    
 
                   NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
     Your Vanguard Fund will host a Special Meeting of Shareholders on TUESDAY,
JUNE 30, 1998, AT 9:30 A.M., EASTERN TIME. This will be a joint meeting for all
the Vanguard Funds listed above. It will be held at Vanguard's Malvern,
Pennsylvania headquarters, at 100 Vanguard Boulevard, in the Majestic Building.
At the meeting, we'll ask shareholders to vote on:
 
     1. A proposal to reorganize your Fund into a Delaware business trust.
 
   
     2. Five proposed changes to your Fund's fundamental investment limitations
        (none of which would alter your Fund's current investment objective).
    
 
     3. Any other business properly brought before the meeting.
 
                                By Order of the Board of Directors/Trustees
                                Raymond J. Klapinsky, Secretary
                                100 Vanguard Boulevard
                                Malvern, PA 19355
 
April 13, 1998
 
                            YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!
   
YOU CAN VOTE EASILY AND QUICKLY BY TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE CALL, AT OUR WEBSITE, OR
BY MAIL. JUST FOLLOW THE SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS THAT APPEAR ON YOUR ENCLOSED PROXY
CARD. PLEASE HELP YOUR FUND AVOID THE EXPENSE OF A FOLLOW-UP MAILING BY VOTING
TODAY!
    
 
   
                        VANGUARD VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
    
 
    Please turn the page for important information about your voting rights.
<PAGE>   5
 
                 VANGUARD VARIABLE ANNUITY PLAN CONTRACT OWNERS
 
   
You have the right to instruct your annuity provider--either Providian Life &
Health Insurance Company or First Providian Life & Health Insurance Company (New
York State residents only)--on how to vote the Vanguard Variable Insurance Fund
shares held under your plan contract. You can issue voting instructions for
these shares by toll-free telephone call, at our website, or by mail. Just
follow the simple instructions that appear on your enclosed proxy card. Note
that your annuity provider will "shadow vote" any Fund shares for which contract
owners fail to provide voting instructions. This means that the uninstructed
shares will be voted in proportionately the same manner--either "For,"
"Against," or "Abstain"--as the instructed shares.
    
 
                 VANGUARD VARIABLE ANNUITY PLAN CONTRACT OWNERS
 
You have the right to instruct your annuity provider--either Providian Life &
Health Insurance Company, First Providian Life & Health Insurance Company or
Ameritas Life Insurance Company--on how to vote the Vanguard Variable Insurance
Fund shares held under your plan contract. You can issue voting instructions for
these shares by toll-free telephone call, at our website, or by mail. Just
follow the simple instructions that appear on your enclosed proxy card. Note
that your annuity provider will "shadow vote" any Fund shares for which contract
owners fail to provide voting instructions. This means that the uninstructed
shares will be voted in proportionately the same manner--either "For,"
"Against," or "Abstain"--as the instructed shares.
<PAGE>   6
 
                      VANGUARD CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND
                             VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
                             VANGUARD HORIZON FUND
                          VANGUARD/MORGAN GROWTH FUND
                             VANGUARD/PRIMECAP FUND
                       VANGUARD SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO
                        VANGUARD SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS
   
                  VANGUARD STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY PORTFOLIOS,
    
   
                 STAR PORTFOLIO, TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO
    
                           VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUND
   
                        VANGUARD/TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND:
    
   
                 INTERNATIONAL VALUE PORTFOLIO, U.S. PORTFOLIO
    
                        VANGUARD VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
   
              VANGUARD WORLD FUND: INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO,
    
   
                             U.S. GROWTH PORTFOLIO
    
 
                        SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                                 JUNE 30, 1998
 
                                PROXY STATEMENT
 
                                  INTRODUCTION
                                  ------------
   
     This is a combined proxy statement for the Vanguard Funds listed at the top
of this page. We've divided the proxy statement into five parts:
    
 
   
<TABLE>
   <C>      <S>
   Part 1-- An Overview begins on page 2.
   Part 2-- Your Fund's Proposals--the longest part--also
            begins on page 2.
   Part 3-- More on Proxy Voting and Shareholder Meetings
            begins on page 15.
   Part 4-- Fund Information begins on page 17.
   Part 5-- Director/Trustee Information begins on page 21.
</TABLE>
    
 
     Please be sure to read the entire proxy statement before casting your vote.
Questions? Call us at 1-800-891-5345 (individual investors) or 1-800-523-1188
(participants in company-sponsored retirement plans administered by Vanguard).
This proxy statement was first mailed to shareholders the week of April 13,
1998.
 
                                        1
<PAGE>   7
 
PART 1--AN OVERVIEW
 
     The Board of Directors/Trustees has sent you this proxy statement to ask
for your vote on several proposals affecting your Fund. This table summarizes
the proposals and how they apply to the twelve Vanguard Funds that have
scheduled a shareholder meeting for June 30, 1998.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 PROPOSAL                             FUNDS AFFECTED
                 --------                             --------------
<C>  <S>                                      <C>
 1.  Reorganization into a Delaware
       Business Trust                         All Funds
 2.  Investment Limitation Changes
     a. Interfund lending program             All Funds
     b. Borrowing money and pledging
           assets                             Convertible Securities Fund:
                                                Explorer Fund; Morgan Growth
                                                Fund; PRIMECAP Fund; STAR
                                                Fund: LifeStrategy, STAR,
                                                and Total International
                                                Portfolios; Trustees' Equity
                                                Fund: International Value
                                                and U.S. Portfolios;
                                                Variable Insurance Fund;
                                                World Fund: International
                                                Growth and U.S. Growth
                                                Portfolios
     c. Investments in securities owned by
           affiliates                         Convertible Securities Fund;
                                                PRIMECAP Fund; Specialized
                                                Portfolios; STAR Fund:
                                                LifeStrategy, STAR, and
                                                Total International
                                                Portfolios
     d. Investments in unseasoned
           companies                          Convertible Securities Fund;
                                                Morgan Growth Fund; STAR
                                                Fund: LifeStrategy, STAR,
                                                and Total International
                                                Portfolios; Trustees' Equity
                                                Fund: International Value
                                                and U.S. Portfolios; World
                                                Fund: International Growth
                                                and U.S. Growth Portfolios
     e. Investments in reserves               STAR Portfolio only
</TABLE>
    
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
PART 2--YOUR FUND'S PROPOSALS
 
PROPOSAL 1. REORGANIZATION INTO A DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST (ALL FUNDS)
 
     The Board of Directors/Trustees has approved a plan to reorganize your Fund
into a Delaware business trust. THE PURPOSE OF THE REORGANIZATION IS TO
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   8
 
   
REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STATE TAXES THAT THE VANGUARD FUNDS PAY ANNUALLY. To
proceed with the reorganization plan, we need shareholder approval. The next few
pages of this proxy statement discuss important details of the reorganization
plan, including the following:
    
 
     - Why we want to reorganize your Fund.
     - How we plan to accomplish the reorganization.
     - How the reorganization will affect your Fund.
     - How a Delaware business trust compares to your Fund's current legal
       structure.
     - How many shareholder votes we need to approve the reorganization.
 
A.  WHY WE WANT TO REORGANIZE YOUR FUND
 
   
     MOST FUNDS WILL PAY LESS TAXES AS BUSINESS TRUSTS.  This is true of
Convertible Securities Fund, Explorer Fund, Horizon Fund, Morgan Growth Fund,
PRIMECAP Fund, Selected Value Portfolio, Specialized Portfolios, Tax-Managed
Fund, and World Fund: International Growth and U.S. Growth Portfolios. Each of
these Funds currently pays foreign franchise taxes to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. This tax applies to these Funds because they are headquartered in
Pennsylvania and are "foreign" corporations--that is, organized as corporations
under the laws of a different state, Maryland. If these Funds were instead
organized in the form of a business trust (as many mutual funds are), they would
be exempt from the Pennsylvania foreign franchise tax. As business trusts, these
Funds would be subject to a different tax, the Pennsylvania county personal
property tax. However, Pennsylvania counties generally have stopped assessing
personal property taxes. This is because the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is
expected to declare the personal property tax unconstitutional. (The U.S.
Supreme Court declared a similar North Carolina tax unconstitutional in 1996.)
We believe it unlikely that the Vanguard Funds, as reorganized, would become
subject to the personal property tax in the foreseeable future. If the personal
property tax were reinstated, or any similar state tax were imposed, we would
reevaluate the Funds' options at that time.
    
