OCR Text |
Show W-''1 I " x'-.0- -a v -J. , a IH lifers' A ' ll ' I lyWw T By ELMO SCOTT WATSON .LTHOCGH the date for the observance of Arbor day I' varies In different states of 1 the Union, most of the y celebrations are held during dur-ing the months of April and May. It is therefore appropriate to recall at this time the man to whom we are indebted for this holiday holi-day and his service to the nation in taking this step to conserve one of the great natural resources of this country. The "Father of Arbor Day" was J. Sterling Morton who at a meeting of the state board of agriculture !n Nebraska Ne-braska on January 4, 1S72, introduced ; a resolution setting aside April 10 for tree-planting. Nebraska had always been known as "a treeless state" but In that year, as a result of Morton's suggestion, more than a million trees were planted. The custom was continued con-tinued during the following years and in 1ST5 Kansas and Tennessee fol-k fol-k lowed the example of Nebraska by setting aside one day in the year as Arbor or Tree-Planting day. In 1S76 Minnesota, alarmed by the destruction destruc-tion of her white pine forests, began to observe Arbor day, North Dakota began in 1SS2 and in Missouri the Idea was taken up In 1SSC. Ohio first celebrated Arbor day on April 27, 1SS2, at Cincinnati, as a result re-sult of a visit to that city of Baron Richard Von Steuben, the royal chief forester of the then German empire. Of that occasion an Ohio historian writes : Von Steuben, a descendant of the famous General Von Steuben who had aided General Washington so conspicuously conspic-uously in the Revolutionary war, had come to America In 1881 with other Von Eteubens to unite In the centennial centen-nial celebration of the surrender at York town. Baron Von Steuben's work In forestry for-estry In Germany had gained him a worldwide reputation, and when he visited Cincinnati It was but natural that advocates of forest conservation In the Middle West should seek him out for advice. "'Plant trees," he told them. "For every tree you cut down, plant another, an-other, or two, if possible." A committee was appointed to create cre-ate public Interest In the subject of tree planting, and its work culminated culminat-ed In a three-days' meeting In Music hall, beginning April 25, 1882. The schools were dismissed on the last two aajs to enable the pupils and teachers teach-ers to take part In a celebration of tree planting In the public parks. The governor of Ohio had designated April 27 as Arbor day. Extensive preparations prepara-tions had been made for its observance In Eden park. Cincinnati was In holiday attire. The soldiery and organized companies of citizens formed an Immense procession pro-cession and marched to the park. Thousands of school children were si-ready si-ready massed there when the marchers march-ers arrived. "At the firing of a signal gun," writes Henry Howe, the historian, "'Presidents' Grove,' 'Pioneers' Grove' "Battle Grore,' 'Citizens' Memorial Grove.' and 'Authors' Grove' were planted and dedicated with loving hands and appropriate ceremonies. "Addresses were made by ex-Governor Noyes, Doctor Lorlng, Casslus M. Clay of Kentucky, Durbln Ward and others. No sight more beautiful, no ceremonies more touching, had ever been witnessed In Cincinnati. An Important Im-portant lesson in forestry had Indeed been brought home to the hearts of the people." In 1(183 the Ohio State Forestry association as-sociation ws organized. The same year the Ohio legislature, by Joint resolution, flX'd the fourth Friday in April as Arbor day. Howe declares that the groves planted In Cincinnati were "the first memorial groves ever planted In America; the first public planting of trees In honor of the memory of authors, statesmen, soldiers, pioneers and other distinguished citizens." He might also have added that this was the beginning of the part played by school children, in tlie Arbor day celebration which has become such a marked feature of the celebrations since that time. Another result of this Cincinnati celebration was that It led directly to the formation of the American Forestry association of which George E. Loring of Salem, Mass., was first president and with which, incidentally, incidental-ly, Morton was closely associated for many years. In 1SS3 the American Forestry congress (as the American Forestry association was then known) met in St Paul, Minn. B. G. Northrop North-rop of Connecticut Introduced a resolution res-olution recommending the observance of Arbor day in all the schools of the country. A committee was appointed ap-pointed to press the matter with Mr. Northrop as chairman. In 1SS-4 he secured the adoption of the following follow-ing resolution at the annual meeting of the National Education association. associa-tion. P.esolved, That In view of the valuable valu-able results of Arbor day in the six states where such a day has been observed, ob-served, alike upon the school and the home, this association recommends the general observance of Arbor day for schools In all our states. Since then the observance of Arbor day has spread beyond the L'nited States. In 