FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 15 



articles exhibited, as they should be; that is, we give say $1.00 premium 

 for an article worth 10c, then again we give a premium of $1.00 for an 

 article worth $10.00, and I think we ought to have an expert go through 

 the books, that is the premium list, and revise the premiums, taking into 

 consideration the value of articles exhibited or the necessary amount of 

 work to be put on same, so that these premiums will be based more to 

 values than they are now. 



The china department is in a very fine condition and we have our cases 

 filled and have had this condition for several years. The only thing that 

 would make the china exhibit larger and better would be to make the 

 premiums somewhat larger and furnish more room for the exhibit. 



In the painting department we are doing as well as we could expect 

 to do under the present conditions. The facts are that we are not going 

 to get very many fine paintings exhibited at the state fair until such time 

 as you are able to give the exhibit a safer and more fire proof location. 

 However, if you can put this exhibit where it is practically safe from 

 fire, the exhibit will improve in quality and quantity and by giving some- 

 what better premiums, the Iowa State Fair can have such an exhibit in 

 this class that it will be proud of. It will also balance up better with the 

 other exhibits of the fair. 



I wish to say generally in regard to the exhibits made in this depart' 

 ment for premiums that if the building was in better condition and if the 

 fire hazard was less we could have much better exhibits for the same 

 money than now. However, until such a time as the Iowa State Fair can 

 and does erect a good permanent building, where the fire hazard is not so 

 great, we cannot expect to do the best that can be done by this depart- 

 ment. 



For the benefit of any person who may have charge of this department 

 hereafter, I wish to state that we now have arrangements madfi whereby 

 we can handle exhibits much better than formerly and with less chance 

 of loss of articles. We use the same system they have in the post office 

 for handling mail. We have a frame work made up with compartments 

 enough to make one for each exhibitor and then put the numbers of the 

 exhibitors on the different compartments, and when distribution is made 

 everyone has their articles separated. Of course this applies only to the 

 fancy work department as it would be impossible to handle the other ex- 

 hibits that way. I wish to say, however, that we use a book and have ev- 

 eryone receipt for their articles before we turn them over to them, that is 

 we have them sign the book. When the entries are made we list each ex- 

 hibitor's article separately and have same verified by the exhibitor when 

 we receive them, and when we deliver the exhibits we have the exhibitor 

 sign the book in which his articles are listed and stating that he has re- 

 ceived same. It is absolutely necessary in this department in order to 

 have good results, in receiving and returning exhibits, to have each ex- 

 hibitor's number and kind of exhibit scheduled in a book separately. In 

 that way we have no trouble in checking them out at the end of the fair. 



We had the entries in our department closed earlier last year than 

 usual so that we would be able to get the exhibits in place by the time the 

 fair opened to the public; heretofore it has been that the exhibits were 



