Susan Brandon, age 12, of Missoula, Mont., for her question:

WHEN WAS THE FIRST FAIR HELD?

A fair or exposition is a special kind of gathering of people. People come to see exhibitions that show how other people work, live or play. Fairs actually date back to ancient times and they came about as a means of carrying on peaceful trade between different tribes.

Thousands of years ago, tribesmen gathered at certain places to exchange goods. They regarded these places as holy and believed that the gods would punish anyone who fought or cheated there.

Ancient fairs were connected with religion. Beginning about 1000 B.C., the Arabic city of Mecca was the scene of great festivals held by pilgrims who journeyed there. On the day of a festival, huge Phoenician caravans would arrive and a fair would be held.

The fairs of ancient Egypt and Ireland were held at tombs and burying grounds. They were part of ceremonies and games honoring the dead.

Ancient Greek fairs were held along with festivals honoring the gods. The finest glassware, cloth, spices, carpets and armor were sold at these fairs.

The ancient Romans held a yearly festival honoring Jupiter. The festival was followed by a fair. Rome also had fairs that were not part of ceremonies honoring the gods.

In 1200, the Chinese trade center Kinsai, which is now Hangchow, held large fairs. Half a million people visited the fairs and bought large amounts of meat, fruit, wine and jewelry.

During the same period, important fairs were held in France and Russia.

During the 1600s, the chief English fair was Stourbridge Fair that opened on St. Bartholomew's Day, August 24.

The first great fair to put amusement above everything else was the Bartholomew Fair in London. Circus and vaudville acts and other entertainments were developed and improved at this great fair.

In the United States, the Berkshire Agricultural Society held a fair called the Berkshire Cattle Show in 1810 in Pittsfield, Mass. Prizes were given for the best livestock and for other products such as jellies, pickles and mincemeat made by housewives.

The Berkshires type of fair very soon became popoular throughout the country.

Later, athletic contests, corn huskings, horse races and quilting bees were added to the fairs. These fairs developed into agricultural arid industrial fairs sponsored by counties and states.

An exposition features industrial, commercial and scientific developments.

In 1851, the London Society of Arts organized the Exposition of the Industry of All Nations. It was housed in a Crystal Palace that covered almost 19 acres. The event drew more than 6 million visitors. Chief exhibits included the newly invented McCormick reaper and Colt repeating pistol.

The Continental Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 honored Alexander Graham Bell for inventing the telephone.