ARBOR DAY If AN UAL. 



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HOW ARBOR DAY IS OBSERVED IN VARIOUS STATES. 



THE information centained in the following pages was largely obtained from 

 responses to a recent request made to State Superintendents, and from 

 their annual reports : 



ALABAMA. February 22 is Arbor Day in this State. It is not established 

 by law, but has been observed since 1886. The Superintendent of Public In- 

 struction issued a stirring circular, January 18, 1887, recommending that every 

 school plant at least one memorial tree to be named and cared for by the 

 school. The Superintendent writes that several thousand trees have been 

 planted, but that the day " is not as generally observed as it should be." 



ARKANSAS. No response from State Superintendent ; no data found in 

 annual reports. 



CALIFORNIA. The day is not yet observed. Superintendent of Public 

 Instruction, Ira G. Hoitt, writes, Nov. 27, 1889 : " I recommended that an Arbor 

 Day be legally established by the last Legislature, but we had so much other' 

 legislation to accomplish on educational subjects, that we had no time to press 

 the matter. It will yet be done." 



COLORADO. Arbor Day has been observed pursuant to a special procla- 

 mation of the Governor for the past six years, and about 300,000 trees have 

 been planted. In 1889, a law was passed designating the third Friday in April 

 in each year. The day is a holiday in the public schools of the State. The Gov- 

 ernor is to issue a proclamation, and the State Superintendent and county su- 

 perintendents are instructed to promote by all proper means the observance of 

 the day, and reports are to be made to the State Forest Commissioner. 



CONNECTICUT. The law of 1 886 provides that the Governor shall annually, 

 in the spring, designate, by proclamation, an Arbor Day, to be observed in the 

 schools, and for economic tree-planting. Usually a day late in April or early in 

 May is designated. In 1887 and 1888, the Secretary of the State Board of Edu- 

 cation issued elaborate suggestions, with selections for program. Since that 

 date it has been left to the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture. 



DELAWARE. No response from State Superintendent; no data found in 

 annual reports. 



FLORIDA. Arbor Day is fixed by proclamation of the Governor, usually 

 in February (in 1889 on Feb. 14), and the Superintendent of Public Instruction 

 issues a circular to county superintendents, who in turn communicate with the 

 teachers. The Superintendent writes that thousands of children, as well as 

 great numbers of patrons and people participate in the exercises. (See program 

 for 1890, under Specimen Programs.) 



ILLINOIS. The law of 1887 provides that the Governor shall annually, in 

 the spring, designate by proclamation a day to be known as "Arbor Day." 

 The State Superintendent also issues a circular and suggests a program. (See 



