The Meridian Tribune (Meridian, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, August 17, 1928 Page: 6 of 8
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THE MERIDIAN TRIBUNE
newt
PEXEL
makes jelly
cost less and
- 86YA 14 99 A
The father of the
County Fair
it always
comes out
like this
Toasties
01/2
kes
0,1
TOASTIES
THE wake-up FOOD
never
like this
PEXEL makes jelly cost less per
glass. Cuts boiling time to one
minute. Saves,your time and
fuel. You get more jelly be-
cause fruit juice, sugar and
flavor arenot boiled off. Pexel
repays from one to three times
the 30c it costs.
• Pexel is different. It is a
powder, not a liquid. Color-
less, tasteless, odorless. It is a-
100% pure-fruit product.
Makes jelly' jell as soon as it
is cold. Equally effective with
fresh fruits, bottled juice, or
'unsweetened canned fruits.
Get Pexel at your grocer’s.
(Complete recipe booklet with
accurate tables in each pack-
age. 30c. The Pexel Company,
Chicago, Ill.
• For example—with Pexel
4%2 cups strawberry juice and 8
cups sugar make 11 glasses jelly.
4% cups raspberry juice and 8 cups
sugar make 11 glasses jelly.
-Gov. Edmund Andres.
But the county fair of today is not
“a linear descendant o’ the Dutch ker-
. . _ I mess,” although it may resemble it in
6 cupscurrant juice, 10 cups sugar . some of its features. It grew out of
make 14 glasses of jelly. the interest in agriculture which be-
4% cups grape juice and 7cups gam to manifest Itself early in the
sugar make 10 glasses jelly. 1 history of the new nation. The leaders
or that times such men as Washing-
000
ton and Jefferson, were farmers and
farming was the most important busi-
ness in the country. Between 1785
Hybrid Triumph IFand 1792 agricultural societies sprang
being in Pennsylvania, Maine.
============
cross between a cabbage and a railish,” interest in agticultur e. 1 These soc eties
mays the Pepular. KFechanics*. Maga- l began offering prizes 1 r P K t *
mine. The two are of remote relay products but they held nofairs or
cionshlip. hence the hybrid is con-Text ibitions and really H but Ht
atdered far more remarkable' than 1 to stimulate bett farm pro uc 01
those yielded by crossing varieties 1 The principal interest seems to have
chat more closely resemble each 1 been in live stock and in 30 an
other •1805 three live stock exhibitions were
“ held in Washington; At the second
one members of congress began to take
an interest and subscribed half of the
$100 fund which was raised and dis-
Possessing the ballot is another way
of finding out Chat there is much 1.
cannot get you.
Grove’s
Tasteless
Chill Tonic
Old Standard Remedy for
Chills and Malaria. 60c,
W. N. U., DALLAS, NO. 33-1928.
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
T IS doubtful if one Amer-
ican in ten could tell you
who Elkanah Watson was
or what he did that should
make his name remembered.
Yet, about this time of the
# year millions of Americans
who live on the farms of
our country pay homage to
his memory, unconsciously
U perhaps, by attending and
participating in an annual event which
is as distinctively American as base-
• bail or the Fourth of July or Thanks-
giving day. For Elkanah Watson was
the “father” of the county fair and it
was due th his persistence in promoting
his idea more than a hundred years
ago that rural America, and especial-
ly the youth of rural America, can
look forward each year to “going to
the fair.” Insofar as the county fair
is an institution which had a partic-
ulai appeal to rural America, it is in-
steresting to note that its founder was
a city man. For such was the case, and
it? was a man, tired of city life, who
retired to’ the country at the age of
fifty years to enjoy “rural felicity”
and, failing to find it, conceived the
idea which resulted in the first' real
county fair.
Now, the idea of a fair itself is not
exactly a new one. Fairs have been
employed in Asiatic countries from
time immemorial for the purpose of
bringing traders and customers togeth-
er for an exchange of their commod-
lities. The great distances to be cov-
eredby the Asiatic merchant with his
slow caravans, the sparsity of popula-
tion, except in the cities, and the wide
differences in language, religion and
social and trade customs made a fair
a necessity ofcommerce, especially
among barbaric andsemibarbaric, peo-
ples. Even in the European countries
where fairs have been held for hun-
dreds of years they were essentially
affairs of barter and trade. So it
, remained for America, where the com-
petitive spirit is so marked, to give
-the idea of a fair" a new meaning and
to make it an exchange of ideas, rath-
er than an exchange of goods.
