82 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The effectiveness of any of the many educational features now 

 generally accepted and applied to the several sub-divisions of a 

 great state fair and exposition, depends largely upon the ability 

 of the management to grasp the right idea in staging the show. Each 

 department exhibit should be comprehensive in scope, forceful in its 

 display, and simple in its arrangement. It is far better for a man- 

 agement to eliminate entirely from its show any departmental ex- 

 hibit, if it cannot be staged in a forceful manner, that will attract 

 ihe eye and command the admiration of the vistor. To illustrate : 

 in my judgment, one flock of chickens, consisting of one male and 

 eight or ten females, properly displayed in small open pens, is of 

 far greater educational force than four times the number of birds 

 displayed in individual coops. A hundred boxes of apples, showing 

 proper assortment and packing, ready for market, is vastly more 

 instructive to the majority of fair visitors, than ten times the 

 amount of apples displayed on plates, of from three to five apples 

 to the plate. The box exhibit tells the story of the possibility of the 

 industry in a forceful manner, and leaves a lasting impression with 

 the visitor, while the other merely excites momentarily his admir- 

 ation. An actual demonstration of the handling and care of bees, 

 extracting and bottling of honey, certainly presents far greater 

 instructive possibilities than does the cold, still display of comb and 

 bottled honey, no matter to what extent it may be. 



A most perplexing problem confronting a state fair manage- 

 ment, is how best to stage the exhibit, to best drive home the great 

 object of the show. A new set of economic and social conditions has 

 been developed in America since our forefathers laid the founda- 

 tion for the state fair. This changed condition cannot properly be 

 dealt with if we employ old methods entirely. There is no moral 

 obligation resting upon us to maintain the old structure after it 

 has outlived its usefulness. 



Time will see a change from our present methods in showing live 

 stock. Animals will not only be stalled in breed groups, but each 

 breed according to age. After the ribbons have been tied, they will 

 again be placed in the stalls and pens in the order of their rank in 

 the show ring. This is only possible — or we might more appropri- 

 ately say, practical — when each class of live stock is conveniently 

 housed under one roof. 



Take your art exhibit: by bringing into tliis exhibit animation 

 and life, it can be made of mucli greater educational force than by 



