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Arbor Day in Follansbee

CELEBRATION — Fifth-graders from Follansbee Middle School joined representatives of the West Virginia Division of Forestry and Follansbee in observing Arbor Day by planting a pin oak at Follansbee Park Tuesday. Among those taking part were, from left, Lex Hayden, Alaina Bilby, Bob Hannah and Sam Adams of the Division of Forestry; and Owen Petrella and Raymond DeFranco. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — Fifth graders from Follansbee Middle School helped city officials and volunteers to observe Arbor Day while learning about the holiday’s origin Tuesday.

As their peers looked on, four of the pupils were recruited to dig into the ground at Follansbee Park so a pin oak supplied by the city could be planted there. The four were: Lex Hayden, Alaina Bilby, Owen Petrella and Raymond DeFranco.

Such observances are one reason the city has been named a Tree City USA for 21 consecutive years by the Arbor Day Foundation. The other criteria are having an ordinance and budget for the care of trees on city property and a tree committee to oversee them.

Bob Hannah, urban forestry coordinator for the West Virginia Division of Forestry, presented a Tree City USA banner to Mayor David Velegol Jr.

Hannah said the city is one of 15 West Virginia municipalities to receive the honor. He said while Follansbee has earned it for many years, the city that has received the designation longest is Williamstown, with more than 30 years.

Hannah also told the youth how Arbor Day was begun by J. Sterling Morton, a newspaper publisher in Nebraska City, Neb., who advocated for the preservation and planting of trees. He noted not only their scenic beauty but also their role in blocking damaging wind and securing soil and as fuel and a building material. At Morton’s request, April 10, 1872 was named the first Arbor Day in America. Prizes were offered to those who planted the most trees, and it’s said that a million trees were planted in the state.

Morton would later serve in the Nebraska Territory House of Representatives and fittingly, as secretary of agriculture under President Grover Cleveland.

But most people know his name for the salt company founded by his son.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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