ARBOR DAY IN SCHOOLS 13 



since it has become so habitable and hospitable by 

 cultivation and tree-planting. Where, twenty years 

 ago, the books said trees would not grow, the settler 

 who does not plant them is the exception. The 

 Nebraskans are justly proud of his great achieve- 

 ment and are determined to maintain its pre- 

 eminence. 



Arbor Day for economic tree-planting and Arbor 

 Day in schools differ in origin and scope. Both have 

 been erroneously attributed to me, though long ago 

 I advocated tree-planting by youth, and started the 

 scheme of centennial tree-planting, offering a dollar 

 prize, in 1876, to every boy or girl who should plant, 

 or help in planting, five "centennial trees"; still the 

 happy idea of designating a given day when all 

 should be invited to unite in this work belongs 

 solely to ex-Governor Morton. His great problem 

 was to meet the urgent needs of vast treeless prairies. 

 At the meeting of the American Forestry Association, 

 held at St. Paul in 1883, my resolution in favor of 

 observing Arbor Day in schools in all our states was 

 adopted, and a committee was appointed to push 

 that work. Continued as their chairman from that 

 day to this, I have presented the claims of Arbor 

 Day personally, or by letter, to the governor, or 

 state school superintendent in all our states and 

 territories. 



My first efforts were not encouraging. The 

 indifference of state officials who, at the outset, 



