Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-04-10
ARBOR DAY.

The object of this communication Is
to give notice that April 10th, 1886, has
been selected and set apart, by the
state superintendent OF public schools,
as ArbOr Day for the state of Missouri;
and, il possible, secure the cooperation
of the teachers, the children and the
people, in an endeavor to adorn and
beautify their school grounds, by as
sembling together OH that day at their
various school houses and devote a few
hours to the work OF tree planting.
The grounds around many of our
school buildings are treeless, while the
others are greatly lacking in what
might be easily and readily supplied; all
this can be remedied by few hours
work and the time thus applied will not
be wasted, for it will cultivate a taste
in the children for the beautiful. If
this subject is properly presented by the
desire to do something that may prove
beneficial in the ornamentatiOn of the
grounds; and this accomplished, each
will feel in duty bound to protect the
same from injury.
Some may argue that this will all
prove futile, as the teachers employed
will not make it their business to watch
after the grounds and protect them
from injury. Such persons are not
competent to instruct and govern chill
dren, end should not be employed; for
nothing more clearly demonstrates the
influence of the teacher over those un-
der his charge, than the condition of
the fencing, Outhouses, trees and shrub
cry on the school grounds. The teach
er who has no taste in this direction
is unfit to be placed in charge of chill
dren Without discussing the subject
at length-belieying that all can see
the benefit to be derived from such a
movements plan OF procedure will
be outlined for all who desire to en-
courage the enterprise and assist in
carrying 1t into execution, viz:
l Sc ect the trees to be planted; dig
them several days before hand so as to
have them ready; wrap the roots with
wet straw or leaves to keep the roots
moist; bind nicely with cord, and
bury the roots in moist place and set
them in place.
l. 2. Select nine straight, smooth trees
from an inch to two inches in diameter
trim them up seven feet high, and top
them at that height; if any limbs are
left on the trees, these should be clip.
ped eight or ten inches from the trunk
3. The best trees to select are the
following, i'm the order named: Linn
Ash, Box-elder, Elm, Hard Maple,
sycamore, Pecan, Walnut and Soft
Maple.
4. Call the meeting to order prompt.
ly at 40 p. m, April 10th, and devote
one hour to Literary Exercises" (which
may consist of declamations, orations,
essays, poems, historical sketches OF
noted trees mentioned in connection
with our nations history. Each exer.
else should have direct reference to the
work in hand. If the school is not in
session, call meeting at the school
house, and appoint committee
to arrange programmefor the occa.
sion.
5. Select some suitable person al
foreman; let him have the planning
plating and general oversight in the
planting of the trees. A space should
be left at center of each side of grounds
Plant the trees about eight feet from
the fence. and do not put them nearer
to the house than twenty feet distance.
6. After the planting has been com
pleted the trees should be protected by
something to keep the stock off, if The
site is not fenced. Place straw, leavei
or trash around the trees to keep then
moist around the roots during thu
coming summer.
Z. Each school will please notify thu
county commissioner what was done OF
this day, especially the number of freel
planted, as my next annual report will
embody this item, and they are the ON
" parties who can furnish the desired
inf fDrmation.
8. If the school grounds are not en-
closed by a fence, an effort should b,
made to have the annual meeting pro