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   9
 
     The following table shows (i) the amount of Pennsylvania foreign franchise
taxes paid by your Fund for its last fiscal year; and (ii) the amount of
Pennsylvania personal property taxes that your Fund would have paid if it had
been organized as a business trust for the last fiscal year.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     LAST YEAR'S         SAME BILL AS A
             FUND               PENNSYLVANIA TAX BILL    BUSINESS TRUST
             ----               ---------------------    --------------
<S>                             <C>                      <C>
Convertible Securities Fund           $ 13,000                 $0
Explorer Fund                         $172,000                 $0
Horizon Fund                          $ 44,000                 $0
Morgan Growth Fund                    $184,000                 $0
PRIMECAP Fund                         $471,000                 $0
Selected Value Portfolio              $ 10,000                 $0
Specialized Portfolios                $525,000                 $0
STAR Fund: LifeStrategy, STAR,
  and Total International
  Portfolios                          $      0                 $0
Tax-Managed Fund                      $ 94,000                 $0
Trustees' Equity Fund:
  International Value and U.S.
  Portfolios                          $      0                 $0
Variable Insurance Fund               $      0                 $0
World Fund: International
  Growth and U.S. Growth
  Portfolios                          $931,000                 $0
</TABLE>
    
 
   
     "Last Year's Pennsylvania Tax Bill" is the approximate amount that we
expect to save your Fund ANNUALLY by reorganizing it into a Delaware business
trust. These anticipated savings are based on the size of your Fund during its
last fiscal year. If your Fund grows, so will the amount of its tax savings as a
business trust. Of course, the ONE-TIME costs of reorganizing will offset your
Fund's tax savings to a limited extent. These costs, which mostly relate to the
printing, mailing, and tabulation of proxies, are estimated at $8,000 for
Convertible Securities Fund; $142,000 for Explorer Fund; $55,000 for Horizon
Fund; $105,000 for Morgan Growth Fund; $310,000 for PRIMECAP Fund; $11,000 for
Selected Value Portfolio; $385,000 for Specialized Portfolios; $420,000 for STAR
Fund: LifeStrategy, STAR, and Total International Portfolios; $21,000 for
Tax-Managed Fund; $39,000 for Trustees' Equity Fund: International Value and
U.S. Portfolios; $78,000 for Variable Insurance Fund; and $646,000 for World
Fund: International Growth and U.S. Growth Portfolios.
    
 
   
     SOME FUNDS ARE ALREADY ORGANIZED AS TRUSTS.  This is true of STAR Fund:
LifeStrategy, STAR, and Total International Portfolios, Trustees' Equity Fund:
International Value and U.S. Portfolios; and Variable Insurance Fund. Each of
these Funds is currently organized as either a PENNSYLVANIA business trust or a
Pennsylvania common law trust, and therefore pays no Pennsylvania foreign
franchise taxes. We propose to reorganize these Funds into DELAWARE business
    
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   10
 
trusts to take advantage of that state's more favorable mutual fund climate, and
to gain the administrative convenience of having it organized the same way as
all other Vanguard Funds. The change will not increase or decrease these Funds'
tax liability.
 
   
     DELAWARE LAW IS FAVORABLE TO MUTUAL FUNDS.  We have proposed to reorganize
your Fund as a DELAWARE business trust because that state's business trust law
contains provisions that are well suited to mutual funds. The "move" to Delaware
will be largely on paper; your Fund will continue to operate out of
Pennsylvania, just as it does now.
    
 
B.  HOW WE PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THE REORGANIZATION
 
   
     AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION.  The Board of Directors/Trustees has
approved a written Agreement and Plan of Reorganization for your Fund. This
document spells out the terms and conditions that will apply to your Fund's
reorganization into a Delaware business trust.
    
 
   
     THREE STEPS TO REORGANIZE.  In essence, the reorganization will be a three-
step process. The first step is already taken: We have established a Delaware
business trust especially for your Fund. Prior to the reorganization, this trust
will issue a single share--to your Fund. Second, if this proposal is approved,
your Fund will transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the trust. As part
of this second step, the trust will open an account for each Fund shareholder.
The trust will then credit these accounts with the exact number of full and
fractional shares that each shareholder owned in the Fund on the reorganization
date. And third, we will dissolve your Fund's Maryland corporate entity or
Pennsylvania trust entity.
    
 
     EFFECTIVE AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.  If approved by shareholders, the
reorganization will take place as soon as feasible after your Fund receives the
necessary regulatory approvals and legal opinions. We think this could be
accomplished by October of 1998. However, at any time prior to the
reorganization, the Board of Directors may decide that it is in the best
interest of your Fund and its shareholders not to go forward with this project.
If that happens, your Fund will continue to operate as it is currently
organized.
 
C.  HOW THE REORGANIZATION WILL AFFECT YOUR FUND
 
   
     YOUR FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES, INVESTMENT ADVISERS, AND FISCAL
YEAR WILL STAY THE SAME.  The reorganization will not change any of these.
However, we are asking shareholders to waive temporarily any existing investment
restrictions that would otherwise prohibit the reorganization. (For instance,
many mutual funds are prohibited from acquiring control of any company. As part
of the reorganization, however, your Fund would be acquiring control of the
newly formed trust.) Your vote in favor of the reorganization will operate as a
temporary waiver of any such restrictions.
    
 
   
     THE REORGANIZATION WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON YOUR FUND'S SHARE PRICE.  On the
day of the reorganization, the newly formed trust's share price will be the same
as
    
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   11
 
that of your Fund. The reorganization will not cause your Fund's share price to
go up or down, and you will own the same number of shares. Any declared but
undistributed dividends or capital gains for your Fund will carry over in the
reorganization.
 
   
     YOUR FUND'S EXISTING DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES WILL BE REELECTED.  Federal
securities laws require that at least one-half of your Fund's Directors/Trustees
be elected by shareholders. While your Fund more than meets this standard now,
that technically will not be true once it reorganizes as a trust. Rather than
call another shareholder meeting to vote on Trustees after the reorganization,
we will treat shareholder approval of this proposal as authorization to elect
your Fund's current Board members to the same positions with the trust. This
approach will avoid the considerable expense of printing, mailing, and
tabulating more proxies after the reorganization. (Please refer to Part 5 of
this proxy statement for detailed information concerning your
Directors/Trustees.)
    
 
   
     YOUR FUND'S EXISTING INDEPENDENT AUDITORS WILL BE RATIFIED.  We will treat
shareholder approval of the reorganization as ratification of your Fund's
existing independent auditors, Price Waterhouse LLP.
    
 
   
     Price Waterhouse is the independent auditor for all Vanguard Funds. In this
role, Price Waterhouse audits and certifies the Funds' financial statements.
Price Waterhouse also reviews the Funds' Annual Reports to Shareholders and
their filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Neither Price
Waterhouse nor any of its partners have any direct or material indirect
financial interest in the Vanguard Funds. If you wish to request the attendance
of a Price Waterhouse representative at the shareholder meeting, you should
contact the Fund's Secretary at 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355.
    
 
   
     THE REORGANIZATION IS CONDITIONED ON TAX-FREE TREATMENT AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL. We fully expect that the reorganization will have no federal income tax
consequences for you or your Fund. We will not proceed with the reorganization
until this point is confirmed by an IRS ruling or opinion of counsel. Following
the reorganization, from a tax standpoint, the adjusted basis of your Fund
shares will be the same as before. We do not expect shareholders to incur any
personal state or local taxes as a result of the reorganization, but you should
consult your own tax adviser to be sure.
    
 
   
     VOTING RIGHTS WILL BE BASED ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF YOUR INVESTMENT.  After
the reorganization, your voting rights will become "dollar-based"--which is a
different voting rights system than your Fund uses now. Currently, all Vanguard
Funds provide shareholders with one vote for each share that they own. This
share-based system treats shareholders equitably so long as all shares of a
particular Fund have the same share price. However, fairness tends to erode when
a Fund offers more than one series of shares (we often refer to these as
"portfolios") or more than one class of shares. The share prices of a Fund's
different portfolios inevitably diverge over time due to their different
investment programs. Similarly, the share prices of a Fund's different share
classes will
    
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   12
 
   
deviate over time because of their different expense structures. As a result,
when issues are voted at the Fund level, the owners of lower-priced shares have
relatively greater voting clout than the owners of higher-priced shares. The
change to dollar-based voting will ensure that shareholders' voting rights
remain proportionate to their financial interests. Many Vanguard Funds currently
offer only one portfolio or class of shares; however, dollar-based voting rights
would apply to any additional portfolios or share classes that these Funds might
offer in the future.
    
 
     YOUR FUND WILL STOP ISSUING SHARE CERTIFICATES AND WILL CONVERT ANY
OUTSTANDING SHARE CERTIFICATES TO RECORD ENTRY FORM.  In today's financial
world, very few investors hold share certificates as physical evidence of their
mutual fund investments. Instead, investors' mutual fund holdings are maintained
and accounted for as "record entries" on the fund's computer system. The main
problems with share certificates are that:
 
     - They present opportunities for theft, loss and fraud--and therefore offer
       less protection to shareholders, rather than more.
 
     - They're especially inconvenient--you must return your certificates to the
       fund before your shares can be redeemed or exchanged.
 
