Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-10-08
ARBOR DAY AND
PLANTING Trees

Borough Superintendent Dieffen-
bacher has received communication
from State Superintendent N. Q.
Schaeffer directing his attention to the
fact that Friday, October 23rd, is arb
or day and urging that the day be OBJ
served by the planting of trees and
other suitable exercises. DR.. Schaeff-
er's letter is as follows:
1.-The conservation Of our natural
resources has become a problem Of uni
versal interest to the American peo-
pie. Our soil, our forests, our miner
al wealth and our water supply can
not be wasted without impairing the
country's greatness and prosperity.
The sources of our wealth should be
preserved, and, as far as possible, re-
stored for the benefit of posterity.
Whatever is put Unto the schools
will appear later in the life Of the ma
tion. Studies which tend to improve
our industrial conditions should be
fostered and encouraged. The planting
of trees for shade and for fruit, the
process of budding and grating, the
methods OF destroying noxious insects
and the prevention of forest fires
should be studied by the pupils in
both public and private schools. The
dissemination of this kind of knowl
edge has been greatly stimulated by
the observance of Arbor Day.
1.-The perpetuatiop Of the laudable
custom of celebrating Arbor Day when
all the schools are in session, Friday,
Oct. %, 1908, is hereby designated as
autumn Arbor Day, and all connected
with the schools are urged to observe
the day by planting of trees and by
other suitable exercises.
NATHAN @. SCHAEFFER,
Superintendent of Public Instruc tion
Harrisburg, Sept. 12, 1908. -
OF late years arbor day has not been
observed in Danville by the planting
of trees. 1t has been customary for
the teachers to read to the pupils DR..
Schaeffer s announcement, which us
ually, like the letter above, embodies
a sentiment relating to arbor day. In
lieu Of reading DR.. Schaeffer's letter
own. The pupils play small part in
the exercises. merely reGiting some ap-
propriate selections each year thought
fully inserted in the current number
of the Pennsylvania school journal for
the purpose of helping along the OBJ
servance of the day.
The present autumn in Danville will
be marked with tree-planting on rath-
er au extensive scale. At the last
meeting Of the borough council it was
ordered that number of shade trees
to be procured down the river be plant
ed in the public park. 1t was learned
yesterday that no date had as yet been
selected for planting the trees.
One eau not help but feel that here
is an opportunity to impress a fine
lesson on the minds of the rising gem
eratiou, provided those who have the
park in charge can see their way clear
To postpone the work until October %
aud 70 permit the planting of the trees
20 be interviewer in some way with
the arbor day exercises in the public
schools if not those of the whole Dor.
ough, at least those OF the fourth
ward, which are located conveniently
near. This would bring arbor day
back to what it was in Danville few
years ago, when the program for the
days observance in the schools invari-
ably contained the actual planting of
trees
The above is merely a suggestion,
which may be acted upon or ignored,
as the borough and the school author
tiles fall in with the view expressed
or consider it ill.advised and imprac-
ticable. Should they take kindly to
the suggestion there are still some
three weeks remaining in which to
complete the necessary arrangements,