Arizona republican., 1898-02-05
ARBOR DAY.
It's Appropriate Celebration in and
 About Phoenix.

ArDOr Day was well observed ln Phoenix yesterday. All the public of fees, both county and territorial, a2d the banks were closed. The ony sign of every day official life WIS il the supreme court, which held a brief morning session. The ceremonial of tree planting took place at the union high school and was attendad by an appropriate programme. Address:s were made by members of the school board and by Governor McCord, who said:
 'Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gen le- men: The legislature of many or the states and territories have set apart one day in each year for the purpose of tree planting and have des- ignated it as @Arbor Day. In the ter ritory it has been so designated, ana also as a legal holiday, and it is made the dutyof the governor to make dua proclamation of the same eaoh year. This is a very wise enactment on the part of any state or territory, but one especially so in a state or territory located in an arid region like this The legislature of this territory has also made another very wise prCvis- of Arbor Day. It is that all schco authorities shall not only see that the day is observed, but shall pre- scribe a programme for the day which 1,oJ thn y,1a Hf shrubs with a view to beautify;ng the school grounds of which they are tenn porarily in charge. This provision was for the purpose of seeing that the work was systematically and intelli- gently performed with a view to flu ture years of growth. If this day is properly observed ually, and the intent of the law is fully carried out, it will only be a few years until evcry school building will be surrounded and shaded with beautiful trees, plants and shrubs ;and instead of our school buildings being out in an open desert, as some Of them now are, where the merciless midsummer rays of the sun |
 tensity, they will be midst sylvan shade environed by tropical p. ans and trees of luxurious growth, and
 surrounded by wealth of shade that will render them not on'y to erabie
 but comfortable.
 'This, my young friends, is wha- Ar
 bor Day means, and what it is for, and
 while some of you may arrive a. that
 period of your existence befor- the result of your labor in tree planting 1 shall bear fruit or perform its mis- l sion where you cannO, enjoy the 1 benefit of the labor Of yourselves ant your companions, yet there will bs others who can and will do so, ant they will be those in whose snjoy
 ment and happiness you will have a:
 much pride and pleasure as if vol
 yourselves were enjoying it. I on'y speak of this with a view to prompt ing you to a proper exertion 4ud no
 for a moment thinking that any sel
 fish purpose would control your mo tives.
 '.Adorning school rooms with ap propriate pictures arranged in tasteful and agreeable manner is al
 mos, as essential as covering the wall
 with charts and blackboards--heau i
 lying the surroundings of . schoo
 building is nearly as necessary t } broadening the mind of the pupil a . the apparatus inside. To make a ful mental and physical man or woma all the faculties must be broadene and developed.
 This can best be done where th ? surroundings are in unison. Nj
 young friends, do you fully rea1iz , | and appreciate the advantages yo
 here enjoy? Do you appreciate thi splendid building, the comfortabl ] and commodious school furniture, th first class and complete apparatus, an r last, but not least, the thorough an I able corps of instructors? If you d not you surely ought to, because (
 the fourteen million of children (
 school age in the United States, bl s a very small percentage of them enjo |, such privileges as you do, and acc |, ing to the best statistics nearly on f half of them, or seven millions. en-o
 no school advanla ges wha. ever.'
 The rest of the programme W. U made up of songs and recitations, ar 2 then came the planting. The oliN e had been selected by the school as u e monument to Arbor Day, 1898. Or Q was set out by each class and give a name The senior tree was chris . ened "1S9S," the junior was callf e "Creager," the sophomore, "Juli1 - Caesar" and the freshman '19 1 E The respective orators at these va q ous christenings were members of u Q several classes, Leslie Gillette, Lloy n Damron, Norma Damron and Frt " Ross. Exercises were also held u
 Central school building embracil
 beside the planting of tres pr
 gT3mme consisting of recitations al
 songs. At many homes the day W also observed. The most en 5hu; u astic observer was Edwin $. G-