Column: The Mid-State Fair reminds us of America’s best
Retired Superintendent Curt Dubost.
– My wife Kate and I had the great pleasure of taking two of our younger grandkids and their parents to the fair this week. We went for the fair food, the rides, the games, and especially all the student exhibits…AND we got to see another of our grandsons drive his restored tractor project, a 42 9N Ford, down the Midway in the tractor parade … AND to see him interviewed on the radio.
What a great experience for all of the young men and women who spent so very many hours to complete their fair projects, be they tractor restorations, other industrial arts projects, and/or the many other livestock and OH projects. Many thanks to all the sponsors of all the projects and the FFA, 4H, and other staff and volunteers.
Special thanks to Ken Dewar and JB Dewar for all of their support of the kids who restored tractors. The boys learned so many practical skills and life-long lessons. Perseverance pays.
We also appreciated how polite and respectful all of the students were as we went through all the livestock barns and the like. Security, including armed officers, were walking all over on the Midway and the place seemed very relaxed. The kids and adults in attendance seemed happy, and no one looked like they were looking for trouble. All of the staff from the various food booths all the way to the carnival games were genuinely nice. The guy running the “ball toss into the peach basket” even made sure, with a little sleight of hand, that both of our grandkids won small stuffed animals.
The kids loved the rides. I was happy not to join them, as I don’t even like the Ferris wheel after one got a bit stuck with my father and me on it about sixty-five years ago. I also remember spending several dollars to get a ping pong ball in a bowl to win a goldfish that cost maybe a nickel at any pet store and lived about a week.
This year I didn’t think the food prices were outrageous given prices anywhere. Nothing like a really good corndog at the fair. Other than wishing for more places for grandparents to sit by the rides for the younger kids, it was a wonderful evening that reminded me why we have county fairs in America and kinda restored my faith in the future.
– Former Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Superintendent Curt Dubost
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