Reminiscences of Children's Fair (Continued)

Construction of the Fair (Continued Page 23 - 24)

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

Songs and Poems ( Pages 23 - 24)

I add to the quotations from the little folks of the later years, more still from the first half of the fifty years which will terminate in October 1911, written for the very little folks. Little Mamie Perry's short speech:

"I like this little sermon that our minister preached to me all alone by
myself
"Do all the good you can
To all the people you can,
And however you can, And whenever you can,
And wherever you can."

Closing speech of children's exercises:
"We have finished our recitations, And next your attention will call
To remarks of Mister Johnson.
At the other end of this hall.
I suppose he will tell the same story He has told you many a year,
But please give your strict attention: To our liberal auctioneer."

And here is another my eyes fall upon. "The Children's Classic"-Mother Goose-has given me many suggestive texts" to point a moral "

First Boy-
"Robin to robin he bent his bow.
To shoot a pigeon, but shot a crow, 

The crow was black, the pigeon was white, 
Poor little Robin! he didn't shoot right."

Second Boy-
Tommy Toby he bent his bow
He thought he would be a man, you know,
He smoked a cigar till he grew so white 
His loving mother was filled with affright,. 
And poor little Tommy found he hadn't shot right.

BLOW YOUR OWN HORN (CHARLIE HARDY).
You think I ain't big enough to make a speech, 
You wait and you'll find out, sir; 
I'm a big boy, most seven years old! 
And shall grow to be a man, no doubt, sir.

I've got a big jack knife all my own,
And when I cut me, I don't cry, sir; 
I can whistle Yankee Doodle 's well as mother, 
The tune the boys sing Fourth of July, sir.

I have a little dog named Toodle, 
His color is black and tan, sir; 
And he knows enough to know tobacco and rum 
Never help a boy be a man, sir.

I can raise pumpkins for Children's Fair, 
If you don't believe it, go and see, sir!
When the auctioneer holds that pumpkin up 
You'll say it's worth the price of three, sir.

The men begin to say, "I am almost done,"
When they've barely begun, sir,
I don't believe in making folks tired, 
And so will only say, I'm done, sir.

We all recall the ingenious devices by which we gave every child a part in these recitations. For instance, the marching of twenty-six children on to one end of the platform, and off the other in a line, each pausing to tell "What the Alphabet brought to the Children's Fair," the first boy telling in rhyme. that A brought apples and aprons, and going on. The next, B brought baked beans and brown bread; the next, eran berries, cake and carrots; D, dough-nuts and a duck, and so on. Failing to find anything for X, the boy was taught to say -

"X brought nothing.
Said he'd met with a loss,
Couldn't sign his name, 
And so he made a cross."

---

161st Children’s Fair - August 20, 2021

161st Children's Fair

James Roger diary entry

26th July 1913

Warm and dry wind west. David at Barretts’ mixing cement. Alice and Margaret swept the Hall, and we put in settees. Picked beans, etc. I picked 2 broilers after dinner, and Margaret and I took them to Miss Barr’s and afterwards went to library. Got letter from Hamish. Barbara got postcard from Ayer. All well.

---

Upcoming Event

163rd Children’s Fair - August 17, 2024

• New Ipswich Congregational Church

• 150 Main Street, New Ipswich, NH

• 10 AM - 3 PM

---