ARBOR DAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1076, 24 July 1924, Page 6

ARBOR DAY.

LOCAL SCHOOLS’ OBSERVANCE. Arbor Day was observed yesterday by College Street School, Central School conducted celebrations this afternoon, and the other local primary schools will follow suit at dates to be determined. At College Street yesterday, at the morning assembly, the headmaster, Air W. A. Swinbourn, addressed the children on the significance of Arbor Day and a number of 'lessons and talks on its origin and purpose occupied, part of tho day’s work. The upper classes were addressed more particularly on the usas and classes of timber, and tho value of trees in providing timber, fuel, fruit, shade and shelter and for ornamental purposes. The climatic effect of forests vvas also touched upon, while attention vvas paid to forest conservation and re-afforcstation, with reference to tho work done by the New Zealand State F’orest Service about Rotorua and elsewhere. Tho local application of tree planting, which was shown to be chiefly of an ornamental character, and the kind of trees suitable for this purpose were explained to the scholars, who later "will write essays on the subject matter of the addresses to the classes.

Tho only practical work done in com | noction with the celebration vvas the 1 tending of the great number of thriving j ornamental shrubs and trees planted about the school grounds last year. _ These, it I may be mentioned, are growing excel ! lcntly, and some thinning out will shortjly bo required. Tho programme arranged for tho observance at Central School this afternoon I included an address, by tho agricultural officer of the Wanganui Education Board, Mr E. 11. Lange, to tho children. Mr Lunge, who has supervised the extensive beautifying work at this school, will assist in further operations in this regard. Alembers of tho school committee wero invited to attend the function. At an early date Ilokowhitu School will celebrate Arbor Day by sowing down in grass the area in front of the now school, and planting it with a number of ornamental shrubs. Tho levelling work is now nearing completion. It is not proposod to plant a hedge along the Scnndia street fence but to leave tho front portion and its future improvements visible from tho roadway. West End and Terrace End Schools have not yet fixed their dates for celebrating Arbor Day.