The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-16
STATE FAIR DEFENDED.
Secretary r. L. Davis Of the Commission
Replies to Criticism.
To the Editor of the Barre Times:

Replies TO Criticism.
To the Editor of the Barre Times:
Criticism of the Vermont state fair
commission, or of certain features OF the
state fair, has appeared in the Vermont
papers since the last annual state fair,
and, writing, for the commission, | wish
IL understood by all Vermonters that the
commission welcomes just criticism at
any time. The state fair is managed by
quite human men, and as the perfect man
has not yet appeared, certainly not in
this generation, it is not at all surprising
that there is ground for criticism.
Before replying in detail to the critics,
! wish to supplement- this writing by say
ing that the Vermont state fair, while
not being a copy of other state fairs, is
managed along quite similar lines, and
while the commission has not followed
the course or courses taken in other
states in the conduct of their fairs, it
has been guided in certain details of
management by the policy that has been
found successful in other states.
We have been taken to task for not
supplying adequate drinking facilities
for the public. This criticism we accept
as being well founded, yet with the ex-
ception of this season this criticism has
never been made before. The extremely
warm weather the week of the fair made
extra and unexpected demands on our
drinking facilities. For the information
of all interested, it may be stated that
there were three bubblers and IL faucets
in operation throughout the four days of
the fair. However, this criticism is well
coined and improvement is promised for
next year.
Criticism number two is on the system
of feeding stock, or rather on the policy
of charging exhibitors for hay and straw
used by exhibitors the week of the fair.
This policy is identical with that of all
large fairs held in other states. When 1t
is considered that the Vermont state fair
shows more cattle and horses, and has at
every fair held at White River junction
under state management, the matter OF
fedng is not a small item. 1t is not diff |
cult to comprehend why county fairs
feed exhibition stock without charge. In
the first place. the number of head is |
small, and in the second place the premi- |
ums paid are small Were the state fair
paying no larger premiums than the
small fairs, the matter OF free feeding
could then be carried out without en-
barrassment, but to attempt it under the
conditions that have and do prevail, it is
quite out of the question. The commits
sion believes that exhibitors are better
pleased with the good sized premiums
than they would be with free feeding
AS a matter of fact, the commission fur
nished every head of stock, including
sheep, swine, cattle and horses, with a
liberal amount of bedding on their ar
rival free of charge. This donation re-
qured Is tons of straw, and when 1T is
known that throughout the fair only
nine tons of straw were purchased by Il
these exhibitors, it must be conceded
that the commissions contribution must
have been liberal
The above subjects seem to have come
in for the more severe criticism, but with
the facts that have here been given it
would seem that the average man should
be satisfied.
Now there are features of the Yer
mont state fair that certainly call for
commentator.
First - Ii is here that the Morgan
Horse Club of America makes its annual
exhibition and pays thousands of dollars
in premiums, and it is through the eff
forts of this organization that the Nor
gan is coming back and taking his place
among the useful breeds of horses.
Second - The Vermont state fair first
instituted, nine years ago, the Judging
contests of cattle for both boys and girls
This season the county fairs took on this
event, and the winners at these fairs
were judges at the state fair.
Third-Here, too is the boys camp,
made up of delegates sent from each
Pomona grange of the state, and here,
under the management of the extension
service of the University of Vermont,
are given scientific instruction in farm
work.
Fourth-The new public service build.
ing, pronounced the best on any fair I
ground in New England, was erected this
year. During the fair, nearly l25 per- |
sons received treatment by physicians,
about 100 of them being for heat pros q
tration. Here the tired visitor could rest
and here every convenience was found n
for the comfort of those who awaited \
themselves Of the opportunity. This
building was under the management Of
the local Y. VI. G. A. A corps Of doctors
and nurses was in attendance At all J
hours.
And ] might 60 on almost indefinitely II
and enumerate features Of the state fair D
deserving Of praise. When IL i consid- >
cred that the commission is made up Of o
il men, all Of whom give their services
without recompense, taking time from
their business or professional lives and
giving Of their best 10 promote the state
fair and therefore the welfare of the a
state. IL would seem a. If there should be ,
some praise sandwiehed in with the ad- 1
verse comment. In
Fred J.. Davis. secretary. =
for the commission. o
White River Junction, Nov. Is 1918.