The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-08-26
EDUCATIONAL
ADVANTAGES
Of State Fairs Should Be Kept
In Mind.
FAIR IS A COLLEGE COURSE.

II Teaches the People How to Get Bet
ter Results and Causes Better Home
making-Louisiana's Fair In the Lead
of the State Fairs.
Without the educational feature
would the State Fair be worthy Of
support? Hardly. AS well as furnish
ing pleasure to the eye and ear 1t
must feed the mind-it must give food
for thought and ideas for development
and that is what the Louisiana Fair
association has in view very largely In
putting on its magnificent collection Of
displays each year.
If there were nothing more done
than the making of big display-to
match one Eerd or pen against an
other, to see which individual exhib-
itor could collect the largest number
OF ribbons, to see who did the best
cooking and sewing or whose horse
could run fastest-if this was the aim
and end, then there might be reason
for questioning If 1t were worthy Of
support While this is one feature Of
the Louisiana Fair, it is by no means
the largest. The truth is that there
are thousands of Louisiana people not
only from the farming districts. but
from factories, shops, stores and Of
fees, who attend the Louisiana fair
with eyes and ears kept wide open all
the time. and they find the experience
mighty profitable. They find 1t their
summer school. short course in agri-
culture. manual labor and industry
generally. They make good use Of
this Fair and regard it higher the Of
tener they attend.
The result Is shown in better homes,
better farming, more industry, greater
prosperity, increased happiness, lar
ger herds. finer machinery and more
money in the banks. All this leads to
better homemaking and better lives.
The fruits of the Louisiana State Fairs
are noticeable on all sides already
the state generally has been helped to
a remarkable degree. The one crop
idea has been changed and diversified
ton is being pursued widely. Many
Of the farmers gained the idea at the
Fair. There they saw what really
could be grown on the Louisiana soil
and got the idea Of how to plant. culti-
vate and harvest. This is mentioned
as just one instance. Many more
could be given, for they are to be
found on all sides.
First and foremost, the Louisiana
State Fair is great agricultural show.
That is the real foundation for the
Fair. 1t is in the rich soil that the
greatest profits are found In Louisiana.
The Louisiana farmers are striving for
Improvement in agriculture. At the
State Fair they are having oppor-
tunity to see the very best produced
from the soil. They gather there and
compare notes. They make q study Of
cotton, corn. oats, potatoes. rice, cane,
peanuts. alfalfa and even wheat. They
learn of the new things. They inquire
about actual results. The premiums
offered are good and draw the very
best Of the products to the Fair. The
collection forms the basis Of a real
educational exhibit.
Next In Importance to the agricul-
ture probably Is the live stock. When
the first Fair was held this section
was not represented so strongly, but
today 1t is large and of vast impor-
lance, showing results Of the first few
animals exhibited at the Fair. The
live stock breeders find Louisiana a
good place to show their specimens. for
the Louisiana people have proved to
be good customers: hence their live
stock exhibit is complete.
But while the educational idea Is
kept at the front always, there Is also
provision for amusement and pleasure.
for fair must be attractive to draw
the people So 1t is that the Louisiana
Fair has the best races, vaudeville, fire.
works. gladway shows and other
amusements as well as the very best
exhibits, and it is well worth all of
the support it receives.
Come and see for yourself, Oct 81
Nov. 8.