Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-11-25
The District Fair.
(From Farm and Home. !

You call upon your countymen (me
among the balance) to give their opir ion
upon District Fair. 1 greatly favor is.
and as greatly oppose County Fair -
None but those who have some experience
with Fairs know anything of the expense
worry and trouble connected with them
From my connection with them, since tn.
war, in this State, am fully convinced that
no one county IN Virginia has sufficient ag
rcultural products 70 make pp fine agrlcu.-
tural fair, nor public-spirited people enough
to contribute sufficient means to purchase
and prepare the grounds and buildings, es
pecially in these hard times, necessary for
the live stock and other articles required to
make up good agricultural snow. Nu
has any onscounty people enough who take
an interest in such things to furnish a
crowd that will make the gate-fees sufi-
cient to Pay the expense of keeping up the
grounds, pay the necessary expenses and
the premiums to induce people to exhibi
their wares.
The result is, County Fairs in Virginia
are generally poor things. and the amount
of good resulting from them is very small.
But with little enterprise and public
spirit, Rockingham. Rockbridge, Able
marie, Highland, Bath, united with Au
gusta, could make a fine fair at Staunton
that would do credit to the State and vast
good to the District. I say unite with Au-
gusta and have the Fair at Staunton, because
there, there is already a beautiful ground
with nearly all the conveniences necessary
foi large show. 1t is a central point with
direct railroad communication--nor
south, east and west-which makes it easy
of access and convenient and cheap. Trains
hc hot hn nf a
counties could 90 to the Fair in the morn
ing and be back home at night.
Most Of the money needed for q Fair has
already been raised and spent at this point.
By the assistance of few thousand dollars
from these counties the debt now weighing
down the Augusta Association could be paid
off and leave a sufficient surplus in the
treasury to pay such premiums as would
attract large exhibits, which is what farm
ers need and want for their information,
and which bring together and interest a
crowd sufficient to cheer up and encourage
the management; enable them to meet all
their liabilities promptly; keep everybody
in good humor, and thus afford pleasure
and information and do a vast amount of
good.
The Baldwin Augusta Fair Association
deserves great sympathy and credit for the
brave and patriotic manner in which they
have struggled on under all their embar
easements and trials. And old Augusta
has acted manfully, nobly. generously and
patriotically in her efforts TO get up and
sustain this Fair. Now let US people of the
adjoining counties go to her assistance, sus-
tain and help her in her hour of need, and
show that we appreciate her noble efforts,
and unitediy make a Fair worthy Of the
name this one bears; worthy of this Dis
trict and the brave people who occupy it;
an honor TO our old State, and of great good
to US and of immense importance to the
rising generation.
Each county, of course, would have a
fair representation in the directory and
management. Nojealousy should or need
exist, nor fear on the part Of any county
that her citizens gould not get justice done
them. My experience. in exhibiting at th.
different Virginia Fairs has been consider
able, and nowhe=-have l met with more
kindness and fairness aud eveu-handed jus-
tice than at the hands of the managers of
the Fair at Staunton. But / am proud IT,
say that kindness politeness, fair and hon
orable dealing is the rule with managers Ot
Virginia FAIRS. Sometimes the Judging is
not as good as it should be, but this is ow-
ing to the want of means to induce men to
act as judges who are competent, aud is not
due to any intended unfairness on the part
of the management. One other trouble is
that men hone >tly differ in their judgment.
Then each exhibitor generally thinks what
he has On exhibition is the best. and if the
judges, who are unbiased, fer with him,
he becomes dissatisfied and charges partial
ity and injustice, and the management is
censured when they have in reality done
the best they could, with the means at
hand, to get good judges, and have no more
to do with the actual judging thau the ex-
hibitor himself.
Fairs are difficult things to manage any
way, but without sufficient money they are
about the most worrying, troublesome
things t. work along have ever taken any
part in. Fairs of a single county are gen.
orally of this kind, but a Fair composed Of
six counties, thrown into district, can
easily raise sufficient means to make all
things go we'll, and those embraced in this
proposed district can certainly now raise
what is necessary, since brave old Augusta
herself has raised at least four r-fifths Of the
sum needed.
| will explain in future article some of
the reasons why money is 80 important to
make Fair satisfactory and profitable to
community.
Respectfully,
GEORGE CHRIsMAN.
Chrisman P. O., Rockingham Co. Va,
November II, 1885.