Commentary; Posted: 3/21/07
Nathan’s ideas for State Fair, school start dates has flaws
Steve Pooch
Guest Columnist
I’m reacting to an editorial by your Education Columnist, Joe Nathan, on his ideas on how to resolve the fall school start issue in Minnesota.
He brings up several items that have been debated over the years and, more than likely, reasons why this decision has been changed a number of times in the past decade.
As well, it can probably be debated whether or not the legislature should even be involved with the decision as to when each and every school in the state starts and ends their school years.
My main reason for writing, however, is his logic related to the timing of the Minnesota State Fair and where it might fall in the summer months.
Certainly some of his thinking would work as it relates to preparing exhibits; most particularly sewing, woodworking, science, and similar type projects. Entertainers could, as well, adjust their schedules because they are quite flexible and set their schedules based on their bookings.
I would even go so far to say that concessionaires would eventually adjust their schedules to ensure they’d be at the State Fair, largely because most of them do more business there than at any show they are at during the year.
The major flaw to Mr. Nathan’s thinking is related to the Minnesota State Fair’s mission of agriculture being a main focus of the fair; 4-H being a large portion of that focus and the county fair system in the state being the feeder program.
Each and every county fair in the state sends their winners to the State Fair. To hold the county fairs in May and early June is a virtual impossibility.
I won’t go into greater detail but to say that you would have thousands of people in every county in the state up in arms if moving the Minnesota State Fair dates to June was even considered.
As well, our 4-H program is renowned in the country as one of the best.
We annually have over 7000 young people come to the State Fair and participate in various activities. Those 7000 come from the county fair programs, where we have a quota system, with approximately the top 25 percent exhibits coming to the State Fair.
The first weekend of the fair, our barns are full of 4-H livestock and, of course, young people leading their animals into the ring.
I’ll add, as well, the tremendous amount of produce we get in our vegetable and fruit competitions, along with our flower shows and grain exhibits.
Yes, we would have displays in these areas, but not the tremendous displays we presently have towards the end of the growing seasons.
The Minnesota State Fair is known throughout the industry as being one of the best in the nation.
We annually attract 1.6 million visitors in 12 days and are self-sufficient, receiving no money from the legislature for operating. The fair has also been at its present site and operating at the end of summer for over 100 years, largely because of tradition and the culmination of the county fair season.
The school start date has fluctuated back and forth several times over those 100 years with the Minnesota State Fair staying on its traditional dates.
To suggest that the Minnesota State Fair needs to move their dates so schools can start before Labor Day tells me that the writer hasn’t looked at all the pieces to the puzzle.
Steve Pooch is deputy general manager of the Minnesota State Fair.
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