Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1922.
FAIR TIME
y
WFIY is a fair? We can’t all answer that from a single new
point. It means somethhig different to practically every one
of us. There is no doubt, though, that the feeling of gayety
is universal—even to those who must work like Turks to
make the occasion a success.
The man or woman with a grouch has no business at our fair this
year. You must go prepared to enjoy the blare of band music and the
million noises that aren’t music. You must be; keyed up to revel in the
sight of thousands of chattering holiday makers, of bright dec-orations, of
pretty girls, of sideshows and ballvhoos, of popcorn balls in red tissue
and sweating glasses of orangeade, of sizzling sandwiches and ice cream
cones, of live-stock and household and implement displays, of pattering
trotters and pacers and running horses, of buzzing grandstand, of golden
sunshine and yellow dust-clouds. Yes, and tired feet and whimpering
babies with heat-rash and smart alecks here and there—for we haven’t
reached the land of perfection yet.
Now let’s peel the surface off the situation and see what's inside.
This year’s fair is going to be a pretty fine advertisement for our whole
Community—the surrounding farm lands and farmers, the town and its
enteqirising, public-spirited merchants. And really that is the rock
hottom purpose of holding a fair—advertising. It is a community aim
and effort to show its people how much they amount to, and to show out
siders that this is a mighty good place to live in—prosperous, progressive
country and neighborly people. A man looking for a place in which to
settle down couldn’t reasonably ask for anything more or better.
Courtesy to Visitors.
The folks of this community understand one another. Our farmers
know the town business men with whom they deal. Our business men
are pretty well acquainted with most of the people who come into their
stores. Now we want to show —all of us—our spirit of kindliness and
intelligence to the strangers within our gates during the festival season.
It is the best sort of advertising we can put forth.
It is inestimably worth while to us if visitors go home and say: “I
always like to attend their fair. The whole town seems to wiggle its
latchstring at me. And they’re the ‘whitest’ people!—go out of their way
to be polite —ready to give information or do a little favor—l’m certainly
going back oftener and get acquainted with some of them.”
In order further to answer the question which introduces this article,
we take down our handy reference book —a large red volume—and turn
to page 42G. Therein we learn that the word “fair” is derived from the
Old French “feiro,” the modern French “foire,” the Italian “fiera,” the
“feria,” meaning holiday, and that this is connected with the
Latin “festus,” meaning feast.
In the United States there arc no fairs of the kind that have been
common in the Old World. The term here is applied to a variety of
exhibitions, such as church, charity and agricultural exhibitions, and local,
state, national, or international expositions or fairs. The fact is, the
term is applied to all exhibitions where people are expected to bestow
patronage or make purchases.
Bits of Fair History.
The most common kind are agricultural fairs—county and state, as
you know. This kind got their start as a regular thing in America in
1819. At Albany, N. Y., there was a prosperous merchant, Elkanah
Watson, who believed that such an enterprise would encourage farming
and manufacturing and help business. He used his influence with the
state legislature, and that body appropriated yearly, for six jears,
for premiums on agricultural products and family manufactures.
Since then annual county, district and state fairs are quite gener
ally held. The district and county fairs especially are held, not mainly
for the sale of goods, but for advertising purposes—as we have said. City
afreet fairs, where amusements of various kinds are furnished, are intended
to promote the welfare of the city by attracting traders to them. The
same goes for world’s fairs which are held in this country. While com
modities are sold, the primary object is to advertise.
In the Old World the fair or bazaar is an ancient institution. If we
could find files of the daily papers and country weeklies when old Mr.
Pharaoh was kinging for a living, when Professor Plato was discoursing
on pure democracy and the what and how r of a republic, when the thou
sand and one events of the Arabian Nights Entertainments were being
worked out, we should probably find articles like this one—an editor’s
write-up of the annual fair in his town.
Barter and Exchange Places.
People throughout Europe look upon the fair as a meeting held for
the purpose of exhibiting and selling goods. Originally fairs were held
at stated times and places, some for the sale of a particular class of mer
chandise, others for tin* sale of goods of a general character. People
resorted to them to exchange goods and to collect their stores to last for
several months. Princes and the magistrates of cities encouraged them
and some of the privileges granted long ago still remain in force.
Such fairs ns these flourish today on the outskirts of civilization, as
In Siberia, Manchuria, Asiatic Turkey, where people lhm isolated for long
stretches of time and do their buying no oftener than once or twice a
year. They originated in the church festivals, which were found to
nffrird the best opportunity for commercial transactions, the concourse of
people being Bueh as took place upon no other occasions.
Other European Practices.
In some parts of Europe persons of all ranks still wait for the great
annual fairs to make their principal purchases of articles of every descrip
tion. This applies especially to parts of Europe where trading facilities
including transportation, advertising announcements and the like —are
not as highly developed ns in all parts of America today.
One of the most noted of the old fains was that of Saint Bartholo
mew in London, founded at the beginning of the twelfth century.
The greatest fairs in Germany are those of Frankfort, Leipzig and
Brunswick. Other noted and historic fairs held yearly or semiannually in
Europe are those of Zurzach, Switzerland; Budapest Hungary; Sini
gaglia, Italy; Lyons. France (before the war), and Nizhni-Novgorod,
ltussia. The last named yearly attracts buyers from all parts of Europe and
central and northern Asia, and merchandise worth $100,000,000 changes
hands. At Mecca, in Arabia, the fair is held in connection with the
annual pilgrimage of Mohammedans, and is one of the most picturesque
in the world.
We hope this array of solemn facts—all guaranteed to be reasonably
true—will not put a damper on your frivolous mood and spoil our own
fair for you. Doll up in your gayest drapery and set your heart on having
It regular picnic this year—just like the year you were sixteen and had
1b sweetheart; when you had tintype pictures made together and exchanged
them. RememberJ! .■>
the yrevrs
f SjjjtV
LANTHM & CHURCH
The Garage that gives satisfaction. The
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done quickly and satisfactorily. The Garage
where there is a guarantee behind every job
turned out. The Garage where no job is too
large nor any too small. The Garage where
the prices charged are entirely satisfactory.
Suppose you try this Garage.
IANTHIER & CHURCH
Phone 110 Athens Street Winder, Ga.
Where Do You Buy Your
Groceries and Meats
It is very important that you should be par
ticular about your groceries and
Your health depends upon it.
We are very particular about the grocer
ies and meats that we sell. They must be
fresh and pure and kept under sanitary con
ditions.
And, moreover, you will find our prices
thoroughly satisfactory.
W. C. JETT
Phone 55 Phone 55
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