The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-05-04
Arbor Day in Mount Holly.

W " A4OOA lay "a COuCO
recitation was given by the pupils of thu
High School, after which the whole
school joined In singing Red, White, anc
Blue" which was followed by a very
pretty flag salute.
Robert S. Gaskill, Vice President of the
Board of Education, then addressed the
school or Forestry. His remarks were al
follows:
Boys and ~Girls:-Prof. Cook, the principal
of our public schools, has requested me tt
make som remarks to you on this occasion
in connection with these ArbOr day exercises
l at first thought would decline the invita-
ton, and would have done so, but being one
of the Board OF Education that has genera
supervision over the schools, | somehow felt
it a duty to espond to this request of our
principal. The most of you know what Arbol
day is some OF you little boys ana girls, how
these exercises to-day. Let me tell you briefly
hat thirteen years ago the Legislature OF
New Jersey passed what is called q joint res.
o%lution, directing the Governor, whoever he
might be, to set aside some day in April to be
known as Arbor day. Under this law it be.
came the duty of the Governor to issue a
proclamation once a year setting aside this
day and dfrect ing its observance. This year
Hon. John W. Griggs, our Governor, has Sc
lected this Both day of April and issued his
proclamation accordingly. The object of the
law in creating Arbor day is to encourage the
growth and increase OF trees, making forests,
groves and orchards. Many reasons may be
assigned for this object; you can readily re-
call some OF them. Without forests. springs
dry up and disappear and dry seasons and
droughts follow.
To beautify the country may be assigned as
another reason why this day should be OBJ.
served. What is more beautiful than the
green foliaged trees as they tower in their
majestic heights in we'll planned lawns, or in
groups on the hill Sides, in the valleys or on
the level lands2 Here a few elms picturesque.
ly surrounding a cottage there a farm house
standing in the midst of a group of m apIes,
and In the distance a grove OF growing chest
nuts and oaks enriched by The rays of sun
light rejecting many colors from the dang
ling soft, green leaves. To replenish the state
with fruit may also be assigned as another
reason. What is more delicious than the
choicest of truit2 To stir up the thoughts of
the people and remind them at least once q
year that old trees die out and orchards dis
appear unless new trees are planted to take
their place is surely a good thing to do. Many
other reasons may be assigned for this action
OF our Legislature, and all taken together it
may be regarded as one of the most whole
some of its acts.
But you, boys and girls, may very readily
ask yourselves the question, "Why should
the exercises of Arbor day ?" You say you
haYe not planted any trees to-day, and you
are right in what you say. You say that when
the children do plant trees on this day the
number they plant is so small that their addi-
ton to the forests OF orchards is almost, If not
quite, imperceptible. What good, then, can
come from the children observing this day,
and why did the Legislature say they should
do so7 For in the same year that the law was
passed creating an Arbor day, another law
was also passed compelling the state and
county superintendents to provide suitable
ceremonies for this day for all the schools
throughout the state SO you will understand
that every school in the state is to-day cele-
brating on the same subject matter, and this,
by the direction OF the highest school author
ity in the state. under the solemn provision
OF the law and while 1t is the privilege of
every public school to observe these exer-
cises, it is also their duty.
But as we are not planting trees, and If we
ware il WOHt6 only he n ainpla frap marianne
why should we join in the observance of the
Why not leave it to the strong and
willing hands of the men who are to enrich
the earth and plant and nurse the tender lit
tie twigs that are destined some day to make
the forests, groves and orchards that shade
Our springs beautify our country and replen-
ish the fruit of our state? There is, there
must be, an answer to this very natural Ques-
ton. What, then, is the answer Think for a
moment. In the schools you have your les
sons, you study and recite, your teachers
hear, correct and instruct you. A~simportant
as any lessons you receive in the school are
the lessons you are taught to-day by the cere-
monies you have taken part in and witness
ed. This is a day of enjoyment and pleasure,
but it is no less a day of instruction and profit
to you.
All the children who have attended Arbor
Day exercises to-day have had their minds
firmly planted in the great forest OF nature.
