18 THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF FAIRS. It has been comparatively a short time since the term "Agricultural Education" was coined, and the meaning is still indefinite to a large portion of our farmers; many of whom not only fail to comprehend what agricultural education means, but have conceived a pronounced hostility to any idea that recognizes the necessity of any education for the farmer beyond a tolerable acquaintance with the elementary branches taught in our rural schools. I am aware that public sentiment has changed somewhat of late years, though in the early days of the Farmers' Institute work in many parts of our state, the bitterest opposition to it came from farmers who scouted the idea that they needed special instruction in their work, and Institute workers were met at many opening sessions with evidences of prejudice or open hostility. Ours is an age of specialties. The time when a single individual could be supposed to know pretty much all Twenty years ago, Plymouth would that was knowable is passed. In the hardly have asked for the Closing trades, one man is no longer master Farmers' Institute. The Farmers' Inof the complete processes of constitute and the Agricultural College struction, but even simple pieces of have very largely been the means mechanism pass through several through which the seed has been hands in manufacture. In the learned sown that has wrought the mighty professions, the general field is too change of the past decade in agriculbroad for individual work, and it is tural and kindred thought and divided into special departments, method. No agricultural enterprise in each of which the specialist finds has received special attention that ample employment. has not rapidly forged to the front In the schools, teachers are select and demonstrated the possibilities ed with reference to their special of Wisconsin as a field of operation. ability to teach the subjects as- Wisconsin butter, Wisconsin cheese, signed them, while pupils elect Wisconsin horses, cattle, sheep and special courses of study with direct swine rank among the very best products of the world, and promoters | claim to represent, are conclusively of these enterprises are still not in evidence against the scrub, and satisfied, but year after year are reaching out for higher honors. prepare the observer for better things. The larger the fair, representing the wealthier and larger districts, usually the larger and better will be the exhibits, most especially in the live stock classes. Competition be superiority of in The Scope of Agricultural Fairs. I have been asked to call your at tention to another factor in the promotion of agricultural and business education that is too seldom thought comes sharper, and breed characteristics are more definitely considered. Here the educational advantages to the lookeron are upon a higher plane than those of the smaller fairs. of in this connection, the Agricu! | dividuals is more closely scrutinized, tural Fairs of the country. It is true that at many of our smaller fairs the benefits derived from attendance are largely social; the exhibits are few and their character is not high, but they generally represent the best obtainable in the limited district of the fair and the farmers are enabled to compare the results of their best efforts in crop productions with those of their neighbors; while the better specimens of live stock, though not the highest type of the breeds they The educational benefits of a firstclass fair are all important to the exhibitor. All things are good or bad by comparison. That which seems in the eye of interested ownership to approach perfection as seen by itself, when brought into competition with superior quality in the show and, for many other ring, frequently becomes plain stitute necessary a winner. special attractions fairs. There is hibitor is brought to see what cou- a class of shows sometimes seen at characteristics for fairs, though now ruled out by all well regulated associations, that has no moral right anywhere and cannot be too strongly condemned. The great object lessons given at our best live stock exhibits do more to fix high and correct ideals in the minds of interested observers than all other means in use, the written or verbal description of perfection in animal form, the pictured excellencies of famous prize winners, as shown in our illustrated stock journals, fall so far short of the satisfac tion of actual critical inspection of some living, moving type of his breed. To the novice, the great fair brings the best of opportunities to become familiar with breed characteristics. The peculiar color, form and other distinctive traits or markings of the different breeds of horses, cattle, sheep, swine and poultry can here be studied from representative selec tions, and by watching the work of the judge in charge, he may also learn what constitute points of excellence in the various breeds under consideration. The Wisconsin State Fair. In most particulars, the last Wisconsin State Fair was an admirable illustration of a first-class educa tional fair. Not only were the exhibits for which premiums were of fered of a high character, but classes were well filled. The carnival features were not of an objectionable character, and s arranged that no one was forced to see them unless he chose, they being placed in an enclosure by themselves. The track events were of a high grade and gave great satisfaction to interested spectators. Other exhibits not competing for premiums but of a highly educational character, were those of the State Board of Control of the workmanship of inmates of state institutions; the State Fish Commission of the different varieties of fish propagated in the state; the Dairy School of the State University, representing a working dairy; the Dairy and Food Commissioner with his interesting exposition of the adulteration of common food products, and the State Live Stock Sanitary Board in its I have met people who could see little or no good in fairs. They considered them simply places of amusement of a questionable char acter. Horse racing, balloon ascen sions, acrobatic performances, and the like seemed to be all they saw, and these they condemned. Well I don't consider horse racing, balloon demonstration of the working of ascensions and feats of human strength or agility the most important things to be seen at a fair, and still very much worse things might be witnessed by almost anyone without visiting a fair, and this, too, uu der the protection of well regulated city governments. An honest horse race, conducted under Wisconsin laws, is in no sense disreputable or e moralizing. The same may be said bovine tuberculosis, illustrated by the slaughter of diseased animals and an exposition of the diseased parts. The great trouble visitors to the fair found was in not being able in the brief time they had allowed for attending the fair to properly take advantage of the many interesting and instructive features presented.. Another important educational fac tor to be considered at the State This is loyalty that is infectious, and Fair is the character of the judges it means popular support; hence selected. No trouble or expense is more money, hence larger premiumis spared to secure judges of recog- and a better fair. nized ability and fairness, whose general reputation renders their work of special value in determining the equality of exhibits upon which they pass. As an illustration, take Mr. Sharp Butterfield, of Canada, who for years has scored the birds in our Foultry department. He is in constant demand as a judge in all parts of the country, and his work is in itself an education to breeders whose birds pass under his inspection. Perhaps I may be allowed to say that arrangements for our next state fair have already progressed far enough to warrant me in saying that no fair in the country will be of a higher order, stronger in points of educational interest and profit than our own-to be held in Milwaukee, September 10 14. DISCUSSION. you ever Senator Wolf-Have known of a successful fair where there was no horse racing? Recent improvements upon our state fair grounds will render the means of gaining important informa Mr. True-I have heard of such tion in the future much pleasanter instances, but I have never met one. and more profitable. The erection The fact of it is, whatever prejudices Iof the live stock judging amphi- we may have in this direction, we theater will enable the public to must take into account really what witness the judging of animals in the fair is held for. In addition the horse and cattle departments to the educational and financial without exposure to heat or storm, its seating capacity being 4 000. This is one of the best buildings of its kind in the country. benefits derived from it, there are social features that must not be left out of mind, and if we are to copsider these we must see that the fair In closing I wish to urge upon you is held for the whole people. It is to interest yourselves in your a holiday and we should arrange so fairs, both local and state. Under that all classes of people are interthe present state law there is little ested in a proper manner. I think chance for demoralizing influences in the present state of feeling that without endangering the procuring there would be age fair that horse racing. of state aid. Fairs are made successful only by the active and loyal support of the people they represent. Show me a successful county fair in Wisconsin, and I will call your attention to the fact that the people of that county or district lose no chance to speak well of their fair. Their criticisms are not given to the public. When one thousand people come to their grounds, I am quite sure they will claim there are two thousand present; if anything is not first-class they do not call attention to it, but steer you around to something better. failure to the averwas held that had no Senator Wolf-I notice that Mr. True talked under the head of the educational value of the fair. He seems to lay great stress upon the social part of it. For one, I have always noticed that, when in he grand stand, I take less interest in the horse racing than in the people around me. Supt. McKerrow-You seem to ap preciate the social side of it too. Senator Wolf-That is what I go there for. |