The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-08-14
HATF|ELD'S FAIR
|. CLOSED SATURDAY
40 Crowd, Lots of Money and Dust
Exhibitors Failed to Bring in Prod
ncts That Justified Efforts
Premium Awards.

no untoWard incident to mar the
Measure of those in attendance, and
vet the deep dust, trampled and stir
red by some thousands of restless
feeti certainly placed ''choker" on a
lot of comfort-all of which, however,
was taken in the best of humor by the
milling crowds. That the refresh
ment stands, the cigar machines, the
doll racks and all such concessions
"made a killing" is unquestionable
The people spent money. They
bought practically everything there
was to buy, even the questionable
pleasure of throwing cheap baseballs
at cheaper dolls, or at "Old Pied" a
padded "dingbat" with a hole in it.
Small boys of 8, 10 or IL years all
seemed to have money to burn," and
WED with the older ones in the
"sports" and in guzzling the bottled
goods and the more or less dust-flav-
ored lemonade that was made and
sold in large quantities. And the
sandwiches, both small and thin, were
quickly sold at 10c per, and absorbed,
together with a few other varieties of
food. And everywhere could be seen
small whips, and rubber balls, which
were the means of more or less an
noyance as they were, in perfect good
humor, used by the youngsters and
youngsteresses in pelting one an
other or some innocent bystander.
The sports, running, jumping, ETC.,
with usual varieties, and particularly
displays of horsemanship, roping, ETC.,
always attracted the crowd in waves
that were well-nigh irresistible.
Doubhess around the edges there
were picnics, in family assemblies and
otherwise, but they were fully as
dusty as the lemonade and sandwich
es, for what dry soil and sand was not
stirred by shoe leather, was thrown
high by speeding ears and plodding
hoofs.
A bountiful shower at most any
time would have come, in all truth, as
a blessing from the heavens But it
didn't-not at Hatfield.
But all the dust didn't interfere
with the baseball games, and as Hat
field took both. it is evident that the
majority of "those present" were
pleased And they were good games,
all save the overplus of discussion.
But seriously
The efforts of the business men of
Hatfield, those who gave freely to
supply the liberal premiums and la
bored for the fair, did not meet the
response to which they were entitled.
In other words, the prime purpose of
fair of this kind is, or is supposed
to be, to bring out the best of the
products of the country represented,
these to be compared, judged and
premiums awarded, thus stirring the
ambitions. of the growers to strive for
better things--to encourage them to
do their best for their own sakes and
to the credit of the community.
More than that, it is well known
] that homeseekers are attracted to
d these fairs, and often, on what they
see their opinion of the country is
4 formed. On this decision is based
the stories they tell "back home," and
perhaps their action in locating a
3 home
But at the Hatfield fair the fact
stuck out like a sore thumb that, first,
there were but few exhibitors, and,
second, in many cases there was a
8 great lack of care in selecting and
preparing the exhibits that were
made. In some instances blue rib
bons were tied on products that would
not have been even fairly marketable
IN country store. Apples with large
& specks and others chosen with no re-
gard to evenness in shape or color; po-
tatoes showing scab, cantaloupes un-
MT for market in size and form; va
rlety of produce brought in in boxes
8 and dumped down without even be-
ing sorted or an effort made to pre-
pare for display; jellies in bottles and
All sorts of glassware except jelly
8 glasses, and in many instances only
one specimen offered where liberal
premiums had been provided by the
faIr management. And on every hand
could be heard comments like this:
Look at that I've lot better
growing down in my field or gar
den!'
ana that is exactly typical of the
situation-a lack of interest in the
tar on the part of the people to whim
q premiums were offered.
The marked exception was in the
aispiay q corn in stalk. form. In this
there was good showing. In ear
corn there were four displays of 10
ears each, and the judges had to shuck
TWO OF the four in order to see what
4 lhe corn looked like.
The exhibit of peaches was quite
good, as was that of onions, with
s "ppies and watermelons fair.
IN the livestock exhibit there were
some splendid animals
1lat would have drawn favorable
notice anywhere, but there were sam
PIES OF the other kind, too.
Inc one excuse for the disappoint-
hg showing is that the season had
s Deeh rather hard on some crops-too
nlucn rain early, too little in recent
weeks but The Star hopes to see an
o.ner fair at Hatfield next year at
"nich the people around win unite
mi'n the town folks in bringing out
'ne very best the country produces.
ana IN quantities that will convince