OTHER EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES 405 



relics, family relics, geological specimens, and objects of interest 

 from other lands. 



Besides the committees having charge of these departments, 

 there are often others that conduct such activities as a better- 

 babies contest, a health exhibit, or a parcel-post exhibit. 



Judges of ability and experience should be secured. The state 

 agricultural colleges and other institutions are usually willing to 

 render such assistance as their force of workers and means will 

 permit. There are often other individuals with exceptional ex- 

 perience who may be available at little or no expense. When 

 possible, judges should be chosen from outside the community. 



The relatively small number of exhibits at a community fair 

 makes it possible for the judges to explain the basis upon which 

 the awards were made. Besides allaying criticism, this plan has 

 great educational value. If standard score cards can be ob- 

 tained from reliable sources, they should be put into the hands 

 of prospective exhibitors several weeks prior to the fair, and all 

 judging should be done on this basis. 



It has often been found that community fairs do not appeal to 

 certain persons who have been in the habit of making exhibits at 

 fairs where cash premiums are awarded. The primary aim of an 

 exhibitor at a community fair, however, should not be to win a 

 money prize as compensation for preparing his exhibit. Expe- 

 rience has proved that the awarding of money prizes not only 

 makes the cost of a fair prohibitive, but, by placing the emphasis 

 on money instead of on the honor of achievement, defeats the 

 purpose of the fair. 



The best results have been obtained where ribbons have been 

 awarded, the color of the ribbon denoting the grade of the prize. 

 If money is available for printing the ribbons, each one should be 

 so printed as to show the occasion, place, and date. Awards 

 should be made on the basis of the excellence of the exhibit, and 

 no premium should be awarded to a poor exhibit. Accordingly, 

 for the information of exhibitors, it is well to publish for each 

 class of exhibits the requirements that are to be considered by 

 the judges in awarding premiums. 



There are numerous instances where valuable premiums have 

 been given by commercial concerns for awards to individuals or 

 organizations that have been successful along the line in which 



