In the meantime, as the end of the season approached, the matter of the prize distribution loomed big. I wanted to make the most of that event. I wanted it to be a big spectacular finish that would cling in the minds of all during the ensuing winter. The committee held several meetings to discuss the best way of doing this and we finally hit upon the idea of an old-time country fair. There hadn’t been one in town for twenty years because the last ones held had degenerated into nothing but two-cent horse races in which the prizes had all been carried off by semi-professionals. The chief objection to the plan was the lack of fair grounds. The old society had gone into bankruptcy and sold off what property it had and the grounds had since then grown up to scrub pine. Ruth solved the difficulty by suggesting that we go back again to the early days for our idea. Originally the fairs were held on the village green. In fact, in parts of New England they still are to-day. Her idea was to revive this custom in our town. The idea had several advantages, not the least of which was that it incurred no expense, and met with instant approval. We appointed a committee to look after the details, a second committee to arrange a field day for the youngsters, and a third committee with Ruth at its head to arrange some sort of entertainment for the women. “You mustn’t leave them out,” Ruth insisted. “They play a more important part in this work than you imagine.” We had arranged with the Agricultural School to send down men to act as judges so that everything should be judged impartially. A man had come down just before the haying season and had overseen the weighing on the town scales of all hay entered for the competition. Quality and quantity were the two things taken into account for the best crop on land already used for that purpose, while the prize for the best crop on reclaimed land required a somewhat nicer judgment. The nature of the land here had to be considered. When the expert had completed his work he made his report and placed it in a sealed envelope which was not to be opened until the public award.