The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1905-04-28
SCHOOLSOBSERVETREEDAY
TREES AND SHRUBS PLANTED BY
THE SCHOOL PUPILS.
PROGRAMS IN HONOR OF DAY
Future Years Will Show that Norfolk
School Children Have Done Share
Toward the Beautifying Of the City.
Mortons Achievement.
IFrom Tuesdays Daily.l ]


On account of the disagreeable
weather Friday and the further fact
that some of the trees and shrubs for
planting had not arrived, the Arbor
day observance by the city schools
was not held until yesterday, when
the weather was not much more IA
vorable for the programs, but the
children managed to get through it
very nicely and their trees and shrubs
have received a baptism by an April
shower that should start them to
growing as though they had never
been disturbed in their original en-
vironment.
The exercises of recitations, read
ings and singing were held within
doors and the planting and naming
of the trees took place afterward. In
addition to the trees a number of
Towering shrubs were planted in each
school yard, and it is proposed later
to plant grass plots and flower beds
that will materially improve the APP
pearance of the school grounds. Each
pupil is made to see that it is to hsi
lllulN lulCil llltlCSI W plOLtCI JllC LlCtO
and care for them and in few years
it is believed that material improve
ment will be noticed in the school
plots.
Thirty-five large sized elms were
distributed among the various schools
and Mrs. Osborn has the thanks of
the schools and the patrons for con-
| t,.ih N1NA, 1f ~ -,
shrubs to each of the buildings.
There will be some filling where
needed to prepare the grounds for
grass plots and flower beds and pro-
visions are being made for the gen.
eral improvement of the school
grounds.
The father of Arbor day, the late ].
| Sterling Morton of Nebraska City,
formerly secretary of agriculture in
President Cleveland's cabinet, was
given generous recognition, and the
years to come will undoubtedly show
some stately trees the credit for
whose origin will accrue to the pupils
and teachers who observed Arbor day
in Norfolk this spring
Mr.. Morton was one of the pioneer
settlers of Nebraska, coming to the
territory in 1853 or 1854. At that
time trees were not as plentiful as
they are now, and he planted a great
many around Nebraska City. He lost
no opportunity to put a seed or a
sprig in the ground. He tried to
break the monotony of the prairies,
and did. The timber claim enact
ment of congress was then unknown.
Rain was scarce, and irrigation was
not even dream. When a tree was
planted on a hillside overlooking the
| Missouri river, water had to be car
ried to it in buckets. 1t was in this
way that the hundreds of trees around
Nebraska City were induced to grow,
and before the end of Mr.. Morton's
life his hopes were realized. But he
knew long before that that he must
keep the coming generations planting
trees, and in 1872 he prevailed on the
state board of agriculture to take up
the matter. In 1874, as a result of
his efforts, the legislature designated
the second Wednesday in April of
each year as Arbor day. On this day
every citizen was asked to plant at
least one tree. AS result, there are
growing in Nebraska, as told by Rev.
c. S. Harrison, of York, a prominent
horticulturalist, over S0O,O0O00O Ar
Dor day trees.