Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-08-28
INTERESTING is
FAIRS HISTORY
Originated In New York, Develop
ment Has Been Nationwide

In New York, Develop
ment Has Been Nationwide
In 1910, one fair; in 1925, two
thousand fairs.
In 1910, an attendance of about
five thousand: in 1925, an estimated
attendance of approximately twenty
five million.
These figures, in a nutshell, tell
the story of the marvellous growth
of the American fair from the hum
blest beginning to its present-day sta
tus as an important factor in agri-
cultural education. They are of es-
pecial interest here in view of the
approaching Woodstock fair, which
will be held September Sill.
While the fair idea has been taken
hold of tremendously in the United
States, it is not native to this coun-I
but in the olden times they were
more after the manner of a bazaar
or market, only held with less fire.
quency, very much like the fairs in
vogue in Germany and other Euro
pean countries today. The American
fair traces its ancestry back only to
about the middle of the eighteenth
century, when a group of progressive
farmers in the Tees River Valley in
northeastern Britain Joined to bring
their livestock together for COMPARE
son. 1t has been termed the first
agricultural fair and was the model
after which were patterned the hun
dreds of country fairs, both here and
in England
Origin of Fairs
| Elkanah Watson of New York has
been credited with being the father
of the American fair In 1915, Wat
son organized the agricultural So
ciety of Albany, N. Y, and proceed
J ed to establish fairs and cattle shows
in the neighboring counties In 1919,
due mainly to his influence, the New
York legislature appropriated S10,-
600 year for six years for premiums
on agricultural and home manufac-
ture products. In 1882, the state
agricultural society was founded and
work started in other eastern states.
But while Watson was busy convert
ing farmers and legislators to the
value of fairs, the Columbian Agri-
cultural Society held what is believed
to be the first exhibition of it's kind
in Washington, D. c., in 1910.
i Pittsfield, Mass, shortly thereafter
inaugurated regular agricultural ex-
hibits, and from these first small eff
forts grew up our system of COM
munity, county, state, district, ma
tonal and international fairs which
cover practically every section of the
country.
i The development of the fair in the
United States has been one of nor
NAL growth and expansion, according
to Samuel R. Guard, director of the
ISears-Roebuck Agricultural Founda-
ito nand one of the leading expon-
ents of agricultural exhibits in Amer
lea. The successful contestant in a
local fair naturally wished to COM
pare his products with those of win
ners in other local fairs. That was
how the county fair came to be. The
state fair with its wider appeal was
the next logical step, and there,
county winners went to settle dis
putes on the relative merits of their
products. Eventually this led to COM
petition between safes, eliminating
first in the interstate fair, later in
the national show and finally in the
International exhibit. Many a ma
tional champion grain grower or live
stock breeder today can trace his sue
cess to some little honor captured at
the county fair, years ago
Inspires Ambition
The appealing thing about the
county fair is the opportunity it Of
fers the farmer to compare his own
work with that of his neighbor's, and
so inspires in him a healthy ambition
to improve himself and his work.
states Mr.. Guard. Within easy dis
lance of his home, he can examine
the best animals, grains, fruits and
vegetables, poultry and honey and
determine where he falls short of the
mark. Likewise, his wife can pit
her needlework, her baking and
pastry, her canned fruits and yege-
tables against those of other farm
women and enjoy the thrill and re-
ward that comes of victory Alto
gether, the county fair stimulates
friendly competition that has been
responsible for much of the farm
progress in the past century, he saws
The educational value of the farm
implement and equipment displays
that are part of all the better fairs
is one of the most commendable fea-
lures, according to Mr. Guard. State
and federal government exhibits
bring home to the farmer lessons in
growing his product more economic
ally and efficiently, and household
furnishings and labor-saving devices