Local fourth graders get lesson on trees

HARTINGTON — Hartington Tree Board Members Dan Kathol and Ben Beckman again hosted the annual Arbor Day Tree Planting April 25 with the fourth graders from both Holy Trinity and Hartington-Newcastle Grade Schools, with 56 students in total participating.

Kathol explained to the students the history and story of the Arbor Day holiday and how it began here in Nebraska by a man named J. Sterling Morton.

J. Sterling Morton and his wife moved from Detroit in 1854, when Nebraska was still a Territory, and he became editor of the first newspaper in Nebraska. Morton and his wife were true lovers of nature and the home they established in Nebraska City was quickly planted with trees and bushes.

In his newspaper columns and editorials, Morton advocated to his readers to plant trees on what was mostly a treeless plain. He encouraged civic organizations and groups of every kind to join in. Morton became Secretary of the Nebraska Territory, and on Jan. 4, 1872, he proposed a tree-planting holiday to be called “Arbor Day.” His idea was approved and a date was set for April 10, 1872, as a day for everyone to join in and plant trees.

On that single day, over 1,000,000 trees were planted in Nebraska across the state.

Arbor Day was officially proclaimed a state holiday by the young Nebraska Gov. Robert W.

Furnas March 12, 1874, and the day that it would be observed each year would be the last Friday in April.

Soon after, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day until all the states in the United States eventually adopted the Arbor Day holiday which began a real surge in tree planting across the country.

Arbor Day caught on around the world and now many countries are observing Arbor Day.

After telling the Arbor Day history to the kids, tree board member Kathol emphasized with the kids how one man made such a positive difference in the world and that it all started in Nebraska, the state we call home.

After learning the history of Arbor Day, the students were asked to name some of the benefits of trees and there were many responses such as providing shade, beautifying the community, wood for building things, home for birds and animals, windbreaks for cattle, produce oxygen, paper and many more benefits were mentioned.

The kids then participated in planting a tree on the school grounds at HNPS, and for Holy Trinity, the kids planted a tree behind Holy Trinity church. The kids learned the techniques of successfully planting a tree and hopefully the experience will lead them toward taking a real interest in trees and planting trees as they grow older.

Before departing, each student received a spruce tree seedling to take home and plant in their yard or their farm. The Lewis & Clark NRD again supplied the tree seedlings as they have been doing for many years for this fourth grade Arbor Day Tree Planting event held each year on Arbor Day. Hartington has been a Tree City USA member for the past 34 years and as part of the membership, each Tree City USA community is asked to host some kind of tree planting event or seminar on trees during Arbor Day. Hartington has always hosted the Arbor Day fourth grade tree planting as their event and the kids have always enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about trees and tree planting and the importance of trees in both the city and the farm landscape.