l6 CANADA - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



The first school fair in Quebec Province was held in Pontiac County in 

 connection with the County Agricultural Fair; the result was excellent ; 

 but it was decided in future to hold the school fair separate, as the work 

 of the children was overshadowed by the larger exhibits. 



Ontario. — The organization of the Ontario clubs is somewhat different 

 from that of those of Nova Scotia and Quebec. The preliminary work is 

 undertaken by district representatives of the Department of Agriculture, 

 who select a certain number of schools which converge to one centre. 

 Each school is visited and the idea of holding a Fair in Autumn, open solely 

 to the exhibits of the children, is explained. The school is asked to nomin- 

 ate one boy or girl to act as Director of the Rural vSchool Fair Association 

 of the district. Sometimes, the teacher selects the director, but more fre- 

 quently he or she is elected, and it has been found that the children in- 

 variably elect the best boy or girl to represent them. 



The district representative then offers to supply seeds or a limited 

 number of eggs to pupils desiring to enter, the condition being that they 

 must exhibit the return from what they have taken. 



When all the schools have named their directors, a meeting of the 

 Association is held, usually in the office of the district representative, 

 and a President, Vice-President and Secretary are elected from among 

 the boys and girls. They are left as independent as possible, so that they 

 may act freely and may accept the responsibility for their work. 



During the summer season the district representative or his assistant 

 visits each of the contestants at home, so as to judge of their work and 

 get into touch with the parents. The fair is held in September or October; 

 a convenient school being generally chosen as the site, right on the cross- 

 roads, so as to be easily accessible to the various contestants. 



The clubs have made very rapid progress in Ontario. In 1913, 69 

 Rural School Fairs were held in 31 counties, taking in the children in 

 531 schools, making a total of 18,652 entries and having an attendance 

 of 33,375. 



Manitoba. — Also in Manitoba, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs have made 

 considerable progress, thanks to grants received from the School Board 

 and the Agricultural Society. In 1913 eight club fairs were held. 



Saskatchewan. — In Saskatchewan, not only does the Government 

 give aid to these clubs, but various agricultural associations of the province 

 have shown considerable interest in them and have offered about twenty 

 five hundred dollars in prizes. So that rapid progress may be anticipated. 



From what we have said above, it is clear that the enlightened action 

 of the Agricultural Departments of the various provinces and the other 

 organizations that have promoted these clubs is worthy of all praise for 

 the initiation of a most useful work and for not having shackled it with 

 too many regulations and excessive supervision. 



