REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS 



OF 



Indiana State Association of Fair Managers, 



Held at State House, January ^, 1904. 



The meeting was called to order at 1:30 p. m., in Room 12, State 

 House. 



President J. J. Insley in the chair, and Secretary AA'. M. Blaclvstock 

 present. 



President Insley: These meetings are for the benefit of all, and sug- 

 gestions from anj-one on methods that will better our affairs will be ac- 

 ceptable. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



In the outset of this paper I desire to say that, in my judgment, the 

 managers of fairs are confronted by conditions that have gradually de- 

 veloped through many years, but which must now be met promptly and 

 vigorously, or that erstwhile beneficent institutions will ultimately lapse 

 into a condition described by a once prominent official as one of "innocu- 

 ous desuetude." 



But before entering upon the discussion of this part of my topic, I 

 desire to call attention to the history of fairs generally, and this for 

 reasons which I hope will appear obvious. It is more than probable that 

 their origin antedates any known record; that the ancient Egyptians and 

 the dwellers of the valleys of the Euphrates and the Tigris made use of 

 this means of disseminating a knowledge of agriculture, horticulture and 

 stock breeding. Be that as it may, we are told that the word "fair" is 

 derived from the Latin "feria"— a day of rest, a holiday, which meaning 

 gradually expanded into a gathering for the sale and purchase of gooils. 

 the hiring of slaves, etc. We are also told that the ancient Greeks, from 

 whom the Romans derived the custom, held them for the purpose of as- 

 sembling the people for political ])urposes— a custom to which it is de- 

 voutly to be hoped this country will not revert. The various Roman 

 fora were often the scenes of fairs abounding in disi)lays of all kinds, 

 to which were assemljkil vast concourses of people from all the adjacent 

 provinces, and from abroad. 



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