To the editor:

I was embarrassed and shocked Friday morning to open the J-W and see the top picture of “a fair to remember.” What a sad way to promote a 4-H and FFA fair!

I guess most would now call me “old-fashioned” when I say my fondest memories of the fair were all the preparation, planning and showing an exhibit at the fair and receiving a ribbon and some prize money for my efforts. We were trained in our 4-H clubs to honor, respect and develop ourselves, as our pledge was of our head, heart, hands and health and our motto was “to make the best better.”

How can any of the pledges be honored with young folks doing the things as in the photo. They can’t be out of high school yet. They probably don’t have jobs. And did their parents know where they were and what they were doing, or, worse yet, care where they were?

Did I hear that Lawrence is sobbing about the loss of their SRS office? Well, if our young folks don’t get some leadership soon, an SRS office won’t be able to handle all the cases that will be coming to it. America and every community, such as Lawrence, needs to wake up to the fact that these young people will be our future. Let’s get them interested in things that matter and will build character for a better future for them and us all.