FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III 217 



No sooner does the date of your fair become known when the secretary 

 will be interviewed by numerous agents attempting to sell them adver- 

 tising matter in the shape of posters, bills, etc. My experience has been 

 somewhat unique in this respect for the reason that I had set my mind to 

 secure a kind qf advertisement along this line which most of the agents 

 told me could not be obtained. After having satisfied myself just what 

 I wanted, and after running a few advertisements in the Billboard and 

 other periodicals of that nature, I finally succeeded in locating a firm which 

 would make what I choose to call muslin banners, with the large letters. 

 It was this form of advertising that we used at Carroll on the telephone 

 and telegraph poles, cross roads, entrances into the various towns and 

 cities, etc. I have every reason to believe that this was more than suc- 

 cessful and I had the satisfaction of seeing a number of these muslin ban- 

 ners still firmly tacked in their position long after our fair was over and 

 long after other advertisements of a similar nature had been torn to 

 pieces by the elements. Too much stress cannot be placed upon this one 

 fact and that is that something of this nature must be done to call 

 attention to the people that the fair is to be held at a certain city at a 

 certain date and mentioning some of the feature attractions. 



The other suggestions along the line of advertising would be for the 

 association to get out and distribute a catalogue, this booklet to be got- 

 ten up in as attractive a manner as possible. We used a catalogue last 

 year at Carroll and we have heard many favorable remarks upon it. If 

 such a catalogue could be taken to the home of every farmer in the county, 

 including some in the neighboring counties, so that these families could 

 be induced to spend five or ten minutes looking through the catalogue 

 and getting an idea of what is to occur at the fair it is only reasonable to 

 conclude that their interest will be aroused and that they will then and 

 there resolve to be present at least one day of the fair. 



As suggested above this is an age when advertising is a necessity be- 

 cause of the rivalry and bitter competition that most of us have to put 

 up with when we set out to accomplish anything. It is true that many 

 kinds and forms of advertisement accomplish but little, but if such ad- 

 vertising is done in a discreet and effective manner you will be surprised 

 at the results and you will then believe more than ever in the old adage 

 that "It Pays to Advertise." 



One of the features of a county fair which should not be overlooked 

 is what might be termed "Free Attractions." Many of us will agree that 

 our experience in attending county fairs during the past has shown us 

 that on many occasions we have found this condition, that is, that at 

 many times during the day there would seem to be an apparent lull 

 or nothing doing to interest the audience. It is true that you cannot have a 

 race every five or ten minutes during the entire day, neither would the 

 people desire this, but you must have something to entertain the people 

 all the time. Many suggestions can be offered along this line but our. 

 experience at Carroll has taught us that good music will go a long ways 

 toward relieving the management from any worry along this line. Too 

 many fair associations are liable to feel themselves obligated to secure 

 as musical attractions local bands, regardess of whether they are capable 

 of playing any real music or not. We have the idea in mind that we 



