Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-21
OF Love
and Laughter
Ais Fair at Fair Time.
Even No Snake Books
: BY MARJORIE HOLMES

At last after weeks Of planning, 1t is school fair
time
And the sun, as II suddenly sharing the children's
anticipation bursts through It pours It's bright bene
diction their faces as they skip OF to school,
clutching their small shoe boxes for lunch and loot
II is also source OF immediate, practical relief
TO the parents who are veterans Of these events.
Thank goodness" they tell each other you know wha
madhouse 1t is when IL rains Now they can go outside
for the pony rides at least.
They swarm into the long echoing gym where the
tables set by those faithful people who seem to do
all the jobs
and cakes and used clothing; they transform drab little
into movies and puppet theatres and carnival OF
games
Soon the aromatic tang Of potato salad and coffee fills
You take up your annual stance with the books Heady
with pleasure, you read the adult titles
No now-no fair setting aside those you want. Get
busy the chdrens-a whole treasure trove Of Little
Golden books their like sold over and over year after
year: bought. read, redonatNd.
You recognize your own price marks A nickel A dime
for the thicker fare give Little Peppers" Hans Brinker
"snow Treasure"-such lovely copy. Can you get
Hurry for the bell is ringing and here they come.
whole hoodtde of hair-rbboned little heads plaid shirts.
eager faces hungeng for wha Popcorn and hot dogs and
beaten up second hand toys. And books and booksl
They crowd to the table paw through the bright spill
Have you got Pee Wee?" Have you got any snake
books? Have you got any mystery books for gs2" MY
little brother why he's just learning to read and promised
him a reading book"
And oh, please. you think franticaly searching.
pee Wee" or two someplace the fat little guy with
full eyes. All here Snake books. not thng-"W you
settle for butterflies"
Girls books are hard to come by they to hang
onto them Where oh where, is that little first reader?
And what you offer the cocky kid wearing rubber
ears who has actually asked for poems? james Whtcomb
Riley wrote funny poems See-here-"
Will he take the ratty old copy you almost ashamed
TO him? In sudden fear that he won't cut the
price and throw in a couple of copies Of Boys Life.
To your relief he digs into his pocket and goes off to
make the acquaintance of Little Orphan Annie in cor
ner as he chews his trick cigar
school fairs YOU think dragging YEARLY home at last
with your books white elephants leftover sandwiches
and grbby rubbereared small fry Thank goodness they
only happen once year,
But recalling the flow Of earnest faces and the books
they'll be exploring you're glad to the very cookies OF your
being that they do.
Encourage Their Sense of Sharing . +.
Children are brazeny, unabashedly selfish in many
respects there instances when they get real
pride and pleasure out Of sharing.
They love bringing donations to school for Red Cross
boxes Or trudgng proudly off with bundles of clothes for
drive Or carrying Mons plants and cookies. Dads cop
per contrivances. to the school fair.
These impulses can encouraged throughout the