* The first fairs of any sort held in
this country were those sponsored, by
Dutch governors when New York was
New Amsterdam, . but they were
modeled on the European plan. In
1641 Governor Kieft established two
fairs in New Amsterdam, brie on Oc-
tober 15 “for cattle generally," and
the other on November 1 for hogs, lu
1648 there was also held in the Dutch
1 colony, late inAugust and at the be-
I ginning of September, « Dutch “ker-
mess” which was strictly commercial,
where the surgliers met to exchange
i commodities. The custom, was con-
tinued even under English rule arid
ias late as 1670 had the sanction of
... Blight Not Serious -
It was at first thought that the de
l straction of the chestnut would leave
$ large gaps in the forests, requiring
| extensive planting, but the results of
I recent investigations indicate that the
T blanks' caused by the dead or salvaged
I chestnut are rapidly being filled by
I such valuable trees as the oaks, hick-
t orles and white ash, which can, in
I many respects, take the place of chest-
I out in the manufacture of wood prod
4757NA/2 W22S787T
, tributed as prizes for “the best la mb, 1
sheep, steer, milch cow, jack, oxen
and horses actually sold." In 1809 the
Columbian Agricultural society was
organized in Washington and held' an
exhibition in the city of Georgetown
nearby. But this was not the sort of
thing that appealed to the average
farmer of the day for it was more or
less a society event and, as some one
has said, “Its attendance list' reads
more like the social register, headed
by the President of the United States
and his lady and the cabinet mem- ,
bers.”
It remained for Elkanah Watson to
originate a fair in which the com-
mon farmer would be interested- be-
cause he could feel that he had a real
part in it. Who he was and how he
did' this is described- in the volume .
"Toilers of Land and Sea,” in the
Yale University Press “Pageant of
America," as follows:
Elkanah Watson was not among the
founders of the Eighteenth century
school of agricultural experimenters
and writers, but he was its most dis-
tinguished. pupil. As a business man,
he had traveled along theAtlantic sea-
board and in Europe. . . In 1807
he gave up commerce and took up
farming at Pittsfield, Mass. During the
next' four years he made his‘ contribu-
tion to the development of American
agriculture. By 1811 he had completed
the organization of the Berkshire Agri-
: cultural society. 1
Watson wrote' in 1820: "In the fall
of 1807 I procured the first pair cr
merino sheep that had appeared in
Berkshire, if not in the state.. :.
I was induced to notify an exhibition
of these two sheep under the great
elm in the public square in Pittsfield
oil a certain day. Many farmers and
even females were excited by curiosity
to attend this first novel and bumble
exhibition. It was by this lucky acci-
dent' I reasoned thus: ‘If two animals
are capable of exciting so much at-
tention, what would be the1 effect of a
larger scale, with larger animals? The
farmers present responded to my re-
marks with approbation. We became
acquainted and from that day to the
present, agricultural societies, cattle
shows, and all in connection therewith
have predominated in my mind."
The Berkshire Agricultural society
was founded in 1811. The principles
on which it was based proved pop-
ular. Slowly at first, then more and
more rapidly the Berkshire system
spread until it reached west into the
.new states of Indiana and Illinois and
r even penetrated the southern cotton
kingdom. Unlike its predecessor, the
agricultural societies of Philadelphia
and New York, it was an organization
of the common farmer in its time it
served his interests well.
Watson was a student of human
nature. The purpose of the organization
was to hold each year an exhibition
of the best handiwork and the best
products of the farmers of the locality.
Prizes were awarded for pre-eminence
in farm animals and crops, and in
butter, cheese and cloth made in the
home. At the end of the exhibition came
the general assembly in the largest
village church. Here amid impressive
ceremonies, the honors were distrib-
uted,. each prize accompanied by a
certificate of-distinction which, hand:
somely framed, held a place of honor
on the wall of the farmer’s parlor.
Watson’s greatest problem was to
arouse the active interest of the ladies
in these exhibitions. The diplomatic
shifts to which he and others re-
sorted in order to win over the coun-
try women, unaccustomed to activities
outside their own homes and fearful
of arousing comment by appearing in
a public competition; were finally
everywhere triumphant. At the end of
the general assembly came the "pastor-
ucts. The forests are' still far from
being fully productive, and will con-
tinue to be much below normal for a
number of years after the blight has
done its work, though progress toward
complete recovery is nearly every-
where satisfactory.