   
     In light of these downsides and the minimal demand for share certificates,
your Fund will stop issuing them after the reorganization. In addition, your
Fund will convert any outstanding share certificates to record entry form. This
will not happen automatically; we will arrange conversion details separately
with the Fund's certificate holders. (This change will have no effect on
Variable Insurance Fund, which doesn't issue share certificates.)
    
 
D.  HOW A DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST COMPARES TO YOUR FUND'S CURRENT LEGAL
    STRUCTURE
 
   
     Federal securities laws have much to say about the way that mutual funds
operate, but they do not cover every aspect of a fund's existence. State law and
each fund's governing documents fill in most of the gaps. The following
discussion compares the state law and documents currently governing your Fund
with the state law and documents that will apply if it reorganizes as a Delaware
business trust. This discussion is not a comprehensive review of all technical
distinctions between the different legal structures. (You or your attorney would
need to review the laws and Fund documents first hand for that sort of
analysis.) We simply want you to know how a Delaware business trust compares in
certain key areas to a Maryland corporation or Pennsylvania business or common
law trust--your Fund's present legal structure.
    
 
   
     SHAREHOLDER LIABILITY.  Shareholders of a Fund organized as a Maryland
corporation generally have no personal liability for the Fund's obligations. By
contrast, shareholders of a Fund organized as a Pennsylvania trust theoretically
could have this type of liability if the Fund had no remaining assets to pay its
    
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   13
 
obligations. A Delaware business trust offers shareholders essentially the same
amount of protection from personal liability as a Maryland corporation.
 
   
     DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION.  With a Maryland
corporation, Directors cannot be held liable for their activities in that role
so long as they perform their duties in good faith, prudently, and in the Fund's
best interests. The same is generally true for the Trustees of a Pennsylvania or
Delaware business trust, if so provided in the Fund's governing documents. Under
each legal structure, the Fund can indemnify its Directors/Trustees from claims
and expenses arising out of their service to the Fund--unless, that is, a
Director/ Trustee has acted improperly in a particular matter.
    
 
   
     SHAREHOLDER VOTING RIGHTS AND MEETINGS.  Under a Fund organized as a
Maryland corporation or a Pennsylvania trust, shareholders' voting rights
currently are based on the number of shares that they own. As we explained on
page 6, as a Delaware business trust, your Fund would shift to a dollar-based
voting rights system. As a Maryland corporation, a Fund generally must call a
shareholder meeting if one is requested in writing by investors entitled to cast
25% or more of the Fund's votes. For a Pennsylvania trust, 20% is the required
percentage. As Delaware business trusts, the Funds will adopt a 25% standard.
    
 
   
     SHARE CERTIFICATES.  Funds organized as Maryland corporations generally
issue share certificates to their investors upon request. Funds organized as
Pennsylvania or Delaware business trusts are not required to issue share
certificates. As explained on page 7, following the reorganization, your Fund
will stop issuing share certificates and will convert any outstanding
certificates to record entry form.
    
 
E.  HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO APPROVE THE REORGANIZATION
 
   
     To go forward with the reorganization, a majority of your Fund's
outstanding shares on April 13, 1998, must vote in favor of this proposal. YOUR
FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE THE
REORGANIZATION.
    
 
   
PROPOSAL 2. FIVE CHANGES TO FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
    
 
     2a.  INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM (ALL FUNDS)
 
     We want to establish an interfund lending program for all Vanguard Funds,
including the ones that are not covered in this proxy statement. The program
will allow the Vanguard Funds to loan money to each other if--and only if--it
makes good financial sense to do so on both sides of the transaction. THE FUNDS
WILL NOT USE THIS PROGRAM TO LEVERAGE THEIR INVESTMENTS. The U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission has granted permission for the Vanguard Funds to partici-
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   14
 
pate in this program, subject to several conditions. We need shareholder
approval, as well. In the following paragraphs we explain these important
points:
 
     - Why your Fund would want to borrow money.
     - Why your Fund would want to lend money.
     - How the interfund lending program will work.
     - What safeguards will ensure fair and beneficial treatment of your Fund.
     - What your Fund's new investment limitation will say.
     - How many shareholder votes we need to approve the interfund lending
       program.
 
   
     YOUR FUND WOULD BORROW MONEY TO MEET REDEMPTION REQUESTS WHILE AWAITING THE
PROCEEDS OF SECURITIES SALES.  Normally, your Fund has sufficient cash on hand
to satisfy all redemption requests. However, at times your Fund could be short
on cash while awaiting settlement of its securities trades (typically a three
business-day process). While the law permits your Fund to defer redemption
payments for up to seven days, we know that shareholders prefer to be paid
immediately. This is the sole circumstance--and an unusual one, at that--under
which your Fund would want to borrow money.
    
 
   
     YOUR FUND ROUTINELY LENDS MONEY TO BANKS--THROUGH REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS--TO
GENERATE INCOME ON ITS CASH RESERVES.  All Funds--including your own--maintain
cash reserves to satisfy day-to-day redemption requests. Funds put their cash
reserves to work by entering into repurchase agreements with banks (and other
institutions, as well). In essence, these transactions are loans from the Fund
to a bank. The Fund acquires a short-term, high-quality security from the bank,
which, in turn, agrees to buy that same security back from the Fund the next
day--at a higher price. The difference between the purchase and resale prices
represents the Fund's "interest" on the loan.
    
 
   
     THE NEW PROGRAM WILL LET VANGUARD MATCH THE BORROWING AND LENDING NEEDS OF
DIFFERENT FUNDS--TO EVERYONE'S BENEFIT.  On a given day, some Vanguard Funds may
wish to meet redemptions by borrowing money from banks, and other Vanguard Funds
may wish to generate additional income by lending money to banks. Under the
interfund lending program, Vanguard could match borrowing Funds with lending
Funds. Vanguard would then arrange loans between the matched Funds, in keeping
with a master loan agreement and the SEC's conditions for this program. By
dealing with each other instead of banks, the Funds will be able to borrow money
more cheaply and lend money more profitably. This is because (i) there will be
no bank fees for these transactions, and (ii) we will have eliminated the banks'
spread--that is, the difference between the rates that they typically charge
borrowers and pay lenders. In addition, the interfund lending program will allow
the Funds to forego the otherwise prudent--but expensive--step of maintaining a
committed line of credit with a bank to cover any emergency borrowing needs. (We
estimate that, altogether, the Vanguard Funds will save more than $800,000
annually by eliminating the need for a committed line of credit.)
    
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   15
 
     INTERFUND LOANS WILL PRESENT VERY LITTLE CREDIT RISK.  When it lends money
to another Fund, your Fund would be subject to credit risk--the possibility that
the other Fund might fail to repay the loan. But your Fund faces this same type
of risk when it lends money to a bank, through a repurchase agreement. And we
believe that the risk is extremely small in both cases. Below we describe
various safeguards designed to minimize the credit risk of interfund loans.
 
     THESE SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE FAIR AND BENEFICIAL TREATMENT OF
ALL VANGUARD FUNDS.  No Vanguard Fund will be permitted to borrow or lend
through the program unless it gets a more favorable interest rate than is
available from a typical bank. Other important protections for your Fund include
these points:
 
   
     (i)   Interfund loan rates will be determined by a pre-established formula
           based on quotations from independent banks.
    
 
     (ii)  Funds that borrow money must fully secure their interfund loans OR
           have total assets at least 10 times greater than the amount of the
           loan.
 
     (iii)  Equity Funds will be permitted to loan no more than 5% of their net
            assets through the interfund lending program; bond Funds could lend
            no more than 7.5%; and money market Funds could lend no more than
            10%.
 
     (iv)  All interfund loans will be very short-term. They must be repaid
           within the time it takes for securities trades to settle, not to
           exceed seven days.
 
     (v)   No Fund can use the interfund lending program to borrow an amount
           larger than 125% of its total net cash redemptions for the preceding
           seven calendar days.
 
     (vi)  A lending Fund may call in its loans on one business day's notice to
           the borrowing Fund.
 
   
     (vii)  Each Fund will continue to maintain noncommitted loan arrangements
            with banks to provide for situations where an interfund loan is not
            possible or beneficial.
    
 
     (viii) Each Fund's Board of Directors/Trustees will monitor the interfund
            lending program to make sure that the interfund loan rate formula
            and the Fund's participation in the program continue to be
            appropriate.
 
