Will Nebraska City people wear Centennial costumes during the Arbor Day celebration?
Well, for some reason, no one has put his finger on that and said "go," but I noticed the other day in a drive around town that there were a number of Centennial-style dresses being aired on clothes lines.
Neither has there been any effort to start beard-growing. There were a few beards in the county centennial a few years ago and Syracuse men are sprouting whiskers now during that town's 100th birthday.
Bill Oberdieck handed a note from the Iowa State Horticultural Society that its organization got started in 1866 and initiated the first Arbor Day April 20, 1874. The first three committee members were Judge C. E. Whiting of Monona county, D. W. Adams of Allamakee county and Prof. H. H. McAfee of Ames.
"At that time there was a real need for trees. Early settlers had settled near streams and wooded areas as wood was needed and in great demand for buildings and fuel. Later as settlers spread out over the more treeless areas trees were needed not only for these purposes but for woodlots and windbreaks. By 1872, most available land in the state had been taken over by settlers from both the eastern states and by immigrants from many northern European countries especially Germany and the Scandanavian countries.
"Also during this decade following the Civil War many small nurseries sprang up in most Iowa counties where trees were grown to furnish the needs of nearby farmers. Besides this need for more trees during this period there was a tremendous need and demand for fences. It was during these years that the Osage Orange was found adapted for planting as a live fence and many nurseries grew this plant by the thousands for this purpose.
"Especially in southern Iowa hundreds of miles of Osage Orange hedges were planted. As barb wire came into use and land became more valuable, these live hedges were gradually replaced. As these hedges were removed, thousands of Osage Orange posts were produced and used as posts for the barb wire fences.
"At the time the State Horticulture Society was established in 1866, the demand for trees was urgent and trees and tree planting as well as orcharding, were the main interests of the Society's members. The Society sponsored an Arbor Day each spring as one of its activities for 23 years, until 1897.
"By that time interest was waning, but every spring some localities still sponsored a "Tree Planting Day" or Arbor Day. In recent years the Horticulture Society again started sponsoring Arbor Day, mainly by planting Horticulture Society and several of its affiliated groups, such as the Iowa Nurserymen's State 4-H Camp, southwest of Luther in Boone County, is planning a large tree planting campaign over the state. The Society hopes that due to the loss of thousands of elm trees caused by the Dutch elm disease that interested groups and individuals will not only promote, but plant trees in untold numbers in every hamlet, town and city in the state."
Congratulations to Steve Ryder, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ryder. He was recognized the other day for helping save the life of a student at college at Maryville, Missouri.
Congrats also to Rod, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Cushing and Rebecca Koerber, daughter of Mrs. Henry Stratker, on winning the Elks youth contests.
Jesse Stein, director of the Arbor Work Center, is looking for jobs for his clients at the Center.
Mr. Stein said the group needs the work. The clients have been assembling curlers for over a year and apparently their work has been satisfactory because they keep getting the jobs.
The director said he hopes to expand the program and as a result involve more clients. "We will be able to handle 35 clients," Mr. Stein said. The new plant will be open in a few weeks and that will hopefully open new doors to jobs for the people there.
Information of jobs for the clients should be directed to Mr. Stein or his staff.
There's a new safety law that is stirring quite a bit of conversation and creating the sale of hard hats.
Signs are posted in construction areas designating the space as "hard hat area." The builders mean just that. And if you happen to wander onto the construction site without a hard hat, you'll hear about it from the job superintendents.
City Utilities crews have had the hats for many years and so have many other major construction companies. But now you see them just about everywhere including in the wrecker and tow services, painters and even rescue squads.
On a recent visit to the new Elks home in the company of Ralph Causgrove, exalted ruler, we were met at the door by one of the workmen who made sure hard hats were issued before touring the construction site.
It's all settled and official now.
Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers and Cletus Fischer will be the speakers at the Pioneer Booster-Optimist athletic banquet in May at the National Guard Armory.
Company A Guardsmen will cook and serve and that does not mean tin plates and SOS.