Domestic Tragedy
“Mother,” said the twelve-year-old
boy, * have I got a daddy?"
"Yes, son,” replied the mother.
"Then where is he? I don’t re-
member ever seeing him.”
al ball.” The whole plan was a skill-
ful blend of competition, social inter-
course and dignified formality.
For twelve years Watson labored
endlessly to “put his idea across." By
1819, with the aid of Governor Clin-
ton of New York, he had induced the
legislature of that state to pass an
annual appropriation of $10,000 to bid
the new societies and from that time
on the' idea spread rapidly. And, as
the writer in the “Pageant of Amer-
ica,” previously quoted, says:
The direct descendant of Watson's
Berkshire system is the “county fair."
[Tnlike the ancient fairs of Europe or
those of early colonial days its cen-
tral purpose is not to facilitate ex-
change and sale but to exhibit the best
products and handiwork of the locality
and to stimulate improvement by offer-
ing prizes. Horse races and- a host
of other attractions have added' to its
interest and excitement. From one day
it has grown to three and- four. Coun-
try folk drive in from miles around
to look at the stock in their sheds and
the produce on exhibition in the fair
house and to watch the demonstration
of improved machinery. The merry-go-
round plays its strident tunes, the Fer-
ris wheel swings round its lofty cir-
- cuit, the barkers' for the side shows
bawl of the mysteries or the amuse-
ments within their ,tewts. Yards of the
Inevitable taffy are consumed as ae-
quaintances from distant corners of
the county meet and gossip and sepa-
rate in the everchanging crowds that
’ move over the grounds. It has be-
come the farmer’s' carnival—far re-
moved indeed from that first exhibition
" when Watson displayed his two merino
sheep under the elm tree. In the Twen-
tieth century the automobile has again
»brought changes. Farmers come from
the distant counties and with' them
crowds of city people. The fair is no
longer merely a farmer’s institution.
Today it is estimated that there are
, more than 3,000 agricultural fairs held
annually in this country, including
the town, county, state, national and
international exhibitions. Some spe-
cialize in live stock, some in dairy
products, some in poultry, some in
bees, in garden truck and others in
field crops. But the greater part of
them are the general county fairs
which are held in August and Septem-
ber. Most of them now are in the
Middle West, for New England, where
the fair originated, has lost its lead-
ership in number and importance of
its fairs. But even though modern con-
ditions have changed the county fair
in many respects, essentially it is the
same as it has been for the' last half
century or more. For this institution
has an appeal which no other annual
event in American life has and
nothing ever can or likely will take
its place. So the next tithe you spend
a day at the county fair and enjoy
the pleasures which only it can fur-
nish, just give a thought for a mo-
ment th that “Yankee of Yankees who
was-born within rifle shot of Plymouth
Rock," Elkanah Watson, and be grate-
ful that he was willing to spend twelve
years (of his life popularizing an idea
which won for him the title of “father
of the county fair."
Plan Beautiful Lake
An artificial lake, three square
miles in extent, and as beautiful in
Its surroundings as any natural take
in the country, is part of the North
Wales scheme for providing electric
power.
“You haven’t seen him since you
were a little baby. But I hope and
pray you will see him soon. 1 ex-
pect him home in the next year or
two.”
“But where is he,” persisted the
youth.
“He’s playing 36 holes of golf on
the public: links,” explained the
mother.
The first map on which the word
Australia appears was published in
the year 1824,
A Few Restrictions
"What time shall I report for work
in the mornings?" asked the college
youth upon receiving his first job.
“Oh, any time you like," replied the
office manager, “so long as you’re here,
before eight."
Child’s Best Laxative is
“California Fig Syrup"
Hurry Mother! A teaspoonful of
“California Fig Syrup" now will thor-
oughly clean the little bowels and in
a few hours you have a -well, play-
ful child again. Even if cross, fever-
ish, bilious, constipated or full of
cold, children love its pleasant taste.
Tell your druggist you want only
the genuine “California Fig Syrup”
which has directions for babies and
children of all ages printed on bottle.
Mother, you must say "California."
Refuse any imitation.
