The Billboard 1911-06-24: Vol 23 Iss 25 (1911-06-24)

4 The Billboard JUNE 24, 1911. Value of Clean Attractions By A. W. LOVE. (Secretary South Carolina Agricultural Society.) the people a few geod shows every time in pref-|than it does barm in diverting attention from erence © a long string of old rag fronts, dilap(the exhibite. idated and fit for the junk pile. It is only a small percentage of our visitors that are disposed to spend even be time will soon be here when the show half a day in really studying the exhibits in a grafter is something of the past, as all the fairs serious, earnest way. The rest of the time will be organized into a strong body, and the (they want to be amused. At some of the great responsible show people will do the same, 80 state fairs the free acts begin at 10 or 11 where and how can he get in? The fairs are dependent upon good amuse@Menis; the show people are dependent on good o'clock. Hence, buman nature is pretty much the same from Tampa to Minneapolis. crowds; by working in harmony success will The wety fact that many fairs are paying crown our efforts. The secretary of a fair holds a most import “free acts, that the ent position from nearly every point of view; are appreciated as a drawing feature, be has the education of the old as well as the they are given in the open more and more money every year for so-called is an argument shows although instead of under a : tent, and only one admiesion charge is made— young in his keeping to a large extent; in all } walke of life trained end entrained minds, at the grandstand—instead of a separate charge torpid and emotional natures, wise folks and for each show. idiots, «ll attend fairs and have to be edu | The demand for amusement features at state |now In addition to these essential parts of* and county demand clase this can | shows. | In state the | chinery. j}lax in the appreciation of all does not vaudeville popular and carnival attractions the shows. spirited be given than managers in contracting the latest fairs to fruits, pertain which No the for as they are sometimes called. days gone by, and county the fleld, the stock, to overlook fairs is increasing yearly alone to races, better evidence alertness people have clean see the textiles, inventions in the old features but the and this free become 80 to high went to the display of and also farm ma While patrons of fairs have not grown |of the fair, and are epurred by the wonderful | inventions that have made farm life a joy, cated, amused and sent home pleased. Some Want action all the time, some want to sit quietly and look and look and look, some want to be scared until half-dead, every nerve ready to enap Thus a variety of exhibitions and amusement features have to enter into the make-up of every successful fair. The old lady who would give two years off the short end of her life to know how a certain preServe wast made, to the fellow who offers the airship man a large sum for just one ‘“‘ride the air,’’ both have paid admission money end are due consideration. The live stock and other departments grow and improve naturally with the material growth of the country, but not so with one of the most important features, the amusement, with out which no fair is complete The selection of the component parts of this feature should receive the most careful attention always. The Gay of the wild man, snake eater and hideous freak is past, also that of the cheap, vulgar exhibitions that were so common on many fair grounds The day of the good, decent, g@entee] show is just dawning, the show that emuses, instructs and elevates, with its clean, Prosperous-looking front and equipment, with its gentlemanly management, with its respectdemanding odor, so to speak. There are hunG@reds on the road today, and hundreds have gone to ruin before today; why, because they had to go into competition with the cheap «et Teady on-the-spot singularities—they can not be called aggregations; and who is largely responsible? The answer comes quickly—the feir Secretary who is willing to contract with them in preference to the genteel show, because he ie offered a higher percentage or a larger space fental, thus causing either idle time or exces sive jumps for the deserving. But, does he et more money, as promised? Hardly ever. ae percentage fails for some ‘‘reason,’’ and the flat rate is either argued very thin or jumped at the week's end. ; ove is not Intended to convey the im at the writer believes 'n opeaing and | fair with religious functions; to the | such would be geacrilegious. **Every its place.”” But this IS a p'ea to the to hang out same notte eur than money,"’ and a tlea to the aa.jusement promoter to carry a’ong with Pim some | sign besides “Get the money quick «and skip.’ Not until this is done will we svit our verowds. The wise fair secretary fovors +lean midway Shows for our state and cymty fair-. hat is Bot to say that fairs which t ont the midway features make a mistake The managers know their own pedple and loral contcieas and are the best judges of what their patrons want. City and country visitors reiiiy like clever, Clean shows, and it is ihe -ame samuvsementcTaving taste which is exaibvited by the «ail| lions of people who iwmnually pstrenze Tuna ! Park, Dreamland, Revere Reach, Chicago’s | White City and the hundreds of other simmer parks the country over. The great cxpostrions make their midways a feature, and ‘he drawing power of the amusement side of the exposition was demonstrated by Fred Thompson when be took hold of the Pan-Anerican shows, played them up stror and boosted the cash gate receipts from $5.000 a day or less to $50,000. If we could get a circuit of fairs to put pu attractive, permanent fronts, giving