The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-12-16
TREES PLANTED AND NAMED.
INTERESTING EXERCISES IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ArbOr Day Observed Last FRIDAY.
Large Crowd of Visitors
Was Present.

IL any one possessing a poor crinion
of the value and Importance Of Arbor
Day could have been present and
have witnessed the exercises in the
schools of Dawson on Friday without
becoming firm convert to it's observ-
ance that person is of unsound Judge
ment and not to be relied upon.
The first Friday of December is the
day set apart by the legislature to be
observed as arbor day or tree planting
day, in Georgia, but owing to the ex-
IRENE inclement weather of that week
the exercises had to be postponed I'M
til the following Friday. The occa-
sion was a notable one in the history
of our schools and one that will long be
remembered by pupils and visitors
alike. The day was faultless, the gent
al sunlight and cloudless sky seeming to
invite all lovers of nature to come and
revel in her delights. A more suitable
day could not have been desired.
At an early hour quite a number of
friends and patrons of the school as
sembled in the various rooms, where
songs, Rotations, essays, etc., were
conducted. Much care was evinced in
the preparation of the programme.
which was highly interesting and very
| instructive. The exercises in the
rooms lasted about one hour, after
which the pupils and visitors assembled
on the yards, where the most interest,"
| ing feature Of the day, that of planting
hn frSnn rN1n l.
lected a tree, which had previously been
| placed in position, and gathered around
it. A pupil then advanced, and, in a
nice little speech, dedicated the tree to
some noted philanthOrpist or friend of
education. A dedicatory hymn was
then sung after which each pupil threw
in shovelfull of earth and the ceremO-
ny ended.
The pupils then assembled at the en-
trance to the main building and all
joined in singing, "Woodman, Spare
shat Tree" after which Superintend-
ent Wright dismissed the visitors with a
| few words of thanks for their presence
and a cordial invitation to come again
any time.
The following names were given to
the trees first grade, Henry w. Long
| fellow; second grade, George Washing
ton; third grade, Oliver Wendell
Holmes; fourth grade, Eugene Field {;
| fifth grade, Nancy Hart; sixth grade,
William Cullen Bryant seventh grade,
Robert E. Lee; eighth grade, Stone
wall jackson; ninth grade, Henry w.
Grady; tenth grade, Thomas Jeffer-
son.
Never before, perhaps, was the need
Of a new school building, properly
equipped with modern facilities for
heating, lighting and ventilating more
the visitor passed from room to room,
and noticed how poorly the building
is adapted to the use to which it is
put, and how i'll arranged the rooms
are for public school work, he could
but be impressed with the truth of the
superinteadent's words, ''See what a
good school you have and what poor
school house." 1t is sincerely hoped
that at 40 distant day Dawson may
have a school building of which she
may be proud, and which may be an
ornament instead of an eyesore. The
public schools is one of our best insti-
buttons and it is urged that the people
of our town become more interested in
it and manifest that interest by more
frequent visits to it ia the future.
We have an efficient and hard working
superintendent and corps of teachers,
and our citizens would do we'll to give
them their presence and encourage
ment as often as possible.
-%ON-