     YOUR FUND WILL ADOPT A NEW INVESTMENT POLICY TO PROVIDE FOR INTERFUND
LOANS. Your Fund's existing investment policies on borrowing and lending do not
allow for interfund loans. If shareholders approve this proposal, we'll adopt a
new investment policy which states that your Fund can borrow and lend money
through the interfund loan program so long as it complies with SEC conditions.
We'll designate this new policy as "fundamental," meaning that your Fund will
not be able to change it in the future without shareholder approval.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   16
 
   
     HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO APPROVE INTERFUND
LENDING.  Shareholders of each Fund's separate portfolios (if any) will vote
separately on this proposal. Each Fund's or portfolio's participation in the
interfund lending program must be approved by the lesser of (i) a majority of
the Fund's or portfolio's outstanding shares on April 13, 1998, or (ii) 67% of
the shares voted, so long as more than 50% of the shares actually vote. YOUR
FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE THE INTERFUND
LENDING PROGRAM.
    
 
   
2b.  BORROWING MONEY AND PLEDGING ASSETS (CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND; EXPLORER
     FUND; MORGAN GROWTH FUND; PRIMECAP FUND; STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY, STAR, AND
     TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIOS; TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND: INTERNATIONAL VALUE
     AND U.S. PORTFOLIOS; VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND; WORLD FUND: INTERNATIONAL
     GROWTH AND U.S. GROWTH PORTFOLIOS)
    
 
     We want to establish standard limits on (i) the total amount of money that
each Vanguard Fund can borrow from all sources and (ii) the assets that each
Fund can pledge to secure any loans. This proposal ties in with proposal 2a.,
concerning the interfund lending program. BY STANDARDIZING THE FUNDS' BORROWING
AND PLEDGE LIMITS, WE EXPECT TO SIMPLIFY VANGUARD'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE
INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM. As you can see from the following table, currently
there is a good deal of variation in the Funds' stated borrowing and pledge
limitations:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             FUND                 BORROWING LIMIT        PLEDGE LIMIT
             ----                 ---------------        ------------
<S>                              <C>                <C>
Convertible Securities Fund      10% of total       5% of total assets
                                   assets
Explorer Fund                    15% of net assets  10% of total assets
Morgan Growth Fund               10% of net assets  5% of total assets
PRIMECAP Fund                    10% of net assets  5% of total assets
STAR Fund: LifeStrategy, STAR,   5% of assets,      5% of assets at
  and Total International          taken at the       market value
  Portfolios                       lower of market
                                   value or cost
Trustees' Equity Fund:           10% of net assets  No stated limit
  International Value and U.S.
  Portfolios
Variable Insurance Fund          15% of net assets  5% of total assets
World Fund: International        10% of total       15% of total assets
  Growth and U.S. Growth           assets
  Portfolios
</TABLE>
    
 
     The Funds' different investment objectives do not explain the variations in
their borrowing and pledge limits. Rather, these variations arise from the fact
that many different attorneys and regulators have worked with the Funds over the
years. We would like to realign these Funds' limits with the other Vanguard
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   17
 
Funds by establishing a uniform 15% OF NET ASSETS limitation on any money
borrowed or assets pledged. Any future changes to this policy would require
shareholder approval. Keep in mind that borrowing money and pledging assets are
not integral parts of your Fund's investment program. As we explained in the
interfund lending discussion, your Fund would borrow money only to meet
redemptions while awaiting the proceeds of securities sales.
 
     HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO APPROVE THE 15% BORROWING AND PLEDGE
LIMIT.  Shareholders of each Fund's separate portfolios (if any) will vote
separately on this proposal. Each Fund's or portfolio's adoption of the 15%
borrowing and pledge limit must be approved by the lesser of (i) a majority of
the Fund's or portfolio's outstanding shares on April 13, 1998, or (ii) 67% of
the shares voted, so long as more than 50% of the shares actually vote. YOUR
FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE THE STANDARD
BORROWING AND PLEDGE LIMITS.
 
   
     2c.  INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES OWNED BY AFFILIATES (CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
          FUND; PRIMECAP FUND; SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS; STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY,
          STAR, AND TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIOS; WORLD FUND: INTERNATIONAL
          GROWTH AND U.S. GROWTH PORTFOLIOS)
    
 
   
     We want to eliminate your Fund's policy of avoiding investments in
securities issued by companies whose securities are owned in certain amounts by
Directors/Trustees, officers, and key advisory personnel. THIS POLICY IS WELL-
INTENTIONED, BUT WRONGLY FOCUSED AND UNNECESSARY FOR YOUR FUND. Having
originated many years ago with now obsolete state securities laws, which were
intended to prevent conflicts of interest in the management of mutual funds, the
policy generally states that your Fund will not:
    
 
        Purchase or retain any security if (i) one or more officers,
        directors or partners of the Fund or its investment adviser
        individually owns or would own, directly or beneficially, more
        than 1/2 of 1 percent of the securities of such issuer, and (ii)
        in the aggregate such persons own or would own or would own more
        than 5% of such securities.
 
   
     Confused? You're not alone. Preventing conflicts of interest in fund
management is, of course, a critically important objective. However, we believe
that your Fund's Code of Ethics is the best way to accomplish this objective.
The Code of Ethics, which has been adopted in accordance with SEC rules,
restricts the private investment activities of Directors/Trustees, officers, key
advisory personnel and a wide range of Vanguard employees. Our Code of Ethics
supplements management's separate fiduciary obligation to act with the Fund's
best interests at heart. It places the burden of avoiding potential conflicts
squarely on those who would stand to gain by inappropriately influencing or
benefiting from your
    
                                       12
<PAGE>   18
 
   
Fund's investment program. The current policy takes the opposite approach--it
potentially restricts your Fund's investments. In other words, the current
policy subordinates your Fund's investment interests to those of its
Directors/Trustees, officers and key advisory personnel. We believe that this is
wrong.
    
 
     HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THE POLICY CONCERNING
INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES OWNED BY AFFILIATES.  Shareholders of each Fund's
separate portfolios (if any) will vote separately on this proposal. Each Fund's
or portfolio's elimination of this policy will require approval by the lesser of
(i) a majority of the Fund's or portfolio's outstanding shares on April 13,
1998, or (ii) 67% of the shares voted, so long as more than 50% of the shares
actually vote. YOUR FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE
TO ELIMINATE THIS POLICY.
 
   
     2d.  INVESTMENTS IN UNSEASONED COMPANIES (CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND;
          MORGAN GROWTH FUND; STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY, STAR, AND TOTAL
          INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIOS; TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND: INTERNATIONAL VALUE
          AND U.S. PORTFOLIOS; WORLD FUND: INTERNATIONAL GROWTH AND U.S. GROWTH
          PORTFOLIOS)
    
 
   
     We want to eliminate your Fund's policy of not investing more than 5% of
its assets in securities issued by companies that have fewer than three years
operating history, taking into account any predecessors. Like the investment
policy discussed in Proposal 2c. above, this "unseasoned companies" policy
originated many years ago with now-obsolete state securities laws.
    
 
   
     FOR MOST FUNDS, THE UNSEASONED COMPANIES POLICY IS UNDULY RESTRICTIVE. Each
Fund adheres to a carefully constructed investment strategy, under which its
investment advisers analyze many factors in determining whether to purchase or
sell a company's securities. A company's age would normally be one of these
factors, in that less-seasoned companies generally involve greater risks than
mature companies. However, we believe that it is preferable to manage your
Fund's investment risks based on an overall assessment of the financial
prospects of particular companies. By contrast, the current policy requires your
Fund to use issuer age as a "litmus test" in the investment process.
    
 
   
     FOR STAR FUND: LIFESTRATEGY, STAR, AND TOTAL INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIOS, THE
UNSEASONED COMPANIES POLICY IS SIMPLY IRRELEVANT.  These portfolios operate as
"funds of funds," meaning that they invest solely in other Vanguard Funds.
Because the portfolios do not invest in companies, the unseasoned companies
policy has no application whatsoever. (Mutual funds are excluded from the
policy; that is, these portfolios may invest in funds that are less than 3 years
old.)
    
 
     HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THE POLICY CONCERNING
INVESTMENTS IN UNSEASONED COMPANIES.  Shareholders of each Fund's separate
portfolios will vote separately on this proposal. Each Fund's or portfolio's
elimination of the policy will require approval by the lesser of (i) a majority
of
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   19
 
the Fund's or portfolio's outstanding shares on April 13, 1998, or (ii) 67% of
the shares voted, so long as more than 50% of the shares actually vote. YOUR
FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE TO ELIMINATE THIS
POLICY.
 
   
     2e.  INVESTMENTS IN RESERVES (STAR PORTFOLIO ONLY)
    
 
   
     We want to amend your Fund's current policies by adding Vanguard's
Short-Term Corporate Portfolio, part of our Fixed Income Securities Fund, as a
permissible investment for your Fund's reserves. WE EXPECT THIS CHANGE TO
MARGINALLY INCREASE YOUR FUND'S EARNINGS AT LITTLE ADDITIONAL RISK. Let's review
your Fund's special structure--it's a "fund of funds"--and then we'll explain
Short-Term Corporate Portfolio.
    
