St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-08-12
ReaI Beneft fronl Vermont FaIlAs.

Real BeneMN from vermont Fans
The proposal or the Vermont
state fair commission and the Yer
mont agricultural extension service
to utilize the state fair at White
River Junction for the purpose OF
instructing boys and young men in
regard to the exhibits placed there
commends itself at once az very fine
and worthy of general appreciation.
Year after year, at the state fair and
score of other fairs in Vermont,
the managers attract a large num-
Der of exhibitors who place prize
livestock and extraordinary farm
products before the public gaze: and
year after year most of those ex-
hibits receive merely casual inspec-
ton from the countless throngs that
weave in and out Of the various
booths and stands during the ses-
sions of the fairs. Now and then a
critical observer comes along and ne
examines the less prominent features
of the exhibit, whether the exhibit
be a product Of the soil or a live
creature of marked excellence. That
critical observer gets something of
real benefit to him out Of his at
tendance at the fair.
AS against him there are humid
reds Of other attendants who get no
benefit out of the attendance other
than that which comes through mo-
mentary sensation of seeing some
thing novel, startling or pleasing.
The benefit lasts as long as the
sensation remains strong; then 1t is
gone. And, as far as permanent
value is concerned, the fair Is a
failure because 1t has failed to teach
and encourage the thousands who
have come together, although 1t may
hap has served one of its functions,
which is to please and render senaa-
ton. All the fine points of the fair
have been lost because the people
have not been instructed to make
the most of the exhibition. The
people have seen some large pota-
toes and they have marveled at the
size of them; they have been led be-
fore a fine strain of cattle and have
noted the apparent fact that the ex-
hibits were fine cattle; they have
Morgan horses and, yet, have not
been more than specifically inter-
ested in the performance,
Therefore, to cause the people who
attend the annual Vermont fairs
or at least fair-sized proportion of
Lhem-to study the various exhibits
~~AA ~ A@&AA SOnAGhnAnS aDOnA G11h
that shall prove of lasting benefit is
worth undertaking; and the combi-
nation OF the state fair commission
and the Vermont agricultural extern
the movements of splendid
sion service is just the sort to do
he work. The latter announces that
/ camp will be instituted for farm
boys at the forthcoming state fair
n White River Junction and that
leaders will be assigned
% guide the boys daily through the
7arious exhibits, giving them expert
advice concerning the good and the
pad points of the exhibits. To our
way of thinking, this will bring out
he good that lies practically DOR
nant in the average agricultural
air in Vermont. The efforts ought
o be accepted in the right spirit and
quite generally throughout the en-
ire state, under the liberal terms
which are announced by the joint
commissions. The agricultural in
erests of Vermont will be advanced
rery materially IL there Is wide
pread response to the invitation
Barre Times.