The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-01
M E N, w OM EN
 A ND THIN G s

have been on regular commu-
 nity fair spree, having been to three
 this week, and believe me, it is encour-
 aging to see the way they are get
 ting the people together. All of them
 were in Jefferson county, and hope the day will come when there will
 be at least a score of them held each l fall.
 1 used to hear great deal about the
 bovine monotony' of farm life. but
 since the Rooseveltlan country life commissions I am hearing less and less of 1t. and there is a reason, for not only are community centers be- ing established, but the people them selves are beginning in many places to direct their activities without out 1 side help.
 l It takes some time, however. to get community thoroughly or ganized and ready to stand on its own feet; and until this is done the government, the state and the agri- cultural schools are more than ready to send in expert workers to show those wishing to improve their con- ditions the most approved ways which have been tried out elsewhere. It took a lot of experimentation and a great deal of money to do this. Jefferson county is to be congratu- lated on the high class of men and women who have been doing this special work in 1t during the past few years. for they have wrought wonders In stirring up interest in all parts of it. It's a case where city. county. state and nation have pooled interests to do genuine serv- Ice to the men. women, boys and girls who live on the farm. Their activities are varied and interesting. Thursday I went down to Piney Grove schoolhouse to attend it's first community affair, and under the leadership of H. L. Gilmore, and with the cooperation of Mrs. John Roten- ars, backed up by their parents, staged a fair which was we'll worth attending, and In the variety and number of exhibits was really both surprising and encouraging, evidenc- ing both initiative and resourceful- ness.
 Piney Grove had by far the lar gest showing of stock of any of the three fairs I attended, and the show ings were of higher grade save in the instance of horse and mule colts, for in these two particulars Oak cows and pigs, however, at Piney Grove were ahead of the ones ip the pens at Oak Grove. This was also the case in the poultry exhibit. l am latter. but to stir it up to do better next year. These communities adjoin one another, and friendly spirit of rivalry will be good thing for them both.
 The agricultural exhibit at Oak Grove was proof ,s that the lands about are susceptible to a high state of c,Itiyofior opd that tho farp,ers Have at last learned the value of dlversification. The large display of jellies, preserves, pickles and canned vegetables spoke well for the house. attractive from without and good on the inside. The needlework was a tribute to the artistic turn of the good women of the settlement.
 D. NJ. Wa1drop presided at the speaking. A roomy platform had been placed under the trees. and the people gathered before dinner to lis ten to the orators. Ben F. Ray, the we'll known young lawyer of Bir- mlngndm, was the pTlHCipdl SpedhcT of the day. and made fine impress sion on the crowd by his eloquent and persuasive address I followed at length. H. L. Brown then gave a practical demonstration of the way
 in which certain products won the blue ribbons in the agricultural ex- hibit. William Hardy explained the reason for giving prizes in the ami mai husbandry section. and Mrs. Mary Kinnebrew closed the speak ing with an interesting talk on cake baking, hygiene, food values and the manner in which to prepare articles to be shown in the woman's exhiS>& of fancy work. Dinner on the ground was a happy way to bring the fair to close I greatly enjoyed beth the fair and the people. eAmIElylMlAan1fI