Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-10-01
POLK'S GREAT SCHOOL FAIR
Children's Attractive Exhibit viewed
by Thousands of Admiring
Visitors.

OF the cold ana uHplcdsdHG "V"'loi'
The executive committee was kept
busy during the entire forenoon OF the
first day, receiving and placing the
belated exhibits that had been sent in
from the more remote districts OF the
county. and the Fair was not formally
opened until after noon.
At 3 o'clock, the school children 8
parade was formed at the Dallas
public school house and took its line
Of march down Main and Academy
streets to the College gymnasium,
where the various exhibits were on
display. In the van Of the procession
marched the brass band from Popcorn
district, Behind the band came the
long line of over 400 children OF all
ages. from the little tots Of the primary
grades, whOs3 chubby legs stroVe
vainly to keep time to the music, to
the tall lads and lassies OF the senior
grades, who marched with the pre-
cision begotten of eight years train
ing under school discipline. Every
head was held high, and every face
shone with pride. And we'll might
they be proud, for was it not their Fair,
and did not its success or failure
depend directly upon the individual
efforts Of each child in that process
sion? The line was halted on the
campus west of the College building
until a word Of dismissal converted it
into swarming, shouting mass Of
happy boys and girls, who thronged
up the steps and into the hall where
the Fair was to be held.
All afternoon the building was
packed with a dense crowd Of parents,
children, ard interested visitors that
surged hither and thither as it passed
from one point Of interest to another.
One standing aside could only catch
glimpse now and then, as the crowd
divided, of huge vegetables, dainty
handiwork, or the brown lOaves and
frosted cakes Of the cookery exhibit.
Through this big, good-humored
crowd, the judges squeezed here and
there, as best they could, examining,
tasting and taking notes.
Almost as large a crowd assembled
for the evening program, and every
seat in the building was filled. W. l.
Reynolds, Principal Of the Oregon
State Reform School, was the first
speaker Of the evening. He addressed
words of encouragement to the teachers
and pupils, and prophesied a still
greater future for the Fair. He was
followed by Professor Cole, of the Ore
gon Agricultural College, who praised
the character of the exhibits highly
and complimented the school children
of Polk county on the interest they
had shown in the work.
State Superintendent J. H. Acker-
man closed the evenings program
with an earnest speech, in which he
pleaded strongly for the establishment
OF a still closer bond of interest
between the school, the parents, and
the children. In closing his excellent
address, he offered yet another plea
for the country school children, asking
that they be given as nearly as posi-
bic equal opportunities with the
children of the city schools. He sug-
gested that country schools might
combine to secure the services of a
special teacher in elementary agri-
much as the city schools have
their special teachers in music and |
drawing. He believed that this
teacher might serve ten districts,
giving half day weekly to each,
and that his salary could be easily
secured by equal contributions from
each district in his circuit.
Fully as large a crowd was in
during the second day as
had been present on the opening day.
since the weather had cleared some
what and permitted many to come in
rom the country districts. The
were judged in the forenoon,
md at 2 80 p. M, the award of prizes
vas announced. The judges were
Cole, of the Oregon Agri-
cultural College; Miss Martha Smell,
# the department of Domestic
economy in the same institution, and
Hiss Helen Hutchinson, who holds
imilar position with the Portland
{. W. q. A, The judges were loud in
heir praise Of the energy and enthu-
iasm Of the Polk county school
hlldren in preparing such an excel
mt exhibit. Miss Smell declared that
he display of bread was uniformly
ne best she had ever had the privilege
| Judging. The judges announced
nat the best bread at the Fair was
aked from Dallas flour, manufac- +
lred by Sweeney Bros, OF the Dallas
Touring Mills.
Although the exhibit was hardly as i
'rge as had been expected, the
was more than atoned for
y the appearance of new exhibits of
oultry and butter These displays
i'll be made a regular feature of
lture Fairs. The prize for the best ;
lstrict exhibit was awardedto Bridge
ort. The credit for the excellence of
us exhibit is largely due to two bows.
'iley and Lester Gardner, who were
winners in nearly every q
epartment. z
Among the interested visitors to the s
airw c. l.. Starr, secretary of the