Journal Snippets: August 17-21, 2020

122 Years Ago…

Saturday, August 20, 1898

“Teamsters’ Contest”

TO THE EDITOR:- Why can we not have something worth looking at in a teaming way at the Agricultural Exhibition. I heard a few days ago one of the teamsters suggesting to a leading member of the exhibition committee that something be given for a hauling contest. To my surprise this member of the committee did not take any interest in the suggestion and hinted that it could not be. Such suggestions should not be easily disposed of. Ashcroft is the staring point for such a large number of teams that a hauling contest should be one of the main attractions at our exhibition. Let this be put into the hands of a competent committee and surely we can have an exhibit of pulling and ribbon handling that will be most interesting. It need not stop at pulling, let something be given for the man that can handle a six horse team the best. These, Mr. Editor, are only suggestions that a good committee can easily make something of. Would it not be advisable to withhold prizes altogether when the articles or events are so very far below standards that they should not be exhibited? There will not be any improvements in our exhibits so long as prizes are given for most inferior exhibits. It is worth while for anyone to prepare a good exhibits in any line because a very poor exhibit will be given a prize if it is the only one. This is not as it should be. Have a standard for everything and if an exhibit does not come up to that do not give a prize. – M.D.

~~~

51 Years Ago…

Thursday, August 21, 1969