 
   
     As a "fund of funds," STAR Portfolio invests its assets exclusively in ten
other Vanguard Funds. Your Fund's current policies require it to allocate its
assets among the different categories of underlying funds as follows:
    
 
   
     - 60%-70% in specified Vanguard EQUITY FUNDS--Windsor Fund, Windsor II,
       Explorer Fund, Morgan Growth Fund, U.S. Growth Portfolio, PRIMECAP Fund,
       and Index Trust's 500 Portfolio.
    
 
   
     - 20%-30% in specified Vanguard BOND FUNDS--GNMA Portfolio and Long-Term
       Corporate Portfolio, both part of the Fixed Income Securities Fund.
    
 
   
     - 10%-20% as RESERVES in Vanguard Money Market Reserves Prime Portfolio.
    
 
   
     If shareholders approve this proposal, your Fund will be permitted to
invest all or part of its reserves--constituting 10%-20% of its assets--in
Short-Term Corporate Portfolio. This Portfolio focuses its investments on
short-term corporate debt securities, at least 70% of which are rated high
grade. (The remaining 30% of the Portfolio's investments may bear medium grade
ratings, but no lower.) Unlike the Prime Portfolio, the Short-Term Corporate
Portfolio is NOT a money market fund. While the Prime Portfolio's paramount
objective is to maintain a stable share price, the Short-Term Corporate
Portfolio accepts a modest amount of share price fluctuation in order to achieve
slightly higher income yields. For example, as of March 31, 1998, the seven-day
average yield for the Prime Portfolio was 5.32%; for the Short-Term Corporate
Portfolio, the 30-day average yield on that date was 5.94%.
    
 
   
     We believe that your Fund will modestly improve its total return on
reserves by investing in the Short-Term Corporate Portfolio. At the same time,
we see the proposed change as presenting little additional risk to your Fund.
What's more, because reserves are a permanent part of your Fund's investment
program, its investments in the Short-Term Corporate Portfolio would be
long-term in nature. The share price fluctuations in Short-Term Corporate
Portfolio tend to be
    
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   20
 
   
minimal, due to the Portfolio's policy of maintaining an average-weighted
maturity of one to three years. In fact, Vanguard's other "funds of funds"--the
LifeStrategy Portfolios--already invest their reserves in the Short-Term
Corporate Portfolio.
    
 
   
     HOW MANY SHAREHOLDER VOTES WE NEED TO CHANGE THE PORTFOLIO'S RESERVES
POLICY.  The change will require approval by the lesser of (i) a majority of the
Portfolio's outstanding shares on April 13, 1998, or (ii) 67% of the shares
voted, so long as more than 50% of the shares actually vote. YOUR FUND'S BOARD
OF TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE TO APPROVE THE NEW RESERVES POLICY.
    
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
PART 3--MORE ON PROXY VOTING AND SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS
 
     This section provides information on a number of topics relating to proxy
voting and shareholder meetings.
 
   
     PROXY SOLICITATION METHODS.  Your Fund will solicit shareholder proxies in
a variety of ways. All shareholders who are entitled to vote will receive these
proxy materials by mail. In addition, Vanguard employees and officers may
solicit shareholder proxies in person, by telephone, or through the Internet. We
may also arrange for an outside firm, Shareholder Communications Corporation, to
solicit shareholder votes by telephone on the Fund's behalf. This procedure,
which is expected to cost the Fund approximately $4 per shareholder vote, will
be employed only after all more cost-effective means of soliciting shareholder
votes have been exhausted.
    
 
   
     PROXY SOLICITATION COSTS.  Your Fund will pay all costs of soliciting
proxies from its own shareholders, including costs relating to the printing,
mailing, and tabulation of proxies. By voting immediately, you can help your
Fund avoid the considerable expense of a second solicitation.
    
 
   
     QUORUM.  In order for the shareholder meeting to go forward, your Fund must
achieve a quorum. This means that a majority of your Fund's shares must be
represented at the meeting--either in person or by proxy. All returned proxies
count towards a quorum, regardless of how they are voted ("For," "Against," or
"Abstain"). Your Fund will count broker non-votes toward a quorum, but not
toward the approval of any proposals. (Broker non-votes are shares for which (i)
the underlying owner has not voted and (ii) the broker holding the shares does
not have discretionary authority to vote on the particular matter.)
    
 
   
     REVOKING YOUR PROXY.  You may revoke your proxy at any time up until voting
results are announced at the shareholder meeting. You can do this by writing to
your Fund's Secretary, Raymond J. Klapinsky, at 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern,
PA 19355, or by voting in person at the meeting. In
    
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   21
 
addition, you can revoke a prior proxy simply by voting again--using your
original proxy card, by toll-free telephone call, or at our website.
 
     SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS.  Any shareholder proposals to be included in the
proxy statement for your Fund's next annual or special meeting must be received
by the Fund within a reasonable period of time prior to that meeting. Your Fund
has no current plans to hold an annual or special meeting in 1999.
 
   
     NOMINEE ACCOUNTS.  Upon request, the Vanguard Funds will reimburse nominees
for their reasonable expenses in forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners
of the Funds' shares. Please submit invoices for our review to Vanguard Legal
Department, P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
    
 
   
     ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.  Your Fund's most recent annual and semi annual
reports to shareholders are available at no cost. To request a report, please
call us toll-free at 1-800-891-5345 or write us at P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge,
PA 19482-2600.
    
 
     LITIGATION.  Your Fund is not involved in any litigation.
 
     OTHER MATTERS.  At this point, we know of no other business to be brought
before the shareholder meeting. However, if any other matters do come up, we
will use our best judgment to vote on your behalf. If you object to our voting
other matters on your behalf, please tell us so in writing before the meeting.
 
   
     THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC.  Your Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group,
Inc., the only mutual mutual fund company. Vanguard is owned jointly by the
Funds it oversees (and therefore by the shareholders of those Funds). Vanguard
provides the Funds--more than 95 distinct investment portfolios--with their
corporate management, administrative, and distribution services on an at-cost
basis.
    
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   22
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
PART 4--FUND INFORMATION
    
 
   
     This section contains background information about your Fund and its
investment adviser(s).
    
 
   
A.  YOUR FUND (AS OF MARCH 19, 1998)
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             FUND      NET ASSETS   OUTSTANDING        5%
     FUND/PORTFOLIO        INCEPTION     ($000)       SHARES        OWNERS*
     --------------        ---------   ----------   -----------     -------
<S>                        <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
  FUND                       1986      $ 204,822    15,865,382        None
EXPLORER FUND                1967      $2,503,437   41,543,932        (1)
HORIZON FUND
  Aggressive Growth          1995      $ 537,716    33,754,910        None
  Capital Opportunity        1995      $  80,144     6,891,104        None
  Global Asset Allocation    1995      $  87,805     8,018,722       (2)(3)
  Global Equity              1995      $ 137,621    10,301,009        (4)
MORGAN GROWTH FUND           1968      $2,949,558   150,564,450       (5)
PRIMECAP FUND                1984      $8,571,631   195,565,378       None
SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS
  Energy                     1984      $1,158,163   47,098,948        None
  Gold & Precious Metals     1984      $ 315,338    44,289,044        None
  Health Care                1984      $5,594,948   67,990,621        None
  REIT Index                 1996      $1,231,219   90,864,900        None
  Utilities Income           1984      $ 754,509    47,097,911        None
SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO     1996      $ 224,922    16,636,253        None
STAR FUND
  STAR                       1985      $7,955,365   424,286,138       None
  Total International        1996      $1,051,843   94,675,298       (6)(7)
  LifeStrategy Income        1994      $ 276,512    21,368,750        (8)
  LifeStrategy
     Conservative Growth     1994      $ 884,522    62,158,979        (9)
  LifeStrategy Moderate
     Growth                  1994      $1,521,352   94,847,384    (10)(11)(12)
  LifeStrategy Growth        1994      $1,306,591   73,777,037        (13)
TAX-MANAGED FUND
  Balanced                   1994      $ 145,010     9,259,872        (14)
  Growth and Income          1994      $ 781,208    33,200,519        None
  Capital Appreciation       1994      $1,101,259   48,174,081        None
TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND
  International Value        1983      $ 796,710    30,189,837        None
  U.S.                       1980      $ 182,752     4,437,879        None
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   23
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             FUND      NET ASSETS   OUTSTANDING        5%
     FUND/PORTFOLIO        INCEPTION     ($000)       SHARES        OWNERS*
     --------------        ---------   ----------   -----------     -------
<S>                        <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>
VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
  Money Market               1992      $ 437,241    437,247,529       None
  High Grade Bond            1992      $ 234,229    21,818,906        None
  High Yield Bond            1996      $ 125,382    11,709,211        None
  Balanced                   1992      $ 548,578    29,982,927        None
  Equity Income              1993      $ 383,205    18,621,401        None
  Equity Index               1992      $ 904,633    31,591,499        None
  Growth                     1993      $ 570,198    23,274,534        None
  Small Company Growth       1996      $ 140,893    11,751,193        None
  International              1994      $ 230,818    16,149,964        None
WORLD FUND
  International Growth       1981      $7,108,376   391,430,393       None
  U.S. Growth                1959      $8,756,275   269,009,974       None
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------------------------
 
   
*SEC rules require each Fund to tell you the name and address of any person
known to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of the Fund's
outstanding shares. The Fund must also tell you how many shares such persons own
and what percentage of the class these shares represent.
    
