Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-11-12
School Fair at Shepherd College.

College which came to close on Sat-
urday night was the most successful ex-
hibition of its kind that has ever been
held in the community. IN quality OF
exhibits, nznhs7 Of visitors, interest IAN
ifested, and general spirit, the fair was
tribute TO the splendid community in
which we live.
The most gratifying feature OF the fair,
probably was the good-natured rivalry
that took place between the rural schools
of the district for first place in the esti-
nation of the judges on school display.
This was about the first time that any
thing of this nature had been introduced
into the junction of the school fair and
the rivalry that resulted was most intense.
The schools OF the district had been in
vited and urged to take part in the fair
by showing to the best advantage the
products of farm, home, garden, and
school as selected by the teacher and the
pupils. They did this TO perfection and
il remained for Shepherd Grade to carry
off the honors Of the day with Oak Grove
close second. The judges had diff
Guilty in placing the honors in this class
and were compelled to make careful
analysis of the various exhibits before
the decision was reached whereby Shep-
herd Grade became the first winner OF
the beautiful silver loving cup presented
by the Jefferson County Board OF Trade,
and the 25-volume library presented by
the teachers of the normal school. SO
close did Oak Grove follow Shepherd
Grade that number OF visitors made up
a purse for Oak Grove with which Ii
brary will be started at once for that
school. Other most creditable exhibits
were made by the town graded school,
Duffields, Edgewood, and Uvilla. In
deed the town schools came within an
ace OF showing up the rich agricultural
sections of the district in manner that
foretold great things for the 1915 fair.
The nature OF the exhibits in the dill
ferent displays ran from strawberries to
50-pound pumpkins, and from apple
leather TO hazel nuts. One ofthe schools
had more than so different types OF farm
products and all in good form for use at
this late season OF the year. Just think
OF strawberries and raspberries at this
time Of the year!
Another pleasing feature OF the fair and
the one which was emphasized this year
was the fine display of corn. After the
seemingly disappointing season most OF
us thought the corn crop a failure but a
visit TO the corn section OF the fair indi-
Gated that even though the weather is a
very strong factor in the growing OF the
coin crop, the farmers OF Jefferson are
taking on the new cultivation and are
now able to raise good quality OF corn
with little rainfall. There were close to
| 900 ears OF corn on exhibition and it
was nearly all first class. There were
three principal types OF corn displayed,
Yellow, White and White Cap. The
Yellow type seemed TO prevail in this
show and carried off the highest prizes.
With little more care given to selection
of seed, preparation OF the seed bed,
deep blowing, and careful and frequent
hllage OF the shallow kind, the corn crop
OF old Jefferson could be made at least
so per cent greater than ii now is. The
corn Judge from the State University has
this TO say about the corn show:
THE CORN EXHIBIT.
Considered IS a whole, the corn eX-
hibit at the Shepherd College School
Fair was one of the best have seen any
where in the State this year. With three
or four exceptions every one OF the lO-ear
exhibits was made up Of ten good ears
OF corn. The ears were good sized,
sound and fairly well matured. The out
standing features OF the winning exhibit
were the uniformity, excellent state Of
maturity, and the good proportion be-
tween the size OF the ear and the size Of
the cob. One OF the principal objections
to several OF the exhibits was the large
cob. What we want is grain not cob.
The value Of good seed was well shown
by the way the winning ten ears excelled
that produced from the common seed.
Every farmer in the community should
benefit from this and provide good seed
for his next years crop. There is just
as much difference between good corn
and scrub corn as there is between good
stock and scrub stock. The good corn
can be produced just as easily as the
scrub corn, and the returns are much
greater.
hope the exhibit next year will be
larger and better in every respect than
the one this year.
CHAS. H. HARTLEY.
The display from the State Agricultural
College was interesting to many visitors
as il presented TO some for the first time
in concrete form some OF the more adj
vanced equipmentfor the dispatch OF farm
work and the method OF meeting The va
riouS problems in animal huSbandry,
dairYing, and other farm practices. Es-
pecially forceful was the chart depicting
the careleSsneSs often found in our coun-
try life as found in the unsanitary water
supply. This chart was source oil much
information and must lead us TO an in
vestigation OF the source OF the water we
use in our rural homes. The city takes
great concern in securing for its citizens
good supply OF water which is guarded
with jealous care, while we often neglect
this very important matter till it is too late
and typoid sets us TO thinking.
q m nrize for the first and - m