Not Much Demand Now
for Handmade Basket
The art of the osier, which- is bas-
ket making,, is one of the oldest of
the handicrafts and was once a very /
important industry of England, but
the statement is made that it will
soon be exterminated unless some en-
couragement is given to the workers.
German and Japanese baskets are
displacing the product of the other
countries where the art flourished
first. A great deal of labor is re-
quired to cultivate the willows and
prepare them for wicker work. The
willows are cut with a short curved
knife in the early months of the year.
They are then soaked in running wa-
ter for six months. This is known
as pitting the Willows, and it is nec-
essary to take off the bark to pro-
duce white willows. The finished
willows are then dried and straight-
ened, when they are ready for the
hamper makers and cane workers at
the factories.
Inks in Bookkeeping
The use of red ink by many banks,
particularly savings banks, to note
interest is simply a matter of con-
venience, the interest being more eas-
ily distinguished from the principal
sums by being written in colored ink.
Any other color preferred may be used
or it is not necessary to use a dif-
ferent color.
ee Brand
INSECT POWDER
or LIQUID
Signs in the Sky
A glorified “magic lantern,” said to
be capable of projecting photographs
and signs on to the clouds, is the
latest contribution to the science of
advertising.
The device, still in its laboratory'
form, consists of as powerful1 search-
light mounted- behind a series of lenses
and a slide holder. The whole appa-
. ratus resembles a cannon and is able
to project images for a distance of
five miles on a cloud bank.
The image is visible for miles
around, while a revolving screen in
front of the muzzle of the projector
can be used to produce color-changing
Ieffects.
If you use Red Cross Ball Blue in
your laundry you will not be troubled
by those tiny rust spots, often caused
by inferior bluing. Try it and see.—Adv.
Don’t ask a man how much income
tax’ he pays. If it’s large, he’ll tell
you.
One Secret of Beauty
C Is Foot Comfort
90 Frequently you hear people
say, “My feet perspire win-
% ter and summer when I put
«( VAUe on rubbers -or heavier foot-
N P wear—then when I remove
1 4 my shoes my feet chill
4 t. quickly and often my hose
y / I Al seem wet through.” In every
1 community thousands now
Nuse Allen’sFoot-Ease in
TIA I A the foot-bath daily and
U then dust the feet and
TO V shake into the shoes thia 4
W 1 antiseptic, healing powder.
•. Full directions on box. Trial
Package and a Foot-Ease Walking Doll sent.
Free. Address, Allen’s Foot-Ease,Le Roy. HL Y.
In a Pinch, Use Allen’s Foot-Ease
A FEET HURT YON!
Use Dr. Wood’s Com-
Fan bination Foot Treat-
0,1 ment. Gives real con-
1 fort. Price $1, Agents
6 A wanted.
agt i T, : Shoe Sundries, Inc.
iosed 210 St. Clair NW.
Cleveland, Ohio.
Japanese—Hulless Popcorn
Six pounds shelled and cleaned by Parcel
Post Prepaid one dollar.
Li A. HURLBURT, Dept. C. Perry, Iowa.
s=GREARW GLARE SHIELD
A will protect YOU from the two great
I. “Eali motoring dangers—BLINDING HEAD.
1 52 LIGHTS and SUN GLARE. Practical,
easy to use, fully adjustable, does, not
* obstruct vision and is used and approved by
motorists everywhere. This wenderful, efficient
“‘Save-a-Life" safety protector is For Sale By
THE SOUTHERN SPECIALTY CO., Sanford, Florida ■
One GLARE SHIELD sent postpaid for $1 Off three
for $2.50. AGENTS WANTEb. Write for particulars.
Can be SUCCESSFULLY treated.
WITHOUT A STARVATION DIET
and at moderate cost. Many testify
that our GUARANTEED remedy
has CURED after all-others had
failed... Write for FREE BOOK.
CROWN MED. CO., Dept. J • Atlanta, Ga,
It Kilk Them!
Non - poisonous.
Won’t spot or stain.
The Bee on every package
—is your guarantee. N
Send for free insect book-
let. If dealer cannot supply
—write
McCormick &Co., Baldmnoee,Md. 4
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The Meridian Tribune (Meridian, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, August 17, 1928, newspaper, August 17, 1928; Meridian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1630511/m1/6/: accessed June 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Meridian Public Library.