The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-08-22
OMMUNITY FAIR
FOSTERS RIVALRY
Farmers and Families Cooper
ate With Neighbors in Ex-
hibiting Best Products.
PEOPLE BROUGHT TOGETHER
First Step Is to Interest Leaders, Then
Elect Officers and Appoint Com
mittees Ribbons Usually
Awarded as Premiums.

John Jones' basket of potatoes takes
the blue ribbon at the fair, and imme-
diately every farmer in the commun-
ity secretly plans to take that prize
away from Jones next year. And
Jones, seeing Jim Browns winning
corn, resolves that next time he will
add that premium to his other trO-
phieS.
And so on down the line of all ex-
hibits, the community fair fosters the
spirit OF friendly rivalry. 1t calls not
only for the exhibition of the best
products that have been grown and
the best work that has been done, but
it includes as well games, athletic
contests, pageants and other features
which bring the men and women and
the boys and girls together for whole
some recreation.
The first step toward holding COM
munity fair is to interest the leaders
Of the community; the second is TO
call a meeting of the whole commun-
ity to elect officers and appoint COM
mittees to have charge of the work
The fair should be well advertised,
and effort should be made to secure
exhibits from as many persons as pos
sibIe, rather than to secure exhibits
of exceptional quality. For premiums
ribbons are usually awarded rather
than cash payments. AS most of the
preparations for the fair are made by
volunteer workers, the small amount
of money required for incidental ex-
penses can be raised by subscription
or by the sale of advertising space In
the catalogue or on the program.
There should be no entry fees or adj
mission charge.
Grouping the Exhibits.
While it is to be expected that the
exhibits at a community fair will re-
ceive special attention for the purpose
of exhibition, nevertheless they should
represent as nearly as possible the
normal production of the community,
| for one of the purposes of holding a
community fair is to stimulate a de-
sire to increase the quantity and TO
improve the quality of the average
| product. Freak exhibits of all kinds
are to be avoided.
! Personal solicitation has been found
20 be the most effective means of in
! ducing people to make exhibits. Each
exhibitor should realize that he is in
competition only with other members
OF the community and that it will not
be possible for some stranger to take
all the prizes.
satisfactory results are usually OBJ
tanned in community fairs by group
ing certain classes Of exhibits Thus,
| in the live stock department, horses,
cattle, swine, poultry, and pets are
| exhibited. In the farm products de-
partment are shown different varieties
Of grains and seeds, grasses and for
age crops, field beans and peas, pea
nuts and potatoes, together with dairy
Lprodscts and bee products. The or
chard and garden department includes
such exhibits as fruits and vegetables,
ornamental shrubbery, and flowers.
The woman'S work and fine arts de
partment includes prepared foods,
canned goods, jellies, preserves, and
pickles, and all kinds OF needlework.
together with such exhibits as paint
fngs, metal work, raffia and reed bas-
ket work, pottery, painted china, and
handmade jewelry.
The school and club department in