Miss Macphail Replies

Miss Macphail Replies Readlyn, Sask., Nov. 2, 1928. Dear Editor, In a recent issue of The Flesherton Advance I read a couple of letters on the subject of who started school fairs in Grey County. One of the letters was written by T. Stewart Cooper, Agricultural Representative for the County of Grey. He took the ground that I had nothing to do with building up the school fair and he is right. I had nothing to do with the work, nor have I ever claimed to have had. Some four or five years ago Mr. Cooper gave me the privilege of offering a special prize of $1 to the chiId making the best speech on "How Canada is governed," at the nineteen local school fairs in Grey County. Mr. Cooper asked me not to exceed $1, since that was the highest prize given by the school fair. Mr. Cooper also arranged for a meeting of the nineteen winners of the first prizes. The elimination contest was held in Flesherton and was very well arranged. Judges of high calibre were selected. The audience and children were comfortably seated - harmony was evident, and I consider the event was truly educational in character. The first prize was a trip to Ottawa for the opening. The second and third prizes were medals. One year Mr. Cooper provided a beautiful medal for fourth prize, and the other years I did. For two years I took the winner to Ottawa. The next year I offered an option of the trip or a gold watch and the winner chose the watch. Last year the final contest was not held at Flesherton, but at the champion school fair on fair day at Owen Sound. Three speaking contests were going on at the same time close together; one child finishing while the others were speaking, followed by applause. To my mind the educational feature was lost. The children had no place to sit, nor had the audience. It was a hurly-burly sort of thing. I came away feeling that it wasn't fair to the children. This year Mr. Cooper said he would not allow "How Canada is governed" to be used as one of the subjects. I submitted three others which were accepted. I offered $1 for first prize, 50 cents for second; a gold watch as first prize in the finals, a gold medal as second, a silver medal as third. I note Mr, Cooper says "She gave a trip to Ottawa or a gold medal to the winner. These have since been cancelled, and this year two medals were given." I sent the watch this year from Portage ln Prairie It may not have reached Durham in time. I did not know the date of the championship fair, but the watch will find the winner. Until two years ago I found my work with the Agricultural Representative very pleasant. I had great respect for him, and thought he was fail', yes, generous. Since then I find working with him almost an Impossibility. Yours sincerely, AGNES MacPHAIL.