Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-10-04
The Trend of Fairs.


The experience of those people con-
ducting agricultural fairs this season has
thus far been of a nature TO teach les
son in regard to-the trend of such exhi-
bitions and one not specially in line with
the advocacy of "Simon pure" agricul-
tural fairs. This, however, is not con-
vincing argument in favor of substitut-
ing the old-time cattle show with some
thing else, but it does indicate that if
the attendance is to be sufficient to make
the fairs successful financially and meet
expenses and premiums from the re-
ceipts there must be a liberal policy
adopted in the matter of entertainment.
There is not a sufficient number of peo-
pie who will attend any other kind of a
fair to make it possible to meet its obi
cations. We notice evidence of this in
those states where large appropriations
are annually made from the state treas
ury in aid of state and other fairs. In
those fairs the entertainment features
are eliminated TO large extent and lib-
eral premiums attract magnificent eXhib-
its of stock and farm products, but the
number of people attending such fairs is
ridiculously small.
In the early days of agricultural fairs
there were less means of communication
and dissemination of agricultural ideas
than now, and as practically all the peo-
pie We're then engaged in agriculture the
exhibition of stock and products was a
matter of universal interest and value.
Later, when agricultural papers, organi-
cations, experiment stations and colleges
became common, and many people be-
came engaged in other industries, the
peculiar field for strictly agricultural
fairs became limited, for other agencies
were accomplishing the things that fairs
were primarily intended to accomplish.
By degrees amusement and entertain
ment features were added, still main
tanning the agricultural exhibit as the
basis, and these are the only fairs that
people will patronize to-day. There is
nothing to be said against legitimate
amusement and entertainment at fairs
when the agricultural features are also
well sustained, and the fair manager that
acts upon this principle draws the peo-
pie, and with favorable weather is able
to make his payments without scaling
down premiums or emitting their pay
ment altogether.
We see much to recommend the mod
ern fair when good judgment is exer-
cised in sustaining just equilibrium
between the various features of the fair
and features of an Objectionable nature
are excluded. Fairs are held at a season
of the year when the farmers want day
of recreation and pleasure, and the agri-
cultural end OF the fair would seem to
be a special incentive for attending.
They will derive sufficient benefit from
this to warrant the expense of attending,
but would not have been attracted by
this feature alone. They know they are
to be amused and entertained also, and
were it not for this they would not at
tend at all. More or less benefit is
therefore derived, although the main
spring that secured their presence may
have been something else. The old
time, matter-of-fact tendency in every
thing is already superseded by desire
for entertainment and amusement as
well, and this tendency reaches all classes
of people. Ii is specially noticeable IN
regard to agricultural exhibitions, and
no amount of theorizing will make it
otherwise.
II is probable that the name of fair
has become SO thoroughly established in
referring 10 such gatherings that no
change of name will be made, but if they
could be known by the more expressive
name of farmers festival or harvest gala
day it would come nearer to indicating
their real nature. This probably will
not be done, but il would be no more
difficult than to change their nature to
conform to their earlier character. The
spirit of the times demands something
more than a cattle show, and up-to-date
managers are adopting policy to meet
the demands of the people. The person
who has any kind of goods to sell will
succeed better in making the goods
conform to the demands of the people
rather than in making the demands of
the people conform TO certain brand OF
goods that may be favorite with him.
The passing of the old-time cattle show
in its purity and simplicity is to be re-
gretted, but no more SO than some OF
the other old-time practices that have
been relegated To the rear. Among
these are the OK team for farm work, the
strong, faithful untiring farmland, the
large families of rugged children in the
farm home, aud the simple mode of liv-
ing upon the farm and elsewhere. The
congregations at the old meeting house
on the sabbath, with about every family
in town represented, and the old school
house filled with boys and girls from
the farm homes. The repairing of roads
by the labor of all the men in the dis
trict and the homespun clothes worn by
all the members of the family. These
are some of the things that were done
when fairs of strictly agricultural ma
ture were established, but similar re-
suits are sought by other methods at
the present time, and generally to the
advantage of all concerned. We may
sigh for the 'good old times" but the
trend of events makes other practices
necessary. The same is true in the mat
ter of agricultural fairs. The balloon
ascensions, stage shows, high divers,
horse race, ball games and fakirs' row
are to-day as legitimate parts OF such
gatherings as are the cattle, sheep and
vegetables. The important matter is in
maintaining a proper relation between
the various features that instruction,
amusement and entertainment may each