them a _— location, we could commaad a strorger | P clases of shows, and I believe the ves?mer would be profitable. wired e«¢ SHINN The secretary is responsible for the success or failure, the good or bad repute of his midWay, and it all depends on judicious selection IM PORK TE RK and good location. The best policy is to hold | G. R. Kemper, Secretary Ripley County Agricultural down the number of shows and to hold up the | Secretary Davis County Agricultural Society, quality A bright, clean and lively midway | County Agricultural Association, certainly helps the front gate receipts and it | Griggsville, Ill.; F. does more good in helping to draw visitors GOING TO THE FAIR. Converse, Ind.; M. Porter, Secretary Walworth County Fair, Elkhorn, Wis.; Secretary and Manager Genesee County Fair, Batavia, N. Y A representative group of persons on their way to the Fair Grounds, Bloomfield, Ross Association, lowa: Shinn, PROMINENT FAIR SECRETARIES. Secretary Osgood, Albert Valley E. Leach, Will W. Draper, Secretary Miami Illinois Fair, Brown, of of fair “midway the fair they demand amusement—amusement | that they do not have an opportunity to see every day. While the visitors to the fair sit In the grandstand and watch the races, are awed by the wonderful maneuvers of participants In a colossal vaudeville act, and enjoy the strains of a military band, yet there is that longing among many for the scenes of the midway, They find much enjoyment tn visiting the various shows and seeing all There is something enchanting to them in the announcement of the ballyhoo, as he is familiarly known, in the sound emanat ing from the bass drums or the tom-toms, and the general tingle that is to be heard on all midways The people as a rule are out for a good time, and they know that after all the sights of the buildings and the racetrack have been seen, their visit will not be complete without a trip to the carnival shows. High-class midway shows—those that have no tinge of vulgarity—-are liberally patronized on the fair grounde In many cities and towns. the only chance the public has to enjoy a real good carnival show is when the fair is on, and, if they seek such entertainment, why deprive them of their pleasure? The late Governor Johnson of Minnesota appar ently had the right idea of the wants of people attending faire, when in an address shortly be fore his death, said “The primary function of every fair, of course, is educational The motive must be that of development It has been argued that the horse race and balloon ascension are neces sary adjuncts to an ideal fair, and that these detract from the real objects of the fair Itself. And yet the day is far distant when a county or etate fair will be a success and arouse In terest without these accompaniments, which will arouse and entertain the people. The financial view of a fair compels an acquiescence to the amusement feature, and I take it that It Is generally argued that these must obtain.’’ After enumerating attractions for fairs, such as balloon ascensions, bands, races and vaude ville acts, Governor Johnson ended by saying: “And yet it takes all thie and more to make up a successful fair. It needs the amusement curiosities, the merry-go-round, with its worn out tunes and noisome engine, the fortune tel ler and the festive doll-rack and the boerir negro who allows you to throw eggs at him.” R. F. Trevellick, representative of the United Fairs Booking Association, who has had much experience in amusement features of fairs, has this to say of attractions at ounty faire “The backbone of civilization may pe artly termed our country cousins’ annual exhibition of all that is best and enduring in this country’s history. For so great has been the advance an? interest in the oldtime county fair that nothing in the world is too good, great or costly for them to stimulate more interest. The rivalry is keen—some counties having as many as thre fairs in the same month. It is a coveted honor to serve as president, secretary, treasurer, chair man, superintendent. manager, or other positior —although the office carries no salary and in volves a great deal of hard and continuous work The politician, with a keen eye te the wind ward, knows the weight of the land, and con gresemen, senators and presidents—all our great public men—have appeared before almost count less county fairs and put their best foot for ward. The oldtime lethargy is gone, and in Its place we find a little new world, for the county fair is our world in miniature. They put on the best possible races, do not hesitate to bus A-1 special attractions, as ‘“‘anything’’ will not no any more Fairs lecated in towns of less than 1,500 population, putting on an act that was a feature of the Ringling Circus the year before. Many of them plunge willingly in to debt to build up their fair. looking optimisti ally to the future to reimburse them. They build new grandstands and up-to-date build ings, are constantly on the watch for new ideas. and are so pleased when they exceed the rival? county fair in attendance, races, exhibite or attractions, that their enthusiasm will not down but is carried on to the next fair—a generous. friendly rivalry They are adepting circus methods of gdvertising, and many of them know the size of one, three or twenty-four-sheet« In some cases, illuminated wagons, automo blies, ete are sent out at night many miles away A few fairs employ experienced show men to run their advertising, special attraction and = pay show departments; one small town having a big attendance, paying an old retired showman $5,000 a year, and finding it pays well to dae so. MISSOURI SLOPE FAIR, MANDAN,N. D. A general view of the Fair Grounds and Indian Village. 1 ’