Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-24
OCTOBER "a TO
BE ,ARBOR DAY
DR.. Finegan Proclaims That
Day For the Care of Trees
and Care of Birds Too

Friday, October "a, was to-day pro-
claimed by DIR. Thomas E. Finegan,
the new Superintendent of Public
Instruction, as autumn arbor day
and bird day for Pennsylvania.
The proclamation is directed TO
Citizens, school directors, superin-
tendents, teachers and the children
of the Commonwealth" and says, in
part:
There is no State in the union
whose natural resources are more
varied or more valuable than the
natural resources of Pennsylvania.
A noted writer recently referred to
our Commonwealth as the Indus
trial Titan of America" The indus
trial supremacy of the State depends
in a large measure upon her coal,
iron, forests and rivers. The vast
mountain forests, the numerous
rivers and streams and our delight
full climate have made the land of
Penn the abode of a large variety
of summer and of winter birds. The
birds exercise a great influence upon
many phases of agricultural life, and
the forests, streams and birds not
only influence economic and COM
mercial affairs, but they are agencies
of great value in promoting the
health, the social conditions and the
happiness of. our people.
The school may not, therefore,
render a greater service to the State
than to inculcate in every child
under its influence a spirit to con-
serve every natural resource and TO
protect every useful bird. Every
citizen of the Commonwealth should
be educated to feel that the waste of
any of our natural resources is a
national injury and an offense to the
good name of the State. 1, there
fore, suggest that on the day set
apart for the observance of the au
tumn arbor day and bird day that
the schools cooperate with the pub
lie and with all organizations desir-
ing to promote the best interests of
the State by holding such appropri-
ate public exercises in the schools
or elsewhere as Shall show the value
of our natural resources, the rela-
ton which they bear to the con-
tinued prosperity of our people, the
vital necessity of their conservation
and how many of those which have
already been depleted may be in part
at least ultimately restored. Where
an adequate number of trees have
been planted on the school grounds
it is suggested that the school au-
thorities cooperate with the highway
authorities in planting trees along
the highways The children and the
adults will get much pleasure and
will render great service in per-
fecting plans which will extend to
the winter birds a cordial invitation
to remain with us and hearty well
come to the summer birds on their
return to us in the spring.
THOMAS f FINEGAN
State Superintendent of Public
instruction.
Harrisburg, Sept. IS, 1919.
October
o suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather.
Helen Fiske Jackson.
Don't KilI the Birds
Don't kill the birds, the happy birds,
That bless the fields and grove;
So innocent to look upon,
They claim our warmest love.
The happy birds. the tuneful birds,
How pleasant 'tis to see!
No spot can be a cheerless place,
Where'er their presence be.
-Colesworthy.
From Autumnal Dreams
When the maple turns to crimson
And the sassafras to gold,
When the gentian's in the meadow,
And the aster on the void:
When the noon in Tapped in vapor,
And the night is frosty-cold.
When the chestnut burrs are opened,
And the acorns drop like hail,
And the drowsy air is startled
With the humping of the fail
1. Il ~
And the whistle of the quail.
Through the rustling woods l wan
der,
Through the jewels of the year.
-Bayard Taylor.