Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1907 — WOMEN AT THE FAIR [ARTICLE]

WOMEN AT THE FAIR

What the .Rig Indiana Exposition 2' Will Offer For Them In £ September. » LL-. ■ ■ • / , ’•'m*—-—f— ’ RICH FEATURES FOR EVERY DAY « - -t Indiana Women Take Lively Interest in All Departments of the State Fair—Muslie, Livestock Shows and Parades, Fine* Art, Fruit and Flowers Are on the Fair's List. In its plans for the Indiana fair, ' the State Board of Agriculture has { been careful to give the women from the farms and the cities afid towns full consideration, and the exposition will, when it Opens in Indianapolis on September 9, have many features of, interest to this | element of fair patrons, Year year the records of the State Board show that more women than" men attend the fair and it is' also true that they take keen interest in all departments, including a number which the men overlook as they inspect the exposition. The farm •women find the fair a rich source of information, and through their close observation, when they have gathered up ideas to take home and apply to their own affairs, many of the herds and flocks, poultry, dairy and products of the fields have been improved. It is the belief of the members of the State Board of Agriculture that the women do as much to advance the agricultural interests of the stale as do the men and that the Indiana fair is a constant source of inspiration to all the agricultural woncers.

Women who go to the fair have always been interested in the shows of live stock—horses, cattle, sheep and swine—and in all of these departments they will find the expedition especially rich. The herds of dairy cattle and the products that will be shown in the dairy building will be on extensive scale, and the new live stock pavilion will not only afford better facilities for showing the stock, but give the spectators many advantages in seeding what is being done to improve the quality of the chief herds of the country. Town and country women take lively Interest in poultry, both at home and at the state fair. There is no other department of the exhibition that is marked by keener competition and it is common for 3,500 or more fowls to be shown. The poultry show for the coming fair will contain as many exhibits, and maybe more, as last year, and the prize awards will amount to $2,301. It will not only be the largest show of poultry in Indiana this year, but it is doubtful if any State fair in the country will have a larger one. _ The corn show of the fair is also of Interest to the women and at the coming display prizes to the amount of $259 will be distributed. Through their county societies, the fruit growers of the State show the best products of the vineyar<fs and orchards and the number of individual exhibitors is always l^rge.' The prizes to be awarded on fruit at the next fair will amount to $734. The show of plants and flowers will be another feature in the big horticultural build Ing and here, too, will he shown the bees and honey. Table luxuries is another line at the fair in which the women not only show their accom plishment in the making of bread, cakes. pies, pickles and the like, but the list of premiums for the coming fair is generous, and there are classes for the modest housewife who does not boast of her culinary ability and there are other classes for the professional bakers.

Thb art department of the fair long ago outgrew one of the largest buildings on the grounds, and year after year when it is crowded with exhibits it becomes more and more a question to the State Board as to what may be done to increase the exhibition space. The art building, fitted a few years ago with display cases, where the w T ork of the women is protected by glass, is in better condition for both visitors and exhibitors than formerly. The signs are, however, that at the next fair the building will be filled to the overflowing point with fine specimens of needle and crochet work, embroidery, paintings and drawings by both amateur and professional, decorated china, and many other classes of finer work which are the product of women's hands. The art department has been developing rapidly because of the interest the- women of Indiana have taken in it, not only In making extensive exhibits, but In crowding the available space every day of the fair with interested spectators.

The women who go to the fair will find music again one of the choice features. The Weber band of Cincinnati, which won high /faj’pr- list year, will give two extensive programs each day for five days and a number of talented soloists will be heard. The band will spend a good deal of Its time In concert work before —the —art; —building. As many women as men see the trotting and pacing races at the fair, and in September these contests will be of high order foi[ the amount of purses Is about dodble that of last year and there are several new classes. The free vaudeville features, given both morning and afternoon will be different from the bills which the state hoard has offered in the past. Six numbers are on the fair’s bill.