 
   
 (1) Vanguard STAR Fund, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355, owns
     approximately 6,679,444 shares (16.1%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (2) The John E Fetzer Institute, Inc. 9292 W KL Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49009,
     owns approximately 1,336,189 shares (16.7%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (3) The Public Institution For Social Security, 1001 19th Street North,
     Arlington, VA 22209, owns approximately 857,024 shares (10.7%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (4) Lafayette College, 234 Markle Hall, Easton, PA 18042, owns approximately
     2,713,111 shares (26.3%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (5) Vanguard STAR Fund, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355, owns
     approximately 20,541,446 shares (13.6%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (6) Vanguard STAR Fund-Growth Portfolio, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA
     19355, owns approximately 19,151,009 shares (20.2%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (7) Vanguard STAR Fund-Moderate Growth Portfolio, 100 Vanguard Boulevard,
     Malvern, PA 19355, owns approximately 14,884,599 shares (15.7%) of the
     Fund.
    
   
 (8) Sierra Pacific Industries, 19794 Riverside Avenue, Anderson, CA 96007, owns
     approximately 3,589,329 shares (16.8%) of the Fund.
    
   
 (9) RJR Nabisco Defined Contribution Master Trust, P O Box 3073, Winston-
     Salem, NC 27150, owns approximately 3,845,851 shares (6.2%) of the Fund.
    
   
(10) Commonwealth Edison Thrift Savings Plan, 4 Irving Place--Office E, New
     York, NY 10003, owns approximately 9,306,376 shares (9.8%) of the Fund.
    
   
(11) Community Funds, Inc., Two Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016, owns
     approximately 7,354,794 shares (7.8%) of the Fund.
    
   
(12) RJR Nabisco Defined Contribution Master Trust, P O Box 3073, Winston-
     Salem, NC 27150, owns approximately 5,882,740 shares (6.2%) of the Fund.
    
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   24
 
   
(13) RJR Nabisco Defined Contribution Master Trust, P O Box 3073, Winston-
     Salem, NC 27150, owns approximately 5,371,894 shares (7.3%) of the Fund.
    
   
(14) Commonwealth Edison Supplemental Master Trust, P O Box 92956, Chicago, IL
     60675, owns approximately 902,365 shares (9.7%) of the Fund.
    
 
B.  YOUR FUND'S INVESTMENT ADVISER(S)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         FUND NAME                    ADVISER NAME AND ADDRESS
         ---------                    ------------------------
<S>                           <C>
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND   Oaktree Capital Management LLC
                                550 South Hope Street, 22nd Floor
                                Los Angeles, CA 90071
EXPLORER FUND                 Granahan Investment Management, Inc.
  (4 ADVISERS)                  275 Wyman Street
                                Waltham, MA 02154
                              Wellington Management Company, LLP
                                75 State Street
                                Boston, MA 02109
                              The Vanguard Group, Inc.
                                100 Vanguard Boulevard
                                Malvern, PA 19355
                              Chartwell Investment Partners
                                2135 Westlakes Drive
                                Suite 330
                                Berwyn, PA 19312
HORIZON FUND
Aggressive Growth             The Vanguard Group, Inc.
Global Asset Allocation       Strategic Investment Management
                                1001 19th Street North, 16th Floor
                                Arlington, VA 22209
Capital Opportunity           PRIMECAP Management Company
                                225 South Lake Avenue
                                Pasadena, CA 91101
Global Equity                 Marathon Asset Management Limited
                                Orion House
                                5 Upper Street
                                Martin's Lane
                                London, England WC2H 8AD
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   25
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         FUND NAME                    ADVISER NAME AND ADDRESS
         ---------                    ------------------------
<S>                           <C>
MORGAN GROWTH FUND            Wellington Management Company, LLP
  (3 ADVISERS)
                              Franklin Portfolio Associates LLC
                                Two International Place
                                Boston, MA 02109
                              The Vanguard Group, Inc.
PRIMECAP FUND                 PRIMECAP Management Company
SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS
Energy                        Wellington Management Company, LLP
Health Care                   Same
Utilities Income              Same
Gold & Precious Metals        M&G Investment Management Limited
                                3 Minister Court, Great Tower Street
                                London, England EC3R 7XH
REIT Index                    The Vanguard Group, Inc.
SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO      Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss,
                                Inc.
                                One McKinney Plaza
                                3232 McKinney Avenue, 15th Floor
                                Dallas, TX 75204
STAR FUND
STAR                          The Vanguard Group, Inc.
LifeStrategy Income           Same
LifeStrategy Conservative     Same
  Growth
LifeStrategy Moderate Growth  Same
LifeStrategy Growth           Same
TAX-MANAGED FUND
Balanced                      Same
Growth and Income             Same
Capital Appreciation          Same
TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND
International Value           UBS International Investment London
                                Limited
                                Triton Court, 14 Finsbury Square
                                London, England EC2A 1PD
U.S. Portfolio                Geewax, Terker & Company
                                99 Starr Street
                                Phoenixville, PA 19460
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   26
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         FUND NAME                    ADVISER NAME AND ADDRESS
         ---------                    ------------------------
<S>                           <C>
VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND
Money Market                  The Vanguard Group, Inc.
High-Grade Bond               Same
High Yield Bond               Wellington Management Company, LLP
Balanced                      Same
Equity Income                 Newell Associates
                                525 University Avenue
                                Palo Alto, CA 94301
Equity Index                  The Vanguard Group, Inc.
Growth                        Lincoln Capital Management Company
                                200 South Wacker Drive
                                Chicago, IL 60606
Small Company Growth          Granahan Investment Management, Inc.
International                 Schroder Capital Management
                                International
                                33 Gutter Lane
                                London, England EC2V 8AS
WORLD FUND
International Growth          Same
U.S. Growth                   Lincoln Capital Management Company
</TABLE>
    
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
PART 5--DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE INFORMATION
 
   
     Your "yes" vote on the reorganization proposal (see page 2) will be treated
as a vote to elect each of your Fund's current Directors/Trustees to the
position of Trustee with the newly organized Delaware business trust. Following
the reorganization, the Trustees will serve until the next election or until
their terms are for some reason terminated.
    
 
     This section provides detailed information about the individual
Directors/Trustees. The information presented includes:
 
     - The backgrounds and qualifications of the Directors/Trustees.
     - The identity of your Fund's principal executive officers.
     - How many Fund shares are owned by management.
     - How often the Board and its committees meet.
     - How Directors/Trustees are compensated.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   27
 
A.  THE BACKGROUNDS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES
 
   
     Except as otherwise noted, the individuals listed below currently serve as
Directors/Trustees of The Vanguard Group, Inc. and all Vanguard Funds. The
mailing address of the Directors/Trustees is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA
19482.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION DURING THE
           NAME              AGE   LAST FIVE YEARS AND OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS
           ----              ---   ---------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>   <C>
John C. Bogle(1)             68    Senior Chairman of the Board and
                                     Director of The Vanguard Group, Inc.,
                                     and all Vanguard Funds; Director of
                                     The Mead Corporation, General
                                     Accident Insurance Company, and
                                     Chris-Craft Industries, Inc.
John J. Brennan(1)           43    Chairman of the Board, Director,
                                     President, and Chief Executive
                                     Officer of The Vanguard Group, Inc.,
                                     and all Vanguard Funds
Robert E. Cawthorn           62    Chairman Emeritus and Director of
                                     Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc.; Managing
                                     Director of Global Health Care
                                     Partners/DLJ Merchant Banking
                                     Partners; Director of Sun Company,
                                     Inc., and Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Barbara Barnes Hauptfuhrer   69    Director of The Great Atlantic and
                                     Pacific Tea Co., IKON Office
                                     Solutions, Inc., Raytheon Co.,
                                     Knight-Ridder, Inc., Massachusetts
                                     Mutual Life Insurance Co., and Ladies
                                     Professional Golf Association;
                                     Trustee Emerita of Wellesley College
Bruce K. MacLaury(2)         66    President Emeritus of The Brookings
                                     Institution; Director of American
                                     Express Bank Ltd., The St. Paul
                                     Companies, Inc., and National Steel
                                     Corp.
Burton G. Malkiel(3)         65    Chemical Bank Chairman's Professor of
                                     Economics, Princeton University;
                                     Director of Prudential Insurance Co.
                                     of America, Amdahl Corp., Baker
                                     Fentress & Co., The Jeffrey Co., and
                                     Southern New England
                                     Telecommunications Co.
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.        56    Chairman, President, and Chief
                                     Executive Officer of NACCO
                                     Industries, Inc.; Director of NACCO
                                     Industries, The BFGoodrich Co., and
                                     The Standard Products Co.
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   28
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION DURING THE
           NAME              AGE   LAST FIVE YEARS AND OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS
           ----              ---   ---------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>   <C>
John C. Sawhill              61    President and Chief Executive Officer
                                     of The Nature Conservancy; formerly,
                                     Director and Senior Partner of
                                     McKinsey & Co. and President of New
                                     York University; Director of Pacific
                                     Gas and Electric Co., Procter &
                                     Gamble Co., and NACCO Industries
James O. Welch, Jr.          66    Retired Chairman of Nabisco Brands,
                                     Inc.; retired Vice Chairman and
                                     Director of RJR Nabisco; Director of
                                     TECO Energy, Inc., and Kmart Corp.
J. Lawrence Wilson           61    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
                                     Rohm & Haas Co.; Director of Cummins
                                     Engine Co. and The Mead Corporation;
                                     Trustee of Vanderbilt University
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
(1) Messrs. Bogle and Brennan are considered "interested persons" because they
    serve as Fund officers, as well as Directors/Trustees.
   
