The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-10-14
BENEFITS OF COUNTY FAIRS

IalneSVllle, OcL. 10.
Since taking over the management
OF our county fair, find the local
newspapers squarely behind the pro-
ject of staging the fair Nov. IA, Is,
16 and II. Neither of Gainesville's
papers had to be asked to spread the
gospel Both volunteered and that
more about the fair has not appeared
in print is due to my shortcomings as
a publicity agent.
| have collected series of articles
from the pens of our best fair men
over the entire country, and through
the courtesy of the papers will pass
them on to the reading public. 1t is
my hope that you will read and reflect
upon what other. people think of the
value and worth of fairs. 1t may give
you a new inspiration, and cause you
to renew your efforts toward the max
ing of the Alachua County Fair the
very best county fair in the state. 1t
can be done.
Mr.. w. B. Burris, one of the major
league fair men, is author of the fol-
lowing:
"Your request several times for me
to write you fair story has been de-
ferred from time to time because II
fair man builds a good fair and sue
cessfully sells it to the public each
year, he is lucky if he has time to eat
or sleep. However it is a pleasure fol-
me to exchange ideas with my brother
fair men and the public through oul
valuable journals, and have received
many ideas and inspirations of value
in this way and hope l may be Of
some little benefit to others through
the press. The Importance of a coun
ty fair and its wonderful developing
influence on agriculture, horticultur.
and the mechanical arts is SLOWLY
dawning on the public, and our civi,
bodies are becoming more aware o.
their responsibility in them. | believ,
that properly developed and con
Quoted fair is the biggest school il
any community, and I am convince,
spreads more clean knowledge to
larger number of people than an,
other school or enterprise from tn
fact it reaches more people and is di
versitied in it's teachings. The grea
wonder to me is that any country i
the United States with millions of dol
lars invested in agricultural and hor
ticultural enterprises and the know
fact that all prosperity in any com
munity depends more on the success
or failure of agricultural develope
ment than any other one thing, shoul
ever stop developing, supporting
building and encouraging fairs
their community or state until the
can point to them with pride and sa!
at is as good and big as the intere'
it represents. By it and through
we are telling the world who we ar
what we are; how big we are"
Until county or state can do thi
such division is, in my opinio
neglecting the best and greatest d
veloping influence it can possible ha,
for the least amount of money inves
ed. For no other investment will r
turn the benefit for the cost a GO,
fair will return. A fair is an ed
cational institution for residents
both city and county; it is a sho
course in better farming and bett
living; it is positive demonstrate
OF the methods by which the man W
farms with his head instead of
hands invariably succeeds. It is al
the final examination by comparis
of each years improvement in ag
culture, mechanics, arts and seien
In fact, it is a week of research a
education, that every interest fir,
childhood to old age is benefited
Therefore, the responsibility of
value and efficiency lies with
people through its civic bodies q
individually by support, spirit q
cooperation. M. r. Williams