The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1918-01-05
GROWING VALUE OF LOCAL
F9ATRS.

! In a well-considered editorial ad'
vocating the appointment by the po'
lice jury of it's parish Of a fair COM
mission to arrange for an annual com
petitive display of the products OF
Plaquemines, the Lower Coast Ga
zette cites the Importance and IN
creasing value Of such exhibitions IN
other communities, referring particu-
larly to the state fair at Shreveport,
the National Farm and Live Stock
Show at New Orleans, the Jefferson
parish fair at Shrewsbury, and max
ing this complimentary mention en-
PEASANT of the South Louisiana Fair
Associations enterprise, domlclled IN
our locality:
"The city of Donaldsonville has IN
augurated local fair that has attain
ed considerable conspicuity. That
fair is located in sugar producing
neighborhood and yet there has been
Investigation enough in that sugar
section to develop fair of such ex-
cellence that it's perpetuation year al
ter year seems now to be thoroughly
well assured.
Our esteemed Plaquemines con-
temporary has unwittingly minimized
the origin and scope of the South
Louisiana exhibition by seeming to
accredit it's origin and management
solely to this city, whereas there are
eleven parishes represented IN the
organization and directorate OF the
South Louisiana Fair Association,
covering the fertile and productive
section of the state extending from
Baton Rouge to New Orleans and
through the beautiful Bayou La
fourche valley frsm Donaldsonvlile to
the Gulf of Mexico, but this mad
yertence does not impair our apprec1-
alton of the newspapers commenda-
ton. and we are glad to confirm its
assurance of the perpetuation OF the
enterprise.
The Gazette's article includes the
following interesting bit OF falr
history:
"It will be recalled by our people
that some twenty-five years ago we
had at Pointe-a-la-Hache parish falr
that excited the admiration OF our
own people and gave us all surprise
when we found the many excellent
products of our parish there placed on
display, and we may say, IN competl-
ton, although no adequate arrange
ment had been made for prizes. Many
articles deserved public recognition
and especially articles OF household
use and of household consumption, IN
which the ladies Of the parish were
greatly interested, having made very
fine exhibits. That fair given py US
some twenty-five years ago was we
believe, the first parish fair IN the
state inaugurated after the civil war.
It's excellence was such that the ar
ticIes exhibited were solicited by varl-
GUS other parishes in order to make
them the neuclei Of the exhibits IN
these inquiring parishes. A little
later on the work was taken up py
DIR. Stubs, who was the leader and
founder of the Louisiana Agricultural
Society, and with state aid, although
hut to limited extent, local fairs
were started in many OF our parishes.
The location of one Of the experiment
stations in north Louisiana at Cal
houn gave this work an impetus that
affected ten or fifteen parishes in the
northern part Of the state and ex-
hibitors came in wagons long dis
tances to Calhoun to enjoy the fair,
or the annual camn meeting, as it
finally came "a ss. termed, held at
Calhoun, where in the assembly halls
fne exhibits of local products were
made, fine exhibits Of cattle and other
live stock, and public addresses were
given on many matters Of Importance
to the entire community"