OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 35 baseball games, foot races, etc. If evening entertainment is thought advisable. stereopticon talks on aultahle topics, band conrerts, etc., might be arransd. In this connection representatives fmm the State a~~i cul turcaoll lege were present . at a numher of the fairs the past season anal delivered Instructire addresses to the Indians. 'Snperlntendcnta sl~o~leldn deavor to make these addresses a regu-lar feature of the fair each year, submitting advance request for authority.to ~ expends fnnds which may be necessary to defray the expenses. OHmatic and soil conditions, and the crops produced on the different reserva-tions, vary SO widely that no uniform ~remiuml ist can be adopteP. However, broadly speaking,, the premium list for your fair should be arranged under the . following heads: Adicultural products, live stock, poultry, culinary produds, needlework, Indian handicraft, miscellaneous exhibits (baby show, etc.). Under each heading it would be well to offer special prizes for exhibits o! those articles or products which it is desired especially to enconrage on each par- . ticular reservation, such as live stock, poultry, hogs, milch cows, etc. Prizes should also be offered for the best-kept home and the greatest $provement in home conditions during the year, and the best garden, with such. others as may occur to the superintendent, adapted to conditions on each reservation. ,A sanitary and heath. exhibit should also be arranged, if practicable, with the cooperation of the agency. physician or fleld matron, and lectures on these topics given, illustrated with slides obtained from the Public Health Service. as suggested in Circular No. 1041. When you have a representative from the State agricultural college present at the fair, if ameeahle, he mlxht act as one of thc jndgeb of the ngricnltural or live-stock exhibits, pointing out to the Indians the good and bad qualitLen of some of the nrfnciaal exhibits, giving the "whys and wherefores" in each case. Where no rebresentative of the college is present, superintendents might . request several of the leading farmers or stoclunen of the locality to act as judges in the same manner. I desire that superintendents again read Circular No. 896 on the subject and endeavor to conduct their fair accordinK.lv. . so far as conditions will Dermit. As stated therein: "The carnoaim for the Indians' industrial develo~menta nticl~atesth e pass-ing of the 1idiin fairs in favor of the county and state fairs, where the 1;dian farmers on eaual terms will compete with the white man." Whlie ver~surressfulI ndian exhibits were shown a t several county fairs this fall, yet the number is not nearly so great as should be. I desire that special efforts be made to place an Indian exhibit at every county fair adjacent to Indian reservations, in direct competition with the exhibits of white farmers, entered in the names of the several Indians contributing to the exhibit and not collectively as an agency or school exhibit. The matter of Indian exhibits at the State fairs next fall will be taken up through the various superintendents in charge last year. Of the 52 Indian fairs held this fall, 32, or 61 per cent, were entirely self-supporting with respect to premiums and expenses from gate receipts, sale of privileges and concessions, advertising in programs, and voluntary contribn-tions from the Indians. This is gratifying, but it is far better that every Indian fair be self-supporting, if at all practicable, and superintendents should endeavor to bring about this result as rapidly as may be consistent with the ' success of the fair. With this end in view, where it ts absolutely necessary for the office to assist the fair, superintendents should try to reduce the amount below that granted this year, and request author~ty therefor no later than March 1. 1916. . - |