You have been brought out OF doors and told
to take your minds from your books for the
and look carefully, t~houghttully and
earnestly at the tree-how 1t grows, the vine,
bAN cALAO bAO AOmOA3 " oil OAO6O udh
their beginning in life and then grow on to
and perfection; how they take OF
their beauty and sweetness and grandeur.
And you are admontshed to let this be one
only OF many days when you will go out into
the yard, the garden or the field and there
view nature In her manifold and various ways
with the assistance OF mankind opening up
and developing the numerous objects of lie.
\Recall a brief illustration: in YOUR garden
you find a little daliah root your mother has
planted there. Watch it through the year and
you will see the sprout coming through the
ground, and away in the fall after the spring
and summer months have passed you will be-
hold the perfect daf1ah standing out in the
sunlight, beaming with its naturalibeauty and
If you have watched the dAvelop-
ment OF this little root into the flower you
seen the hand of your mother carefully
Ioosening up the soil, pulling out weeds or
on a little water it may be, ana what
the lesson you have learned from the obser-
of this wonderful transformation scene
and all its attendant circumstances? That
the apparently litoless and vaIueless root by
proper treatment at suitable times has become
the perfect flower of beauty and stately re-
pose. God has planted in each Of your little
hearts and bodies roofs and seeds which He in
lends some day to sprout and grow and ma
iure, but He leaves it to you, with the assist
ince of your parents, friends and instructors,
TO cultivate and care for them. If you are dill
gent, Industrious, persevering and honest in
your efforts to follow the leadership OF your
and comply with their requests,
Ill these seeds and roots will sprout and grow
md mature, developing you body and mind
md fitting you for some useful station in the
busy field Oflife.
You children have large responsibilities 8
you in the not far distant future,
You cannot be too well prepared to perform
she duties thus soon to devoIve upon you. As
saw you salute the flag of our country this
afternoon l said TO myself, salute the flag,
boys and girls learn to love it, for the day
will come when yon will be called Upon to
protect it, and the more you love the flag of
your country the greater sacrifices you will
make for it and the greater efforts you will
sxert to defend it and to save and preserve
{ spotless as it is to-day" In the future will
tall upon your shoulders the burden and re
sponsibility of defending, supporting and
pe~rpetuating these stars and stripes, repres-
enting throughout the world, wherever civil
cation reigns or mortal man has trod, our
magnificent nation; the nation that was liber-
ited from the bonds OF English mastery by
our liberty loving ancestors under the leader.
ship OF George Washington and bound in per-
petual union by the blood of our fathers and
grandfathers In the greatest war recorded In
history, when the immortal Lincoln satat the
helm of the ship of state and Ulysses s. Grant
the captain general OF the armies. To be
able to discharge all the many duties that will
be charged upon you when you become men
and women you must take advantage of every
opportunity to improve your body and mind
opens itself to you in the DAYS of YOUR
youth. This state will help you. Now school
houses are open to all her children; none are
too poor to enter therein. The rich and the
alike are equally welcome. Teachers ana
books are furnished you you are to do the
rest. Faithfully attend to the instructions
you receive be ever ready for your recita-
tons, and then as the daliah so tenderly cared
for by your mother bloomed into perfection
beauty so will your minds, lives and bodies
bloom into a condition of usefulness for some
business, trade or profession that will make
Of you a good and valued citizen OF worth to
yourself, you neighbor, your state and your
On behalf of Mrs. Isabella Davis, presi-
dent of the New Jersey Forestry Associa-
ton, Mr.. Gaskill presented Miss Estelle
Tuley with q copy Of Longfellow's Poems
for the best essay OF Forestry, and Miss
Emma Stevens with a work on Forestry
for the second best essay.
Rev. Mr.. Relyea spoke of the impor-
of patriotic instruction in the pub
lie schools and commended the pupils on
the attention they had given to patrio-
ism and the imposing effect of the beauti-
ful school buildings with the eighteen
flags floating.
After singing America" the pupils
marched and returned to the
buildings.
About one hundred and fifty patrons
we're present, many of whom expressed
as being greatly pleased with
the exercises and good order of the pupils.
At the school on West Washington
street, Prof. Henry had prepared a long
programme, which was executed in a
manner satisfactory to all. 1t consisted of
and singing.
Rev. Mr.. Sprlggs delivered a very inter-
esting address on Arbor day.