86 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



music. AVliile Aristotle reserved seven eliapters in his immortal 

 work, "Politiks," to prove that music v.as the l)cst meaus of public 

 recreation. Other philosophers of liis time, as well as of today, 

 must have believed him right, for music then, as now, played an 

 important part in the whole educational system. Therefore high 

 grade music at a state fair is rightfully classed as one of the edu- 

 cational features. 



So we may go on and analyze the whole amusement program, 

 where the entertainment is of a clean character, and prove to you 

 conclusively that such entertainment is an essential component of 

 education, and therefore has a legitimate place in every w^ell-bal- 

 anced state fair program. 



In conclusion, let me admonish you to remember, when appor- 

 tioning your educational taxes, that "grownups are in need of learn- 

 ing ciuite as much as school children. ' ' That in knowledge there is 

 profit, and knowledge is so easily obtained at the state fair. That 

 all forms of entertainment and recreation of a clean character, are 

 educational, and as such must be grouped along with exhibits, con- 

 tests and demonstration, as educational features of any state fair 

 and exposition. 



WHAT I SAW AND LEARNED AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR. 



BY NEWELL BEATTY, FAIRFAX. 



The 1916 Iowa State Fair was the biggest and best ever held in Iowa. 

 Each boy who was a member of the 1916 Boys' Camp went home feeling 

 deeply grateful to the fair management for defraying our expenses and 

 entertaining us nine big days. We had the best time we ever had in our 

 lives and it was worth more to us along educational lines than a year's 

 schooling. 



Practically all of the boy campers arrived on the fair grounds Thurs- 

 day and the day was spent in registering and getting acquainted. We 

 were housed in two large comfortable tents and were given meals at one 

 of the best dining halls on the grounds. The hour for retiring was ten 

 o'clock and for rising six-thirty. We had for leaders six good christian 

 men. Each morning a chapel service was held, after which the duties for 

 the day were outlined. At each meeting Mr. Hansen, camp superintendent. 

 — and a very good superintendent he was — provided a speaker and we 

 boys from the farms thoroughly enjoyed the talks and discussions by the 

 various speakers. 



One day we were taken to the city of Des Moines, where we saw many 

 things to interest and entertain us. On our return to the fair grounds 

 we stopped off at the Capitol and climbed to the dome, after which we 



