Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-08-30
Passing of The Fair
Editor of The Register;

EulloI Oh 1 ne REGISTERS
Among the earliest pleasures OF my
boyhood days was the Addison County
Agricultural Fair | remember well
how, for months before, we boys on the
farm talked about it, and wondered just
how much money we could save up with
which to buy good things and see the
wonderful sights il offered. How rest
less we were the night before waking
every hour or two all night long and
looking at the old fashioned clock in
the kitchen to see il il was not time to
drive up the cows, feed the horses and
do the other necessary chores on the
farm that we might get an early start.
Father and mother and the girls were
seemingly just as much interested as we
boys only little more sedate about il.
And how we did enjoy those Fair days.
Then little later as we became inter
ested in stock-raising, how we would
pick out one particular colt, calf or
lamb Ut was always a colt for me and
give them little extra care and feed
and some training, hoping not only to
make creditable exhibit and so do our
bit toward the success of the Fair, but
also to win some of the money prizes
offered.
The bread and cakes that mother and
the girls would make and put on eyhi-
bition were the wonder Of us all. and as
| remember them now. little better
than have ever seen since mo wonder
for they had the pure white flour and
plenty Of sugar in those days And the
racing mostly among local horses, for
the county was full of beautiful and
fast horses in those days horses that
we all knew well and had seen fight out
for blood many hard race on our none
too good track. How those races would
go straight to the soul of the crowd
watching them and every red blooded
man and woman was straining their
eyes to see the finish and ready to shout
themselves hoarse if a favorite won!
And now-what shall l say? Perhaps
it would be best to say nothing only
that | regret-greatly regret-that this
year our beautiful Fair Ground-one of
the finest in the state-with its MANY
convenient buildings and halls, its great
grand stand and excellent track when
in condition is but waste property as
far as the Fair Association is concern
ed. 1t may be used for Chautauqua
and circuses but not for the Fair, not
for the furtheranCe and advancement of
agricultural interests and stock-raising.
In these strenuous times when every
man should do his best in agriculture
and stock breeding and so incidentally
help to win the war, there is nothing
doing by the managers of our Fair So
ciety to stimulate and encourage agri-
culture and stock breeding.
am not criticizing nor blaming any
one. In fact do not know who, if any,
is to blame
Perhaps, in way, we all are more or
less. l am simply regretting the fact
that this week of beautiful weather has
not seen our village full of happy pros
porous farmers who came to enjoy the
pleasures of an old fashioned County
Fair.
Let us hope that another year and
for pany years to come we may not
be slackers along this line, that like
Rutland to the south and Chttenden
on the north Addison County shall have
its agricultural fair.
Yours for the interest of agriculture
and the prosperity of our little village
Eben c. Ryder.