I07 



bedquilts and pictures on the wall, there was a great deal 

 that were better omitted. If we are to teach art throug:h 

 these agricultural societies, let it be good art. To award 

 prizes for pictures which have not the slightest merit is 

 misleading. It gives the exhibitor the idea that he has 

 accomplished something, and encourages him to work in 

 directions not suited to his talents. It is claimed that it 

 is better for the heathen to remain ignorant than to carry 

 anything but the true gospel to them. So it is better 

 to not encourage art at all than to encourage that 

 which is not art but a satire upon it. Would it not 

 be well to send outside the limits of the society, and 

 engage a committee to pass upon the merit of articles 

 before they are admitted ? That is to employ something 

 similar to the " hanging committee " of the great art 

 exhibitions, whose duty it is to pass upon paintings 

 and other works of art to determine whether they possess 

 sufficient merit to be admitted to the exhibition. Such a 

 committee, composed of strangers, people of tact, could 

 quietly say to those who sent in these so-called works of 

 art, that they were not suitable for public exhibition, 

 pointing out, if they pleased, the defects, and so practically 

 become teachers of the many misguided and ignorant ex- 

 hibitors. If such a committee had been on the grounds 

 before the exhibition was opened, more than half the paint- 

 ings and drawings and patchwork bedquilts which were ex- 

 hibited in Beverly Town hall would have been withdrawn. 

 Quantity does not make up a successful exhibition — qual- 

 ity does. It would be better to retain the half dollars and 

 dollars given to such articles possessing no merit, and in- 

 crease the prizes on those which do possess merit, and so 

 encourage true art. 



One grand feature of this exhibition is the annual ad- 

 dress by some distinguished citizen of our county. The 

 address this year was upon " Road-Making, " and contained 

 many valuable suggestions. It seemed like good old times 

 when an audience of farmers, with their wives, to the 