1SS7 the first Friday in May was set aside In tbe province of Ontario for tree planting. Spain adopted the plan officially in 1S00. Hawaii rook It up In 19of, and It is now observed in ull the dependencies of the United States and In Great Britain, Canada, Australia, the English Eng-lish West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, Norway, Kussia, Japan and China. In 1S85 the Nebraska legislature, wishing to further honor the man who had originated the idea of Arbor day, passed an act changing the date of its observance to April 22, Morton's Mor-ton's birthday, and making It a legal holiday In that state. Morton was born at Adams, JelTerson county, N. Y In 13.12. lie received his early education at the Methodist Episcopal academy at Albion, Mich., to which it:itp his ntirenta hitfl irinvnil Tn he was a student at tbe University of Michigan. He graduated from Union college In 1S.34, and the following fol-lowing year settled in treeless Nebraska, Ne-braska, ilrst nt Hellevue, and later at Nebraska City, where lie founded and edited the Nebraska City News, the first newspuper to be established In that state. In 185(; and J 8.77 lie was elected to the territorial legislature, and In 187S was appointed secretary of the territory terri-tory by President James Buchanan. Upon the resignation of Gov. W. A. Itichardson, a few months later, he became acting governor and local representative of the administration In the bitter struggle In the territory. In 18W he was the Democratic candidate candi-date for governor, but was defeated. From that time until 1881, when he was again a candidate for governor, he took no active part In polities. In ISD.'i he entered the cabinet of President Grover Cleveland us secretary secre-tary of agriculture, remaining In office of-fice unlll 18H7. By lH'.ir, the Nebraska legislature I was able to proclaim to Nebraska's sister states that henceforth she was to be known as the "Tree-Planter State" because this commonwealth, which had once been so markedly , destitute of this form of verdure, now had more than 700,000 acres planted in trees. The celebration vf Arbor day in 1922 had special significance since it was the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Arbor day nd at that time Charles Lathrop PacX, president of the American Tree assoitlon, announced an-nounced his far-seeing pla for celebrating cele-brating the centennial of Artior day in 1072. His Idea Is summed up In these words. "Plant a centennial tree and register It with the American Ameri-can Tree association so that your name will be on the honor roll of tree-planters and good citizens fifty years from now." Since then the association as-sociation has urged this idea upon Americans so that thousands of trees will be planted and marked by 1072 and the centennial celebration of that year may be made the greatest ever held In this country. The dates on which Arbor my Is observed In the various states d la the possessions are: Alabama February 22. Arizona In five northern counties, Friday following 'the first day of April. Elsewhere, Friday following the first day of February. Arkansas First Saturday In March. California March 7. Colorado Third Friday In April. The governor Issues a proclamation each year. Connecticut In early May, by proclamation proc-lamation of the governor. Delaware In April by proclamation of the governor. Florida First Friday In Februnry. Georgia First Friday In December. Hawaii First Friday In November. Idaho Various dates In April se lected by county superintendents. lllinoia Proclamation of the gov-ernor. gov-ernor. Indiana Third Friday In April each year. Iowa Proclamation of the governor. Kansas Option of the governor. Kentucky In the fall by proclamation proclama-tion of the governor. No definite dat. Louisiana Second Friday in January, Janu-ary, by resolution of state board of education. Maine Option of the governor. Maryland Second Friday In Aprlt. New Jersey By law, second Friday In April. New Mexico Second Friday In March. Proclamation of the governor. New York p'rlday following first of May. North Carolina Friday after November Novem-ber 1. North Dakota Option of the governor. gover-nor. Ohio Proclamation of the governor. About the middle of April. Oklahomn Friday following the second Monday In Mnrch. Oregon Second Friday In April. Pennsylvania Proclamation of thi. governor. Porto Itlco I.nst Friday In November. Novem-ber. P.hodo Islnnd Second Friday In May. South Carolina Third Friday In November. No-vember. South Dakota No law, but generally general-ly observed In April. Tennessee Appointed by county superintendents, su-perintendents, lu November. Texas Februnry 22. Utah April Hi, by statute. Vermont Option of the governor. Usually first . I-'ridn y In May. Virginia I'rocliiinatlon of the governor. gov-ernor. In the spring. West Virginia t'simlly observed on the second Friday In April. Wisconsin Procliiniat ion of the governor. Usually the first Friday In May. Washington Proclamation of (h governor. Usually the first Friday In May. Wyoming I'roclnmntlon of the governor. gov-ernor. Usually the Ilrst Friday in May. |