The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-06
ARBOR DAY OBSERVED.
The Exercises at Roger Williams
Park To-day.
A MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT,
The school Children were Mt the Park In
~Great Numbers = The Planting and
Dedication Of Trees-sevcrsl Promi-
nent Men Honored-In Newport.


IL was five years ago the present month
that. by legislative enactment, Arbor
Day was made a public holiday. The
holidays granted Rhode Island are not
many and In these few years Arbor Day,
which was designated for to-day by proc
lamation of Gov. Ladd, has become one of
the most valued and appreciated Of those
which this State has.
Each year the day is becoming more
generally observed. Not only do the
school children carry out the spirit in the
proclamation but many private individ-
uals "observe the day by the planting Of
trees, shrubs and vines"
OF course the public schools are closed.
The city hall closed it's doors, and many
patriotic citizens closed their places Of
business.
Cars were chartered from the Union
Railroad Company for the accommoda-
tion of the school children. and left the
termini of the several routes at such
times as would allow them to reach Roger
Williams Park In sufficient time for the
exercises.
At the park were crowds of people who
had come to share in the Observance OF
Arbor Day.
With the Spring flowers, the green
grass, and many forerunners Of Summer,
perhaps Roger Williams Park never
looked more beautiful.
And the realization of the value of Ar
Dor Day came over the spectator with q
much stronger sense than ever before.
Whoever has opposed Arbor Day, II there
be any such, should attend exercises In
observance of the day and he would be-
come its warmest advocate.
l. Ix~r Ia A.
In the exercises the several classes formed
in line and with their banners at the
head marched through the park down in
back OF the deer yard where settees had
been arranged and everything made
ready.
Each year the program Is put IN the the.
year it was arranged by Principal Levi
w. Russell of the Bridgham school.
The exercises began at 2:30 o'clock.
The Rev. Francis A. Horton. ID. D., pre-
sided.
The program was opened with music By
tion of which q stand had been erected by
the scttces for the school children.
The singing Of the song ''The Winter
Storms Have Passed Away" by the pu-
pills, and prayer offered by the Rev. Lev
erett S. Woodworth. came next. chant
The Rev. John w. Webb, D. D., made
an address full of patriotic expressions,
incidental to the day.
The song speed Our Republic" was
fhis ended the first part of the pro-
gram.
After the song There's Springtime In
the Air" the pupils formed in line and
marched to the scenes of the tree plant
ing.
planted tree which they dedicated in
memory of Prof. Samuel S. Greene, the
second superintendent of public schools
in this city.
of the grammar schools. Following are
the subjects and the schools: 1.-THE
Scenic Beauty of Trees, fhayer street
school; Forests and, and the y. Water Flow"
Trees" Manton school Trees as Memo
Value of Our Forests Peace
street school; 'The Decrease of
Our Forests" Vineyard street school:
The Planting for Economic Purposes"
of Rhode Island" Federal street school;
"Trees OF Roger Williams Park" Bridg-
ham street school; =" The Climatic Infiu-
ence of Forests" Branch avenue school
"Sketch of Prof. Greene" Doyle avenue
school; dedication, Mt. Pleasant school.
y
Bridgham school, Ernest l. Grand
Sprague, was especially noteworthy. In
part he said:
The tree-planting of this and preceding
Arbor Days is public recognition of our
regard for trees. Our kinshiD with trees
The higher traits Of the human character
are fifty typified by the appearances and
qualities OF different kinds of trees.
See how human poetic authors have
made them. They "lift their heads"
they 'wear their crowns" they "stretch
..sing -lnllahys,n they Sigh they '.rc-=
joice," they whisper" they have
Tongues and they "speak oracles"
They do almost everything human that is
not wicked.
Dedicating the Trees.
After the dedication of the tree to Prof
Greene, the first class of each grammar
school planted class tree,
The class of '92, girls department Of the
high school. dedicated tree to James
Russell Lowell The graduating class of
the classical department dedicated a tree
to Gen. Nathaniel Greene, and the gradu-
ating class Of the English department
dedicated tree to Gen. Ambrose 4. Burn
side.
Appropriate exercises were held around
the several trees.
ASiut lIOfil tuc QtutCdtiOu VI tIccS Oy
the pupils OF the schools at the park the
children of Governor Ladd planted tree
which they dedicated TO His Excellency.
The observance of Arbor Day was most
successful. Perhaps the day was not all
that could be desired, but 1t in no way in.
terfered with the celebration or success
fulness Of the occasion.
After the exercises were through with
the Park was an interesting sight. II be-
ing a holiday people had poured into IL
ali day long. There were numerous bicy-
Gle riders. People were on horseback.
There were even baby carriages. Every
one turned out TO do honor TO the day.
What Cheer cottage was full Of visitors.
The lakes were covered with boats and
people were waiting their turn that they
might get ride.
The swings were always In use.
The animals attracted large numbers
of sight seers.
All were out for good time and made
the most OF IL.
Long live Arbor Day.
Arbor Day st Newport.
This is Arbor Day and under the cir.