(2) Mr. MacLaury does not serve as a Director/Trustee of Vanguard Municipal Bond
    Fund or the Vanguard State Tax-Free Funds.
    
   
(3) Mr. Malkiel does not serve as a Director of Vanguard Equity Income Fund.
    
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   29
 
B.  PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
     The following individuals are the principal executive officers of The
Vanguard Group, Inc., and all Vanguard Funds. Each principal executive officer
has held substantially the same position with the Funds for the last five years
or more (except that Mr. Brennan succeeded Mr. Bogle as Chairman of the Board on
January 31, 1998). Their mailing address is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA
19482.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        NAME           AGE                    OFFICE
        ----           ---                    ------
<S>                    <C>    <C>
John C. Bogle          68     Senior Chairman of the Board
John J. Brennan        43     Chairman of the Board, President, and
                                Chief Executive Officer
Raymond J. Klapinsky   59     Secretary
Richard F. Hyland      60     Treasurer
Karen E. West          51     Controller
</TABLE>
    
 
C.  FUND SHARES OWNED BY DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES
 
   
     Messrs. Bogle and Brennan each have invested substantially all of their
assets in the Vanguard Funds. The independent Directors/Trustees are also
committed to investing a significant portion of their assets in the Funds. All
Directors/Trustees allocate their investments among more than 95 Vanguard Funds
based on their own investment needs. Their aggregate Vanguard investments
totaled over $79.5 million as of December 31, 1997. The total amount of Fund
shares beneficially owned by each Director/Trustee as of that date, along with
the year in which each individual became a Director/Trustee of the Vanguard
Funds, appears below. As of December 31, 1997, the Directors/Trustees and
officers owned less than 1% of each Fund's total outstanding shares.
    
 
JOHN C. BOGLE (1966)
   
     Explorer Fund--22,837 shares; Horizon Fund-Global Asset Allocation
Portfolio--2,543 shares; Morgan Growth Fund--1,269 shares [7,924 shares];
PRIMECAP Fund--[24,106 shares]; Specialized Portfolios-Gold and Precious Metals
Portfolio--3,335 shares; Tax Managed Fund (TMF)-Balanced Portfolio--116,566
shares [78,812 shares]; TMF-Capital Appreciation Portfolio--20,667 shares
[76,960 shares]; Trustees' Equity Fund-U.S. Growth Portfolio--16,541 shares
[16,541 shares]; World Fund (WF)-International Growth Portfolio--7,080 shares;
WF-U.S. Growth Portfolio--7,666 shares [15,623 shares]; all Vanguard
Funds--1,655,037 shares [701,163 shares] NOTE: The bracketed amounts represent
shares held by charitable and related trusts created by Mr. Bogle, in which he
disclaims ownership, control or voting power.
    
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   30
 
JOHN J. BRENNAN (1987)
   
     Explorer Fund--5,170 shares; Horizon Fund-Capital Opportunity
Portfolio--1,862 shares; Morgan Growth Fund--7,071 shares; PRIMECAP Fund--3,588
shares; STAR Fund-Total International Portfolio--10,676 shares; Tax Managed
Fund-Growth and Income Portfolio--16,773 shares; Trustees' Equity
Fund-International Value Portfolio--374 shares; Variable Insurance Fund-Balanced
Portfolio--908 shares; World Fund (WF)-International Growth Portfolio--6,445
shares; WF-U.S. Growth Portfolio--2,911 shares; all Vanguard Funds--684,779
shares.
    
 
ROBERT E. CAWTHORN (1992)
   
     Specialized Portfolios-REIT Index Portfolio--16,835 shares; STAR Fund-STAR
Portfolio--38,208 shares; Trustees' Equity Fund-International Value
Portfolio--4,894 shares; all Vanguard Funds--8,369,629 shares.
    
 
BARBARA B. HAUPTFUHRER (1972)
   
     Convertible Securities Fund--756 shares; Explorer Fund--695 shares; Morgan
Growth Fund--3,445 shares; PRIMECAP Fund--2,724 shares; Specialized
Portfolios-Gold & Precious Metals Portfolio--525 shares; STAR Fund-STAR
Portfolio--19,797 shares; STAR Fund-Total International Portfolio--902 shares;
Trustees' Equity Fund-International Value Portfolio--3,592 shares; World
Fund-International Growth Portfolio--717 shares; all Vanguard Funds--1,910,269
shares.
    
 
BRUCE K. MACLAURY (1989)
     All Vanguard Funds--20,373 shares.
 
BURTON G. MALKIEL (1977)
   
     Trustees' Equity Fund-International Value Portfolio--1,804 shares; all
Vanguard Funds--520,104 shares.
    
 
ALFRED M. RANKIN, JR. (1992)
   
     Explorer Fund--3,788 shares; PRIMECAP Fund--3,615 shares; World
Fund-International Growth Portfolio--3,220 shares; all Vanguard Funds--436,834
shares.
    
 
JOHN C. SAWHILL (1991)
   
     Horizon Fund (HF)-Aggressive Growth Portfolio--11,785 shares; HF-Capital
Opportunity Portfolio--1,005 shares; HF-Global Asset Allocation Portfolio--5,710
shares; HF-Global Equity Portfolio--5,849 shares; Tax Managed Fund-Capital
Appreciation Portfolio--15,969 shares; all Vanguard Funds--790,828 shares.
    
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   31
 
JAMES O. WELCH, JR. (1971)
   
     Explorer Fund--1,275 shares; Morgan Growth Fund--1,362 shares; PRIMECAP
Fund--39,897 shares; World Fund (WF)-International Growth Portfolio--3,087
shares; WF-U.S. Growth Portfolio--3,376 shares; all Vanguard Funds--144,797
shares.
    
 
J. LAWRENCE WILSON (1985)
   
     Horizon Fund-Global Equity Portfolio--10,902 shares; Specialized
Portfolios-REIT Index Portfolio--36,250 shares; STAR Fund-STAR Portfolio--
10,487 shares; Tax Managed Fund-Capital Appreciation Portfolio--8,891 shares;
all Vanguard Funds--311,590 shares.
    
 
D.  BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
 
     During 1997, your Fund's Board of Directors/Trustees held 11 meetings.
 
   
     Your Board has a standing Compensation, Nomination, and Audit Committee,
which consists of all Directors/Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the
Fund (that is, all but Messrs. Bogle and Brennan). During 1997, the Committee
held two meetings. The Committee's role is to:
    
 
     1. Evaluate the performance of your Fund's officers and employees.
 
     2. Develop and approve the compensation arrangements for your Fund's
        officers and employees.
 
   
     3. Interview, evaluate and recommend to shareholders candidates for
        election to your Fund's Board of Directors/Trustees. (The Committee will
        consider shareholder nominations for Director/Trustee; please write to
        Mr. Wilson, Chairman of the Committee.)
    
 
     4. Select your Fund's independent accountants and review their fees.
 
     5. Oversee your Fund's internal controls.
 
     Following the reorganization, your Fund's Board of Trustees will form a
similar committee.
 
E.  DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE COMPENSATION
 
     The same individuals serve as Directors/Trustees of all Vanguard Funds, and
each Fund pays a proportionate share of the Directors'/Trustees' compensation.
The Funds employ their officers on a shared basis, as well. However, officers
are compensated by The Vanguard Group, Inc., not the Funds. The reorganization
(Proposal 1) will not change the compensation arrangements described in this
section.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   32
 
     INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES.  The Funds compensate their independent
Directors/Trustees--that is, the ones who are not also officers of the Fund--in
three ways:
 
     - The independent Directors/Trustees receive an annual fee for their
       service to the Funds, which is subject to reduction based on absences
       from scheduled Board meetings.
 
