406 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



the donors were particularly interested. In a Middle Western 

 State premiums were offered for the best kept farm and home 

 premises and to the farm and home showing the greatest im- 

 provement in a given time. 



The community fair does not require large sums of money for 

 premiums or other expenses, and for this reason no charges are 

 made for entry of exhibits or gate admissions. A small amount 

 of money, however, is necessary to pay for printing and general 

 advertising, lumber for tables, shelves, and live-stock pens, rib- 

 bons for premiums, and such decorative material and incidentals 

 as are needed. This money is raised either by subscription or by 

 selling advertising space in the premium list or fair catalogue. 



The managements of county fairs are beginning to realize the 

 value of the community exhibit as a factor in making the county 

 fair serve its purpose as an agricultural exhibition. Liberal pre- 

 miums have been offered for these community exhibits, either in 

 cash or in such form as to be of community use, as, for example, 

 reference books on agricultural subjects to be kept in the com- 

 munity library, a watering trough conveniently located, or a 

 drinking fountain. 



One state has recently passed a law providing for the holding 

 of community fairs and appropriating money for the purpose 

 of packing community exhibits and transporting them to the 

 larger fairs. 



An interesting county fair, made up of seventy-two community 

 exhibits, was recently held in a county in the Middle West. 

 There were no races or sideshows. The 10,000 people in attend- 

 ance spent their time for two days in visiting and inspecting the 

 exhibits and in wholesome recreation under the supervision of an 

 expert recreational director from a neighboring city. The ex- 

 hibits, occupying in all about 15,000 square feet of floor space 

 and 55,000 square feet of wall space, were housed in vacant 

 buildings on the business street and in tents. Each community 

 had its booths and the several communities vied with each other 

 in making attractive exhibits of the products of the farm, home, 

 and school. 



