268' IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The board of control, in the exposition building, gave the people of 

 Iowa a chance to see what the boys and girls of the state institutions 

 are doing. Some of the blind illustrated how they read and write. 

 Samples of needlework, woodwork, etc., gave an idea of the useful arts 

 learned by the boys and girls in Iowa state institutions. 



The Women and Children's building, centrally located and in just the 

 best position to get the coolest breezes, was one of the big attractions to 

 the women visitors. Here was plenty of room for resting and cooling 

 off. Here was the glass room for the baby health contest. In the base- 

 ment was an extensive child welfare exhibit, giving "do's" and don'ts" 

 connected with the healthy raising of children. Illustrations and charts 

 made this vivid. Outside, fenced off so that the children could have it 

 to themselves, was a little playground for children of three to seven 

 years of age, provided with swings, chutes and teeter-boards. 



The ladies who had charge of the baby judging contest took their 

 work very seriously. The babies were measured, weighed and examined 

 most carefully, notwithstanding their vocal protests. Some of the mothers 

 can learn a lesson from the stock showman, who spends a good deal of 

 time training his animals to show-ring procedure before coming to the 

 fair. If the anxious mother should accustom her baby to being handled 

 by strangers, she would have a marked advantage over those whose 

 babies are frightened. The baby show attracted much attention, and 

 no doubt serves to teach improved methods of feeding and care. It can 

 not, of course, do much to advance the science of eugenics. 



Many agricultural college men get together at fair time. Some are 

 with the exhibitors showing cattle and horses. Others report for news- 

 papers. Others help in the judging and general management. A . few 

 are on hand simply to see the fair. Altogether there were probably 300 

 agricultural men at the fair, and most of them were at work. 



Last year and the year before we had reason to criticise the fair 

 management because of the character of some of the side show attrac- 

 tions. We are glad that the reasons for such criticism were not apparent 

 this year. The side show features were not elevating, instructive or 

 beneficial, but they were not nasty and positively corrupting, as they 

 were last year. This is as it should be, and we trust that the improve- 

 ment begun this year will be continued. In no state is the average of 

 the citizenship higher than in Iowa, and a state institution like the fair 

 should reflect the character of the people. 



The machinery exhibit, as usual, was one of the most educational 

 features of the fair. Nearly every man who visits the fair feels it his 



