Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-02
TREES PLANTED.
-Four Fins Set Out on Lithgow
Library Grounds.
Interesting Exercises by Members Of
the Current Events Club.

Nearly all of the half a hundred
members of the Current Events Club
were present at the tree planting in
front of Lithgow library, yesterday
morning.
The exercises were held shortly after
9 o'clock in the reading room of the
library Mrs Anna Sargent Hunt, pres
ident of the club, presiding.
The first number was singing by the
scholars of Grade VII in the Smith
school. Misses Maude Johnson and
Adah E. Edgecomb teachers, the sing
ing being under direction of Miss Es-
telle C. Deering, the music teacher in
the schools. The sweet young voices
sounded very pleasant in the pretty
song, Robins, Come
Mrs. Hunt. in behalf of the club. ad-
dressed his honor, Mayor Gustavus A.
Robertson, presenting the trees to the
city for the library grounds. She spoke
as follows:
Your Honor the Mayor and Mem
bers of the City Government: l bring
you the Arbor day geetings of Current
Events Club. l may say that the or
ganization l represent is, by virtue of
it's upwards of so members, a part of
the Maine Federation with its more
than 100 clubs and 1000 membership.
We are working in close cooperation
with this body. One of it's standing
committees is. the forestry committee
in which our club is represented by two
of it's members. It's work comprises
mental. Under the former head the
Federation seeks in cooperation with
the State forest commission, to create
public sentiment in our State which
shall demand the proper harvesting of
our timber, keeping it in bearing that
it may be placed on a par with other
paying crops. The latter department
looks to the ornamentation of our
cities, town and the streets and high
ways leading thereto. An Outgrowth
of the committee named has been one
organized lately on the part of the
State Federation for civic improvement.
The American League for Civic I'm
provement suggests to improvement
which | hold, 100 objects for which they
n II
selected 81 of these objects and sug-
gested them to local clubs. We are in
position to act along these lines since
our own club has its forestry and civic
improvement committees. Prompted
by the spirit of helpfulness which is
very apparent in this new century upon
which we have entered, and which, in
great degree dominates our women's
clubs, Current Events Club has taken
long looks to see at what point we
might lend a helping hand in making
"a more beautiful America--a more at
tractive Maine" and a more pictur-
esque home city. The resident and
casual visitor of Augusta standing in
many parts of our city may well say
in the words of another: "All about US
ions, gracing our homes and highways
and sitting for us the storms and sun
shine" We count ourselves fortunate
in being able to ensure to our beautiful
library and the passers by of future
days the protection of the same sort
of friendly trees and therefore, Mr..
Mayor. it becomes my pleasant duty to
present to the city, through you, it's
representative, on behalf of Current
Events Club, these trees in token of our
desire to do something which shall be
of lasting benefit to our city. We do
this the more gladly because we be-
lieve that artistic surroundings not on
ly contribute to the beauty of d city
and owns, but tend to elevate the tastes
and characteristics of it's people. Al
low me to express the wish that there
may come to you and to the members
of the present city government. length
of days. that the trees we today plant,
may spread over you and them their
graceful branches and that your chill
dren and chidren's children may re-
pose in their shade
Mayor Robertson thanked the club in
behalf of the city for the gift of the
beautiful trees, and expressed his
pleasure at being permitted thus to
have a share in the first Arbor day
work of the club, the same club of
which his wife is a member. and to
which he can pay the honest tribute
that it has helped his wife to make
more pleasant his home. He mention
ed the peculiar value of the trees to the
library, adding as they must add, both
beauty and comfort to the grounds.
Charles f. Nash. chairman of the
Lithgow library trustees, in behalf of
the trustees, voiced their gratitude for
the addition to the grounds and gen.
erous service of the club to the city,
promising that the trees then planted
should be fondly cherished and care
fully preserved by the present and flu
ture generations.
1.-The immensely of God" was then
sung by the school children.
Mrs. Hunt for the club thanked the
children for their assistance in the ex-
ercises of the hour, and wished them d