The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-01
CRAFTSMEN TO
 EXHIBIT IN N. H.
Annual Fair Scheduled for Week of August II
 to l6

Hanover, N. H., Aug. -- With signs of national interest in native arts and crafts increasing and with Washington officials stating that Americans should learn to work with their hands as well as their heads, the State of New Hampshire will stage a week-long Craftsman's Fair, August Il through IS, to in- ulcate the tremendous progress that has been made in its pioneer move ment of the past decade. The eighth annual Fair of the League will be held at Dartmouth College, which has turned over Alumni gymnasium and other facilities to the League.
 Behind the present craft revival In New Hampshire, serving as model for similar movements in other states, is a story of Yankee ingenuity on the part of commun- lty group in the little town of Sand- wich DeterEa;ned to revive the crafts formerly carried on in the town, a committee of. the Sandwich historical society held in 1926 a meeting that was destined to mark the birth of the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts. Out of the meeting grew an organization known as the Sandwich Home Tn- dustries", which set up a shop to market the handiwork of its towns people.
 The community project prosper ed and to persons of limited income the extra money thus earned was literally a life-Saver. At the same time, the artistic use of hands and minds and the skillful contriving to work with the native materials available gave the members of the Sandwich group a new richness and satisfaction in life. News of the successful program reached the governor of the State, then John G. Winant, the present United States ambassador to Great Britain, who immediately perceived the advar- tage of such project on state wide basis. A commission was ap- pointed in 1881 to investigate the economic and educational possibili- ties in New Hampshire crafts, and in that same year there was found- ed the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, Mrs. J. Randolph Coolidge of Sandwich, chairman of the historical society committee which started the home industries there, continues to serve as pres ident of the League, and to her more than anyone else belongs the title of founder" of the state or ganization which was the first of its kind in this country.
 An unpaid governing council and two full time officers director and a business manager, form the di- recting nucleus of the League which has it's headquarters in Con- cord. Fifty groups similar to the Sandwich home industries are now scattered throughout the act and in place of the one local shop for selling native wares there are now a score.
 The annual Craftsman's Fafr is the big event in each of the Leagues yearly programs. The fin- est products of New Hampshire craftsmen are assembled at the Fair for display and for sale, and the more proficient of the States arti- sans come with their forges, looms lathes, potters' wheels, and other craft equipment to demonstrate their skill, steadily improved by League instruction. An education al and artistic program supplements the displays. with lectures and dem onstrations by authorities scheduled for each day. The Fair is an inn pressive across section of the work of the 1900 craftsmen enrolled in the League, and this year thousands of visitors many of whom come year after year, are expected to visit Dartmouth College for the expand ed program which will mark the Leagues tenth birthday