Reminiscences of Children's Fair (Continued)
Construction of the Fair (Continued Page 13 - 15)
Records and Reminiscences of Children’s Fair
“Seeking to make idle hours useful hours, I have written it in my old age Please accept my old RECORDS AND REMINISCENCES.” - C. H. Obear - July 8, 1911
Construction of the Fair - Page 13-15
Sometimes dilemmas occurred that were amusing and at the same time puzzling. A good lady, for instance, would bring a pot of baked beans marked, "for the freedmen." Who was to tell at the Plain dinner how much of that particular pot should claim of the money received from the dinner tickets? It was as difficult to reply to the question of another woman who said to me, innocently, "How do they cook the beans at the Children's Fair? I never ate any anywhere else that were so good." Said beans came from the ovens of village and farms; from young and from old housekeepers.
We could make no departure from the methods devised for. the early years, and from year to year added anything that promised material success more gratifying than that of the first year. There will always be grumblers everywhere. We strove to remove all cause for grumbling. These occasionally would say, "What is done with the money from the door and dinner tickets and from the sale of things not marked ?" One of the general committee suggested this plan, and it was heartily endorsed. When all should be settled, and we ascertained what proportion of the whole amount contributed was given to any one benevolent object, the same per cent of the whole amount was added from the door and ticket receipts.
The designated receipts would indicate where the sympathies of the donors tended. For instance, if one-fifth of all the net proceeds was marked by the contributors, "Home Missions," that proportion of the whole sum was added for home missions. "But," says an objector, "perhaps only one small gift was presented, what about that?"
Well, this rule was made. If only one or two brought for an object and its proceeds were less than half a dollar, 50 cts. were sent. If more than half a dollar, it was swelled to a dollar. If any sewing circle or society sought to improve the opportunity to dispose of the work they had been doing, whether in town or out, they received only what the things actually brought.
Here is another doubt expressed. Says Mr. T., "I don't believe in sending money out of town to the heathen when there are neighbors' children who are staying away from school for want of shoes?" "All right, Mr. T. If you have beets from your garden or plums or currants from your yard to spare, send them up to the Fair so marked. The proceeds will be sent where you direct."
153rd Children’s Fair - August 16, 2014
James Roger diary entry
18th July 1913
Cloudy with slight showers; wind southerly. David and Henry Royce laying the foundation for tombstone on Knowlton lot and working at Gordons’ in afternoon. I cut Preston lot, Tabraham and Hubbard lots. Dan Brown ordered 2 fowls and Miss Barr 3 broilers. John Preston paid David his account. I picked a peck potatoes for Lowes.
Upcoming Event
163rd Children’s Fair - August 17, 2024
New Ipswich Congregational Church
150 Main Street, New Ipswich, NH
10 AM - 3 PM
Re the criticisms of those who worked so hard to put on the Fair, “no good deed goes unpunished.”
Interesting background to the Fair. Sounds like an organizational nightmare. Each participant supporting a different charity? I was not a member of the Congregational Church, so I was clueless about the "rules". Do they still apply?