Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-05-14
ARBOR DAY EXERCISES
How Subordinate Oranges May
Observe the Occasion.
Planting Is Not the Sole Mission Of
the Day; Other Things That Are
Essential Are Pointed Out-A Fun
damentsl That is Often Forgotten,
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
The sentiment Of Arbor day is
good one Unfortunately the usual
school exercises held at that time have
not been of the most practical charac-
ter-not always by any manner OF
means. Perhaps one out of each mil
lion Of trees planted on school grounds
has lived and spent years in prosper
Gus growth. Often the big boys of the
school have gone to the woods on the
afternoon before the day and selected
tall, leggy tree, chopped away the
roots until the tree could be pulled out
Of the soil and taken it to the school
house, to be next day stuck into the
ground-certainly not planted. Incan-
tations of songs and recitations fol
lowed, and Arbor day services were
closed. For a time the tree lived the
life of an orphan until it finally gave
up the struggle and died. One fun
damental thing that should be taught
In both the grange and the schools is
that In order that plants and trees
! may thrive they must have a friend.
Their successful growth depends upon
something more than a ceremony at
the time of planting.
The state of New York claims a
grange membership of $1,000 Is it
safe to say that not more than eighty
three Patrons-one out of thousand
will attend or show any interest in the
Arbor day exercises in their local
school?
Yes, l know the day comes at busy
time with farmers. 1t is at the seed
time of the year. With no sowing or
planting there can be no harvest. No
one knows this fact better than the
writer. This applies to the men. But
how about the women? Even with
them there will be housekeeping
and soapmaking. However, some one
should be able to give two or three
hours out of the year to help the chill
dren in work as fundamental as Ar
Dor day A little recognition at that
time on the part of Patrons would be
a great encouragement to the children
and teacher
ueeu HOl ne lUe Only Ills
sion Of Arbor day. Cleaning up and
grooming the grounds come first in i'm
portance. School grounds even with
prosperous growing trees, will be very
unattractive il the stove wood lies
scattered about the yard and pie crusts
and waste paper litter up the grounds
The day can be commemorated by
by planting shrubbery. The grounds
may he divided into sections and sides
chosen among the children in q con-
test to see which party does the most
commendable work. Children will be
delighted with that kind of contest
One planting may be done that is not
usually mentioned in Arbor day exer-
cises-that is hitching post The
school commissioner will appreciate
that, and if he does not thank the pu-
pills for their enterprise he need never
try to be elected to that office again.
Often of a Friday afternoon some one
may come to take the teacher home.
1t may be her father or mother or a
sister or brother or perhaps-just pos
sibly, you know-some other girls
brother. There is no doubt that the
hitching post will be appreciated by
somebody.
Would it be untactful for the lee
turer at the time of the next grange
meeting following Arbor day to can
vass the question Of how many Pa
irons showed any interest in the day
or even knew what the teacher and
children did? The result might sur
prise him. UNCLE JOHN