Nature Bulletin No. 227-A   April 23, 1966
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Seymour Simon, President
Roland F. Eisenbeis, Supt. of Conservation

****:THE HISTORY OF ARBOR DAY

Most holidays remind us of past events, but Arbor Day, set aside for 
the planting of trees, looks toward the future. That is truly 
conservation. Conservation may be defined as the wise use of all our 
natural resources for the permanent good of all the people . It is a way 
of living that looks toward the future.

The idea of Arbor Day started on January 4, 1872, when J. Sterling 
Morton, then a member of the Nebraska Board of Agriculture, 
introduced a resolution that:

"Wednesday, the tenth day of April, 1872, be and the same is hereby 
especially set apart and consecrated for the planting of trees in the 
State of Nebraska and the State Board of Agriculture hereby name it 
Arbor Day; and to urge upon the people of the State the vital 
importance of tree planting .... "

He forcefully pictured to the people living upon the treeless plains of 
that state, what value, beauty and comfort the planting of trees would 
bring. Wide publicity and support were given the plan and over a 
million trees were planted in Nebraska that first Arbor Day.

This man, Julius Sterling Morton, like his beloved trees, had roots set 
solidly in American soil. In 1855 he settled on a quarter section of 
land and immediately started planting trees. In a few years he had an 
orchard of 300 trees -- later, another one of 1000 trees -- and, as editor 
of the Nebraska City News, wrote frequently on the value and wisdom 
of tree planting, From 1858 to 1861 he was Secretary of the Territory 
of Nebraska and for a few months was Acting Governor. He helped 
organize the Nebraska State Horticultural Society in 1869, and a little 
later was a member, then president, of the State Board of Agriculture. 
In 1885, Nebraska had 700, 000 acres of planted trees and had been 
nicknamed "The Tree Planters State". In 1893, he became the third U. 
S. Secretary of Agriculture, on the cabinet of President Grover 
Cleveland.

Arbor Day gave impetus to the swing of public opinion, from 
acquiescence in forest destruction, toward forest conservation, At first 
it was observed only by agricultural organizations and by towns, to 
encourage the planting of shade and forest trees, shrubs and vines 
along highways and about homes and public property. Educators soon 
recognized its worth and in 1884 the National Education Association 
voiced this approval:

"Resolved, that in view of the valuable results of Arbor Day work in 
the six states where such a day has been observed, alike upon the 
school and the home, this Association recommends the general 
observance of Arbor Day for schools in all our states".

The dedication of one day each year to tree planting with fitting 
ceremonies has grown in popularity. Arbor Day is now observed in 
every state, the date varying with the region. About half the states have 
enacted laws fixing the date; in others it is set by special proclamation 
of the governor. A few years ago, a movement was started to establish 
the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day. On July 10, 1949, 
Illinois became the eighth state to legally adopt this date. In some 
states, memorial trees and groves are planted on Arbor Day as living 
monuments to men who died in the services of our country. The 
observance of Arbor Day has spread to a number of other countries 
and, as in Australia, is observed as a school festival. The idea goes 
beyond the mere planting of trees, An essential part of the program is 
the continued care of those trees by individuals, schools or youth 
organizations.

Familiarity, with trees, breeds respect.