Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-10-14
County Contest at Rumford.
SPLENDID EXHIBIT OF WORK OF BOYS
AND GIRLS CLUBS.

RUMFoRD, October 4.
The county contests, the annual events
toward which all the boys' and girls
clubs connected with the University oi
Maine agricultural extension service loob
with great anticipation, have begun
Northern Oxford had first call and
opened the series Friday with an exhibi
tion that set new pace in the state
competition.
The town loaned the uae of the big
ball In the fine municipal building, the
Rumford Chamber of Commerce con
tributed 500 and the Rumford Trust
Company and the Rumford National
Bank $50 each toward the prizes and the
luncheon. These were the money gifts
The other donations were of unstinted
time and work by the teachers OF the
various schools represented in the con.
test and by Leroy Williams, superin.
tendent of schools; George N. Danforth,
agricultural instructor In the high
school and superintendent OF the school
and club gardens; George A. Yeaton,
the Oxford County agent; A. Van Den
Kerckhoven, former county club leader;
Miss Mary s. Coombs, teacher Of domes-
| tic science in the Rumford schools; Miss
Foley, teacher of music In the schools
Ralph P. Mitchell, state leader Of boys
and girls clubs.
Hicks & Pennell gave as a special prize
q set of garden tools, Clough & Pillsbury
wheel cultivator, a prong hoe and q
rake.
On row of broad tables extending the
entire width of the hall, in front of the
stage, were arranged the vegetables,
fruits and canned goods the boys and
girls had brought in for exhibition. It
was q wonderfully attractive display, one
of the largest collections of juvenile gar
den products ever shown In Maine.
There was every variety Of vegetable
known in these parts and they were all
of good quality, showing conclusively
that the gardens had not lacked proper
care. The display was artistically set
off by big horn of plenty, ingeniously
fashioned from barrel-hoop and smaller
hoops, covered with green cloth, the
whole generously spriukled with autumn
leaves. From the mouth OF this huge
horn had seemingly gushed forth a flow
of field corn and half-busbel or more
of big red-cheeked apples.
There were seven separate school ex-
hibits, all bearing their respective pla-
cards, and one combined exhibit of Rom.
ford rural schools. The scholars OF each
school assembled in groups, each group
beaded by standard. bearer SO there
could be no mistakiDg whence they
came. Their teachers were in-snd out,
assisting here and there, as the lines
were being formed for the march into
the hall at 6 O'Clock.
The blue ribbon for the best school
exhibit went to the Macdonald School,
a little, four-room building most of
whose scholars are the children of Italian
parents. These boys and girls, who
come naturally by their ability as inten-
sive gardeners, were very proud OF their
exhibit, and their teachers were equally
proud of them. Second prize was won
by the Holland School, third by the
Virginia School. The Junior High,
Chisholm, Bisbee and Pettengill schools,
familiar names in Rumford, and the
combined rural schools all received hon.
orable mention for their displays.
Tony DeSell, a bright little lad from
the Macdonald School, won q point for
himself and bis school by bit of shrewd
action that gave evidence of an early
developed spirit Of commercial values.
He bad brought to the hall in the fore
noon big pumpkin, the biggest that
had graced his garden patch. He ex-
pected it would be prize-winner, but
as soon as he entered the hall he spied q
pun pkin that beat bis to a standstill
Did Tony bring his in and carefully
place it in bis school exhibit, content
with second best in the pumpkin line?
Not be. he quickly decided to with
draw from the pumpkin race, ran across
the street and sold bis pet product at q
grocery store, then hiked home to get
something that he knew, from bis hasty
survey of the hall show, would stand q
good chance OF winning a prize. He
came back bearing a monster cabbage,
and his name went down on the judges
score card as prize winner.
Ruth Blanchard from the Virginia
School picked couple of hours before
time for the entries to close box Of
delicious looking ever-bearing straw
berries, and put in with them q few bios
SONS to give them added attractiveness.
OF course she got prize.
The vegetable and canned goods dis
play did not comprise the whole show.
o, no. There was the luncheon, served
by prettily attired girls from Miss
Coombs' domestic science classes, and
after that one of the finest programs Of
folk songs, dances, games, drills, solos
aud dialogues ever staged at county
contest. Every school had part, and
in addition to the several hundred chill
dren assembled in the hall many parents
and interested citizens came 10 to watch
the show. 1t was worthwhile event
for Rumford and Oxford County. Agri-
cultural Instructor DanfOrth Is star
performer in handling q crowd of chill.
drep. He kept things moving rapidly,
and maintained wonderful order, allow
ing the youngsters to have few min.
utes, now and then, in which to give
| vent to their desire to shake the roof
| with their shouts and cheers.
The Holland School started the enter
tainment program with song, and then
followed 16 girls from the Junior High,
all attired In white caps and aprons and
each bearing aloft vegetable whose
praises she sounded in q few lines OF
verse, which also told the story of how
that particular vegetable should be prop
erly cooked.
Little Lillian Demers, age FIVE, from
the Virginia School, sang sweet lula.
by. Next came six couples Of Bisbee
School pupils in folk song and dance.
Then the Pettengill School held the
stage for few minutes, it's scholars tax.
ing part In folk game. A group OF
lutte Indians and squaws from the Vir.
ginia third grade came out In their wal
paint and feathers and danced to weird
music. Oscar Taylor and Janet Brown,
a sweet little pair, sang "Choo, choo'
song and after them came eight CHS
holm girls in swing song that had loi
of rhythm.
Hiawatha, Mlnnehaha, old Nakomil
and their companions of the forest were
cleverly impersonated by costumed chill
dren from the Virginia third grade, {
sturdy little chap with long memory
repeating the fsvorite Longfellow story
| as they performed. Finally, larger girll
from the Virginia School appeared In
umpkin drill that was cleverly per
formed.
OF course there had to be sandwichet
In among tho program numbers lev
remarks from local and state leadere
but they were of lesser consequence TO
lit was children's night.
The special prize winners had an IN