(ifi WORCESTF]K COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1899. 



discriminate between amateur and professional work. Copies 

 and originals are classified and thereby comparatively just deci- 

 sions are made. But this is an exception to the prevailing 

 custom where clever copies of the familiar three horses' heads 

 at the drinking fountain or a branch of oranges, worked out 

 possibly under the supervision of a teacher, is given a premium 

 while an entirely original study is passed by. 



The tendency in all great expositions is to omit a distinctive 

 department for woman's work. This came about partially by 

 the wish of women themselves to earn, not the commendation 

 of having done " very well for a woman" but the reward of 

 being "best of all." 



While the State, county and town fairs do not specially 

 classify their hall exhibits as woman's work the general inter- 

 pretation is such. A better classification would be Domestic 

 Science, Industrial Arts and Fine Arts. The first would 

 develop from the present few loaves of bread or cake and jars 

 of pickles and preserves into an instructive exhibition of cook- 

 ery, preserved and dried fruits and vegetables, appliances for 

 household work, demonstrations of cookery, exhibits of table 

 setting, household inventions and so on. Men could compete 

 for premiums if they liked, and could have attractive and 

 instructive exhibits as they do in food fairs and in the great 

 State expositions. 



The industrial art department ought to be guided towards 

 what is of use and to the things that the world needs and will 

 buy, while the standard of the fine arts should be kept as high 

 as consistent' with existing conditions. 



All plans of instruction and entertainment are tl;ie result of 

 evolution as the world has grown older and better ideals have 

 advanced. The schools that were good enough for our fathers 

 or for us, are not good enough for our children ; the clumsy 

 stage appointments of an old-time theatre would meet ridicule 

 today ; even the preacher has changed methods, if not texts, 

 else he would be left alone with his eloquence. Why should 

 the agricultural fair so often cling to primitive plans in that 

 which should interest women and which could be of much 

 profit and improvement ! 