     - The independent Directors/Trustees are reimbursed for the travel and
       other expenses that they incur in attending Board meetings.
 
     - Upon retirement, the independent Directors/Trustees receive an aggregate
       annual fee of $1,000 for each year served on the Board, up to fifteen
       years of service. This annual fee is paid for ten years following
       retirement, or until the Director's/Trustee's death.
 
   
     "INTERESTED" DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES.  The Funds' interested Directors/
Trustees--Messrs. Bogle and Brennan--receive no compensation for their service
in that capacity. However, they are paid by The Vanguard Group, Inc., for
services that include their role as officers of the Funds.
    
 
     COMPENSATION TABLES.  The following tables provide compensation details for
each of the Directors/Trustees. For each Fund covered in this proxy statement,
we list the amounts paid as compensation and accrued as retirement benefits by
that Fund for each Director/Trustee. In addition, the last table shows the total
amount of benefits that we expect each Director/Trustee to receive from all
Vanguard Funds upon retirement, and the total amount of compensation paid to
each Director/Trustee by all Vanguard Funds. All information shown in this
section relates to each Fund's most recent fiscal year.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
                                      FUND                            EXPLORER FUND
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                 $53              $6                  $796            $ 96
Hauptfuhrer              $53              $8                  $796            $115
MacLaury                 $58              $8                  $846            $109
Malkiel                  $53              $5                  $801            $ 77
Rankin                   $53              $4                  $796            $ 60
Sawhill                  $53              $5                  $796            $ 72
Welch                    $53              $6                  $796            $ 88
Wilson                   $53              $4                  $796            $ 64
</TABLE>
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   33
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  HORIZON FUND                      MORGAN GROWTH FUND
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                 $190             $23                 $716            $ 86
Hauptfuhrer              $190             $27                 $716            $103
MacLaury                 $200             $27                 $762            $100
Malkiel                  $191             $18                 $720            $ 69
Rankin                   $190             $14                 $716            $ 54
Sawhill                  $190             $17                 $716            $ 65
Welch                    $190             $21                 $716            $ 79
Wilson                   $190             $15                 $716            $ 57
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 PRIMECAP FUND                   SELECTED VALUE PORTFOLIO
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                $1,562           $188                 $40              $5
Hauptfuhrer             $1,562           $225                 $40              $6
MacLaury                $1,659           $215                 $45              $5
Malkiel                 $1,572           $151                 $41              $4
Rankin                  $1,576           $119                 $40              $3
Sawhill                 $1,562           $141                 $40              $4
Welch                   $1,562           $173                 $40              $5
Wilson                  $1,562           $125                 $40              $3
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             SPECIALIZED PORTFOLIOS                     STAR FUND
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                $1,912           $230                  $0              $0
Hauptfuhrer             $1,912           $276                  $0              $0
MacLaury                $2,033           $264                  $0              $0
Malkiel                 $1,924           $185                  $0              $0
Rankin                  $1,912           $145                  $0              $0
Sawhill                 $1,912           $172                  $0              $0
Welch                   $1,912           $212                  $0              $0
Wilson                  $1,912           $153                  $0              $0
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   34
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                TAX-MANAGED FUND                  TRUSTEES' EQUITY FUND
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                 $228             $27                 $305             $37
Hauptfuhrer              $228             $33                 $305             $44
MacLaury                 $243             $32                 $327             $42
Malkiel                  $230             $22                 $308             $30
Rankin                   $228             $17                 $305             $23
Sawhill                  $228             $21                 $305             $27
Welch                    $228             $25                 $305             $34
Wilson                   $228             $18                 $305             $24
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                            VARIABLE INSURANCE FUND                     WORLD FUND
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/      AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS   COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------   ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None            None                 None            None
Brennan                  None            None                 None            None
Cawthorn                 $648             $78                $3,670           $441
Hauptfuhrer              $648             $94                $3,670           $530
MacLaury                 $692             $89                $3,909           $506
Malkiel                  $653             $63                $3,696           $356
Rankin                   $648             $49                $3,670           $279
Sawhill                  $648             $58                $3,670           $331
Welch                    $648             $72                $3,670           $407
Wilson                   $648             $52                $3,670           $294
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             ALL VANGUARD FUNDS(1)
     DIRECTORS/         AGGREGATE      ACCRUED PENSION/
      TRUSTEES         COMPENSATION   RETIREMENT BENEFITS
      --------         ------------   -------------------
<S>                    <C>            <C>                   <C>            <C>
Bogle                    None             None
Brennan                  None             None
Cawthorn                $70,000          $13,000
Hauptfuhrer             $70,000          $15,000
MacLaury                $65,000          $12,000
Malkiel                 $70,000          $15,000
Rankin                  $70,000          $15,000
Sawhill                 $70,000          $15,000
Welch                   $70,000          $15,000
Wilson                  $70,000          $15,000
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
(1) All Directors/Trustees serve as such for 35 Vanguard Funds, except for
    Messrs. Malkiel and MacLaury, who serve on the Boards of 34 and 28 Vanguard
    Funds, respectively.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   35
VOTE BY TOUCH-TONE PHONE OR THE INTERNET
- ---- -- ----- ---- ----- -- --- --------
                                                                 [SHIP LOGO]
                                                          The VANGUARD Group (R)
CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-800-690-6903 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE
WWW.VANGUARD.COM OR WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM

12-DIGIT CONTROL NUMBER:

(See enclosed insert for further instructions to vote by phone/internet)

Please detach at perforation before mailing 


                       ("FUND")
PROXY SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

By my signature below, I appoint John J. Brennan, J. Lawrence Wilson and
Raymond J. Klapinsky as my attorneys to vote all Fund shares that I am entitled
to vote at the Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held in the Majestic
Building, Room 118A, Vanguard Financial Center, 100 Vanguard Boulevard,
Malvern, PA on June 30, 1998 at 9:30 A.M., E.T. and at any adjournments of the
meeting. Any one or more of Messrs. Brennan, Wilson and Klapinsky may vote my
shares, and they may appoint substitutes to vote my shares on their behalf. I
instruct Messrs. Brennan, Wilson and Klapinsky to vote this proxy as specified
on the reverse side, and I revoke any previous proxies that I have executed. I
acknowledge receipt of the Fund's Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and
proxy statement.

                                           PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY
                                            IN ENCLOSED ENVELOPE IF YOU ARE NOT
                                                VOTING BY PHONE OR INTERNET




                                           Date ------------------------- 
                                           NOTE: Please sign exactly as your
                                           name appears on this proxy. When
                                           signing in a fiduciary capacity, such
                                           as executor, administrator, trustee,
                                           attorney, guardian, etc., please so
                                           indicate. Corporate and partnership
                                           proxies should be signed by an
                                           authorized person indicating the
                                           person's title.
                                           -------------------------------------



                                           -------------------------------------
                                       Signature(s)(and Title(s), if applicable)
                           CONTINUED ON REVERSE SIDE
                                                                         VAN-PH3
<PAGE>   36
Please refer to the Proxy Statement discussion of these proposals.
THE PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE PROPOSALS IF YOU DO NOT SPECIFY OTHERWISE.
                        --- 
Your appointed attorneys will vote any other matters that arise at the meeting
in accordance with their best judgment.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS/TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
                                                  ---

                  Please detach at perforation before mailing. 

             Please vote by checking the appropriate box(es) below.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                    FOR     AGAINST    ABSTAIN
<S>                                                                                                 <C>       <C>       <C>
1.  To reorganize the Fund into a Delaware business trust. (All Funds)                              [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 1.

2.  To change the Fund's fundamental investment limitations with regards to:

    (a) The interfund lending program. (All Funds)                                                  [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2a.

    (b) Borrowing money and pledging assets. (Convertible Securities Fund, Explorer Fund,           [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2b.
        PRIMECAP Fund, Morgan Growth Fund, STAR Fund/LifeStrategy and Total International
        Portfolios, Variable Insurance Fund, World Fund)

    (c) Investments in securities owned by affiliates. (Convertible Securities Fund, PRIMECAP Fund, [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2c.
        Specialized Portfolios, STAR Fund/LifeStrategy and Total International Portfolios)

    (d) Investments in unseasoned companies. (Convertible Securities Fund, Morgan Growth Fund,      [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2d.
        STAR Fund/LifeStrategy and Total International Portfolios, Trustees' Equity Fund, World
        Fund)

    (e) Investments in cash reserves. (STAR Portfolio, only)                                        [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2e.

    (f) Investments in futures and options. (Tax-Managed Fund, only)                                [  ]      [  ]      [  ] 2f.

                          PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE                                                                    VAN-PH3
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