The Newtown bee., 1904-06-03
TOWN TOPICS SOCIAL TOPICS.
VIEWPOINT FAIR-BY o. o. WRIGHT

NEWTON N FAlh-B1 O. .. W RIGHT.
 I believe in theyNewtown fair as a
 social and economic factor in the com.
 our midst that promises better cOndi.
 tionS of fife for the people. It has
 bee4 so far successful as to indicate a
 latent vitality and the capacity for
 greater progress and attainment. It
 has proved that the inhabitants of
 this region have public spirit of a cer-
 tain Kind, and that cooperation for
 mutual benefit is possible along cer-
 tain lines at least. It has succeeded
 to such an extent that it ought to do a great deal better in the future. It
 takes time and labor and patience to develop such an institution, and it speaks well for the management that It mas continued and improved during these eight years.
 What l am about to say is not to be understood as the grumbling of a fault finder but as the timely suggestion of one who has taken the pains to make a study of the subject in the hope of awakening an interest in the minds ana hearts of many who are evidently as yet indifferent: especially in our own town.
 As have said in this connection be- fore the first thing to be done is to be done is to make a show. We can not reasonably expect the general pub llc to come to the fair if there is little or nothing exhibited which will win and hold attention; and the larger and more Varied the number of entries the more people will find something of paying interest, and the best advertis- ing is the satisfaction of those who f0mp tO the exhibition.
 The whole number of entries last year was l27S; of which TYP were local and 5O6 by persons out of town. With population of 3, ,276 at last enumera- tlOn NewtOwn people could easily do much better than that. The people from the towns about have set us fine example. If it pays them to come from a distance to exhibit and to en- joy the privileges of the fair, what is the matter with our people at home that so few take any active interest? Class 2, Ladies' Industrial, there were 52 entries from out of town to P local. Glass 5, Ladies' Industrial, there were 99 out of town to 32 in town. In Glass Y, working oxen, there were 16 entries from out Of town, against two within the town. And in Glass 28, working oxen, there were.19 out of town to six local entries. There were six classes ln which there were no local entries, as against three only in which outside | did not enter.
 But here is an item which seems to | me still more significant. There are l2l stockholders in the Fair associa- and Of that number, according to the figures given me by the secretary, only | 28 made any entrieS!,
 Now is the seed time, what shall the harvest be?' If we do not SOW, how can we reap, and if we do not reap how can we enter anything for the fair, and how can we compete for premium. Last year, at my suggestion the mer- chants of Newtown offered special pre- miums of $3 and $2 for the best pound roll of butter by Newtown butter ma kers by separator process. An expert ,ame from Storrs' college to judge. There was but one entry and that re- ;eived the second premium, though strictly speaking it was not up to the standard which should be required for my premium. If the five or six farm ITS having separators had compet- sd and met the expert judge for few cOverSatiOn on the points of good butter they would have been richly paid for all the trouble and ex- oenSe