After learning about Arbor Day, the children have gained an appreciation of trees. They have become aware of the different kinds of trees that are growing on our school grounds and community. Furthermore, the students have learned how trees play an important part in everyone’s daily life.
Arbor Day began in Nebraska on April 10, 1872 by Julius Sterling Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician; more than one million trees were planted that day. With such amazing success, Mr. Morton proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees.
Today, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states. Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April as proclaimed by President Richard Nixon in 1970. Variations of Arbor Day are celebrated in other countries such as: Australia, Japan, Israel, Korea, Iceland, and India.
In his own words:
“Arbor Day… which has already transplanted itself… to every state in the American Union and has even been adopted in foreign lands… is not like other holidays. Each of those reposes on the past, while Arbor Day proposes for the future.” ~J. Sterling Morton
