ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 



351 



XE\V YORK STATE PROGRAM, 1889. 



(Original.) 



TRIBUTE TO NATURE. 



Of nature broad and free, 

 Of grass and flower and tree, 



Sing we to-day. 

 God hath pronounced it good, 

 So we. His creatures would 

 Offer to field and wood, 



Our heartfelt la}-. 



To all that meets the eye, 

 In earth, or air, or sky. 



Tribute we bring. 

 Barren this world would be, 

 Bereft of shrub and tree ; 

 Now gracious Lord to Thee, 



Praises we sing. 



[Tune " AMERICA."] 



May we Thy hand behold. 

 As bud and leaf unfold. 



See but Thy thought ; 

 Xor heedlessly destroy. 

 Nor pass unnoticed by ; 

 But be our constant joy. 



All Thou hast wrought. 



As each small bud and flower 

 Speaks of the Maker's power. 



Tells of His love ; 

 So we. Thy children dear. 

 Would live from year to year. 

 Show forth Thy goodness here. 



And then above. 

 MARY A. HEEKMAXS, Elmira, X. V. 



(Original.) 



THE CLASS TREE. 



[Tune " AMERICA."] 



Grow thou and flourish well Deep in the earth to-day. 



Ever the story tell. Safely thy roots we lay. 



Of this glad day ; Tree of our love ; 



Long may thy branches raise Grow thou, and flourish long ; 



To heaven our grateful praise Ever our grateful song 



Waft them, on sunlight rays Shall its glad notes prolong 



To God away. To God above. 



" Let music swell the breeze. 

 And ring from all the trees," 



On this glad day ; 

 Bless Thou each student band 

 O'er all our happy land ; 

 Teach them Thy love's command 

 Great God, we pray. 



EMMA S. THOMAS, Schoharie. X. V. 

 (Original.) 



ARBOR DAY. 



Plant in the springtime the beautiful trees, 

 So that in future each soft summer breeze, 

 Whispering through tree-tops may call to our mind. 

 Days of our childhood then left far behind. 



Days when we learned to be faithful and true ; 

 Days when we yearned our life's future to view; 

 Days when the good seemed so easy to do; 

 Days when bfe's cares were so light and so few. 



Oft in the present are we made to know 

 What was done for us in years long ago, 

 How others sowed in the vast fields of thought, 

 And, to us, harvests from their work is brought. 



And, as we read, in some tree's welcome shade, 

 Of the works of earth's wise men, which never can 



fade, 



Thanks would we waft on the soft summer breeze, 

 Both to planters of thought and to planters of trees. 



Then should we think, in our heritage grand, 

 We, too, belong to that glorious band. 

 Who in word or in thought, or in deed something do- 

 To advance this old world somewhat on to the new. 



As in the past men did plant for to-day, 

 So will we plant in this beautiful May, 

 Trees that in future shall others shade cool. 

 Thoughts that shall ripen for earth's future schooL 



AXON'YMOL'S. 



