Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-08-11
Communicated.
MoReAx's GROVE FAIR.

Mr. EpTToR-As the Fourteenth An
nnaI Exhibition Of Morgan's Grove Is
near az hand. | thought it might De III
terestinp 10 YOUR readers TO give Siior,
history and recall few facts connecteu
with the same. Thirteen years ago.
OWING 10 a desire prevalent among our
farmers for the betterment OF their stoch
and farm products, il was decided among
themselves that they meet and see the
advancements made in these lines oy
comnarinr the results of their efforts
This meeting was held at Morgan
Grove in September, 1888, at whlcl 'lni1
the farmers and community IN genera
were full of enthusiasm, so that quite an
exhibit of horses and colts was maue III
an unimproved grove, and from thls ldC'
il was called 'Colt Show. FOR three
wears this exhibition was continued ana
sustained by voluntary CONTRIBUTORS
from the public. The next three years
il was self-sustaining. During these SIX
wears the farmers continued 10 orlng
their stock. and the agricultural depart
ment grew apace. The exhibits IN
creased from year TO year so that what
was started as colt exhibition Tor
the Improvement of the community be-
came .'Morgan'S Grove Fair.
AT first a few private premiums were
offered for the best colt OF certain
class. or the best half bushel of wheat
or the best pound of butter, &c, but IN
1850 a Stock Association was Instituted,
= charter procured and the grounds
leased for a period of years. AT this
lime the community began TO want
more premiums. and the management
begau 10 ponder how this could be ac-
complished. and it was agreed 10 issue
limited number Of shares of stock at hVe
dollars each. requiring not more than
twenty per cent of each share TO be PAID
during any one year. This brought
some revenue and buildings were oullt,
a few more premiums added, and police
force employed Each year more build
iurs were erected and more premiums
offered For eight or nine years things
were continued thus. but new trouble
aroSe.-the stock that had been issued
and sold had all been paid in, and the
revenue thus derived for yearly expenses
was exhausted. The question arose
what was 10 be- done To raise money 10
meet the increased expenses. An ad-
miftapce fee was talked Of; tothiS there
was some opposition, but 1t was careful
| Nv debated and no other means being
! suggested an admittance fee OF twenty
! five cents was charged Tor carriages
! This was done for two or three years,
when objections were presented TO the
Board of Directors that this increase
was derived mainly from the farmers
| Then fee of ten cents was charged all
uers0nS over ten years OF age. IhIS was
| done for two or three years until the
| fair had grown so large and our eNpen-
scs So great, and the premiums constant
| ~ growing. So that some change had To
| be made. To meet the demands the
! Directors concluded TO make an effort
! to raise more revenue SO as 10 guarantee
! e. -penses and pay the premiums. To
secure this. they made the general ad-
mittance twenty-five cents. by TINS
! means they have been able TO meet their
ALLEGATIONS. build larger buildings, com
! Portable stables and offer larger preml-
INNS. Those Of us who are connected
| with the different departments are high
! yplrased with the success that has been
! attained. MOrgan's Grove has at pres
! ent buildings that cost about three thouS-
and dollars. its annual expenses are
| about five hundred dollars. Last year
! the number Of entries in the Ladies de-
! partmeut were over 1900, and in the Ag-
| ricultural department about the same
number. In the Live Stock department
about two hundred and fifty dollars
were paid out in premiums. This year,
our fourteenth annual exhibition. we
present to the public a premium list re-
! viSed and increased until it compares
| z L !, .ig
| the Shenandoah Valley, whose admit
lance fee is fifty cents
| In the Live Stock department our cat
alogue shows 100 prizes, amounting to
over five hundred dollars. The Ladies
department is fully up to the standard
and IN the Agricultural department the
premium list exceeds that of several OF
! the neighboring fairs. The Poultry de
partmcnt must be equal 20 any in the
Valley. Judging from the amount OF eN-
ira cages compelled TO be made last
year
We have had practically the same
management all these thirteen years.
The same president and but little change
in the board Of directors. Should not
those of us who are in the Oh lTerent de
partments and in fact the whole com
munity feel proud Of them; Has not
our whole community been benefited
bv the fair | believe our farmers have
improved their stock fully one hundred
per cent. during this period, they have
improved their poultry two hundred per
cent and in hundred ways the com
munity has been benefited. Inquiry
has often been made, by individual
members of the managers Of the great
Hagerstown fair, how we had such a
good fair with so small an admittance
fee and the reply was we do not know,
but it is growing and we believe at the
present admittance we can meet all OBJ
legations, increase premiums little
each year and assure our fair perfect
! success.
As farmer, annual exhibitor and a
helper Of the fair am truly glad ii has
found its origin, has lived thirteen years
in my community, has grown so large,
presents such a fine catalogue to the
public this year, and has attained 50
high a stand morally through its man
agement and it is my earnest wish it
will continue to grow until it equals the
great Hagerstown fair.