156 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



on; but, shucks, that was just a little bit of experience, and you got up 

 and agoing again, and it's all right. 



Now, these are the things I wanted to say to you. I had a long story 

 to tell, but I know you don't have time to listen today, and I don't want to 

 tell you all I know, and a lot I only think about, but I want to impress 

 upon you these three things: The co-operative effort between fairs; sec- 

 ond, the local amusements for amusement and recreation in a rural com- 

 munity. And after all we can say about the educational side of fairs and 

 the upbuilding of our agricultural industry, the thing that builds up the 

 rural spirit is the best thing in the world for our respective communities. 

 See to the building up of recreation and amusement in the country. And, 

 lastly, the promotion business. These are the three things that I wanted 

 to talk to you about. The business end of it I know you all understand, 

 I know it is well taken care of, and it is like all the rest of the things in 

 Iowa that we look at from across the river; It is well taken care of, and 

 while you may think we are just a little jealous of you, we are not, we 

 are proud of your success, and we wish you could go on to greater and 

 better things than you have ever dreamed of. 



I thank you, gentlemen (Applause.) 



The President : Mr. I. S. Bailey, I am going to call on you next 

 for your paper "Decorations for Merchants' Booths and Automo- 

 bile Exhibits." Mr. Bailey had an experience with a foreigner 

 who came in to his fair to do decorating, and we will hear of his 

 experience and his success. 



I. S. Bailey, Secretary, Grinnell Fair Association. 



Mr. President, and Gentlemen of this Convention: 



FAIRS AND EXPOSITIONS. 



What can be accomplished within the financial limits of the County Fair 

 management to insure substantial success? That seems to be the ques- 

 tion of the hour with County Fairs all over the United States and Canada. 

 There may be those who have the past season been favored with good 

 weather, good roads, and a sensational act and may feel they are in a 

 position to answer the question by submitting their 1920 statement. Can 

 they? The shrewd fair manager of experience will answer "No." 



We have but to be reminded that the newness will soon be erased from 

 the grandstand, the novelty will wear off, the flyer will surely be killed 

 and the roads some time will get impassable. What then? The answer 

 — a fair that will stand upon its own merits, irrespective of a bad race 

 program, a dead flyer, or what not. 



Myself and others here perhaps have heard of Mr. Dickerson, manager 

 of the Minnesota State Fair. Mr. Dickerson is generally conceded to be 

 one of the most progressive, shrewd, and capable fair managers in this 

 country. He has succeeded in injecting into the Detroit show originality 

 and newness that would seem to the casual observer as leaving no room 

 for improvement. Yet he says: "Our press department has foundered on 

 the same old stuff and we have nothing really new that the Michigan 



