The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-04-21
THE COUNTY FAIR

1t was probably inevitable that, ow-
ing to changing conditions in the. ru-
raj districts, the county fair during
the last twenty-five years should have
failed to hold its once proud position
as factor in the social and industrial
life of the American agricultural COM
munity. The farmers in that time
have been busy about innumerable
things. Other interests have attract
ed them They had had the county
fair for very many years. and quar-
ter Of century ago it had become an
old story. 1t had not grown with the
times. 1t needed reconstruction. An
attempt was made here and there in
results. The best features of the old
fair were dropped; some of the worst
features of the modern exposition
were adopted. The modernized fair
went too far altogether for the con-
sentative element in country life; it
did not go far enough for the element
that sought an undesirable mixture
of rural and urban methods of enter
tainment. In a word, in many parts
Of the country the county fair fell into
disrepute; in most parts of the coun-
try it suffered from neglect
In the meantime had come the ru-
raj telephone circuit, the rural mail
delivery, the interurban trolley car. In
the meantime, also, had come, for the
American farmer, a period of prosper
ity such as he had never dreamed of
in the old days. He travelled. He Wis
tied worlds fairs. He obtained a more
comprehensive grasp upon world
movements. More than ever could he
see that the old style of county fair
would not do. But it became clear to
him that upon the foundation of the
old style county fair could be con-
structed, and would some day be con-
structed, an annual exhibition Of in
calculable valeu. to the advanced ag-
riculturist
There has been much waiting,
much dreaming, much experimenting
with respect to the modern county
fair idea in different parts of the land.
The important thing is that there has
been a countrywide revival of inter
est in the matter Here and there
county fairs have been held which
have been pronounced successes as to
attendance, gate receipts and certain
exhibits. The United States depart
ment of agriculture has been looking
on with much concern. 1t is not en-
tirely pleased. In a bulletin issued
recently it declares that the full val
ue of the county fair has not yet been
developed. 1t commends many Of the
present features, but strongly recon-
mends the elimination of features
that detract from the moral tone of
the exhibitions. 1t does not intimate
that the fairs should be stripped of
amusements. On the contrary, it ap-
proves of trials of skill, acrobatic
performances, trained animal exhib- |
it's, foot races, moving pictures, bal !
loon and aeroplane ascensions 1t |
would raise the level of the county |
fair to a high educational plane 1t |
would bring it into closer touch with |
the agricultural schools and expert
ment stations. with the view of dem
onstrating and explaining new pro-
cesses and movements in the differ
ent branches of the farmers trade
And this is encouraging. For the
county fair should not be allowed to
degenerate. 1t ought to be regarded
as an institution and cherished as
such by the community, the state and
the nation. 1t is worth while-Chris-
tan Science Monitor.