THE SMALL AGRICULTURAL FAIR 



OLIVER E. REMEY, SECRETARY OF THE WISCONSIN STATE FAIR. 



Within the United States to-day there are more than 3,000 

 large and small fairs, expositions and allied displays, represent- 

 ing a total investment of over $80,000,000, and attended during 

 each year by over 40,000,000 people, — a number equal to one- 

 third the population of this great land. 



Actively engaged in management, direction and realization of 

 these fairs, expositions and allied shows are over 1,000,000 

 earnest men and women, a vast majority of whom have right 

 ideas, and are striving to educate and inspire through their 

 fair work. More money is paid out in premiums at bona fide 

 fairs and expositions than is taken in at outside and grandstand 

 gates. Villages, towns, counties. States and the Nation annually 

 contribute liberally of their funds to fair work. 



Although fairs and expositions have existed since society 

 began to concentrate on marketing facilities, their great day is 

 just dawning. During the past few years a decided change has 

 taken place in the fair, both large and small, — a change 

 tending toward all-year influence in the community, rather 

 than a one-week round-up display. Night also has fallen on 

 objectionable features of fairs. The immoral show, the crooked 

 concessionaire and the misleading exhibit are folding tents and 

 stalking toward oblivion. 



The fair is taking on new and wider activities. The up-to- 

 date fair not only shows the farmer and allied worker how to 

 accomplish greater and better production, but it shows him, 

 among many other things, what sort of home to build; how to 

 furnish that home; how to build and maintain highways; how 

 to protect his life and the lives of his family, and of his live 

 stock, against disease; how to prepare his products for the 



