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Show IN THESE UNITED STATES 'Ham' Show Is Instrumental In Revamping Georgia Town By. E. L. KIRKPATRICK WNU Features Thirty years amidst hams and eggs is the reward of Otis S. Oneal, Negro extension worker at Fort Valley, Ga. Annually, Annu-ally, Oneal guides the farmers around Fort Valley, county seat town of 5,000, in staging a food show at which 500 to 600 cured hams are exhibited. This is in addition to more than 300 nieces of other rurprl meats and 250 dozen ppps narked in OO- L There's a Community Fair on the downtown streets each fall. Fat cattle, corn, vegetables and fruits have taken on more significance on farms and in gardens through the entire community. The idea grew out of Oneal's efforts ef-forts to improve living conditions among Negro farmers. He had found that some families raised plenty of table food, others none. He had asked some who had to let him bring In those who had not "to see how it's done." Refused by one who didn't "want to be bothered with those triflin' neighbors," neigh-bors," he hit on the Ham show idea and started in, taking three years "to get going." Since then, Fort Valleyites and many visitors, even from outside Georgia, have seen, heard, smelled, tasted and felt the Ham show. fancy cartons. These topnotch hams come from hind quarters of peanut-fed or other oth-er well-nurtured hogs. They are the products of thrifty farm families in central Georgia who started out to lick the boll weevil through increased in-creased emphasis on diversified farming. Festooned around the stage, they make a show that smells as good as it looks; In fact, the aroma permeates the entire en-tire school auditorium where the exhibit is held, while visitors look and talk and smeLL Present Program. Among main events of Ham and Egg Show week, usually held in the spring, are a demonstration program on foods for housewives, roundtable discussion on ham and egg production, home-written and produced pageant in which "The Hog, Hen and Mule Speak," and joint barbecue and folk music festival. Each number draws its share of the 1,000 or more visitors but laurels go to the afternoon and evening festival of secular music mu-sic where players of banjoes, guitars, mouth harps and many improvised instruments attract the attention of regional and national musicians. W. H. Handy, composer com-poser of "St. Louis Blues," has become be-come a constant attendant at the show. Interspersed between the various major events are quartet and choir selections of old spirituals and secular secu-lar folk ballads. All are preceded by a curtain riser of Negro folk songs by the school children, "Chula-hu," "Just From the Country" Coun-try" or "Old Dinah's Dad." Boosts Community. In fostering this show during the past 30 years, Oneal and his coworkers co-workers practically have remade the town and its trade area. i!H!lifflSliilll LIFE BEGINS IN 'BABY TOWN' . . . Located in the salt bush country of Australia, Why-alla Why-alla is the No. 1 baby town of the commonwealth. It has the highest high-est birth rate, with some 300 babies coming into the world there annually. For every death in Whyalla in the past six years, 100 babies have been born. The present population of 7,500 consists con-sists of 5,000 adults and 2,500 babies or children under 14. Nurse Forrest is shown here giving giv-ing a brand new arrival his first dunking. |