Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-08-23
COMMUNITY 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 Conn.,
mittees - Ribbons Usually
Awarded as Premiums.

John Jones' basket of potatoes takes
the blue ribbon at the fair, and imme-
dlately 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
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 a 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
sible, 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 ad-
mission charge.
Grouping the Exhibits.
While it is to be expected that the
exhibits at 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 8
community fair is to stimulate de-
sire to increase the quantity and tC
improve the quality of the average
product. Freak exhibits of all kinds
are to be avoided.
Personal solicitation has been found
to be the most effective means of in
ducing people to make exhibits. Eacf
exhibitor should realize that he is il
competition only with other member.
of the community and that it will no
be possible for some stranger to TAX
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 ar
exhibited. In the farm products de
partment are shown different varietie
of grains and seeds, grasses and for
age crops, field beans and peas, pea
nuts and potatoes, together with dair
products and bee products. The or
chard and garden department include
such exhibits as fruits and vegetable;
ornamental shrubbery, and flowers.
The wOmGn's work and fine arts dt
partment includes prepared food:
canned goods, jellies, preserves, ar
pickles, and all kinds of needleworl
together with such exhibits as paint
ings, metal work, rafIia and reed bas
ket work, pottery, painted china, an
handmade jewelry.
The school and club department il