President Plants A Tree

[Music] this is the White House all of our nation's presidents since 1800 when it was first occupied by John Adams today April 12 1957 in keeping with a long-standing tradition a tree is to be planted on the White House grounds by President Dwight the Eisenhower a tree that is to take its place among other interesting trees among the gingko the Canadian hemlock and the American holly alongside the Oriental spruce and the camperdown elm among the hundreds of other trees planted it [Music] this white oak was planted by President Herbert Hoover just about the time the star-spangled banner was officially adopted by act of Congress as our national anthem if you were to stand on the North Portico of the White House looking toward Pennsylvania Avenue this American elm would catch your eye it was planted by Woodrow Wilson and helps to date another interest historical event passage of the 19th amendment allowing women to vote for the first time also on the Pennsylvania Avenue side you will see this fine specimen of pin oak it serves as a living memorial to President William McKinley he planted it at the turn of the century just as Hawaii and Puerto Rico became part of the United States a pretty ornamental Japanese maple is proof that interest in tree planting was shared by other members of our presidents families this dwarf maple was planted by mrs. Grover Cleveland it was during her husband's administration that the Statue of Liberty was placed in New York Harbor one of the principal attractions on the White House grounds is this impressive southern magnolia planted by President Andrew Jackson in the early eighteen hundreds its planting coincided with Davy Crockett's brave defense of the Alamo from the lower balcony on the south side of the White House you get an unobstructed view of the beautiful Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument that proud spire itched against the sky close by is one of the oldest trees on the grounds a living symbol of another early day president this is an American elm planted by John Quincy Adams around 1825 just as the digging of the Erie Canal was completed and Buffalo and New York became linked by water yes there are many famous trees on the White House grounds and their growth has kept pace with America's history one tree is missing the planted by President Theodore Roosevelt one of America's greatest conservationists the tree he planted fell to the elements but his memory is marked by millions of other trees growing in the national forests he helped to establish the planting by President Eisenhower was in itself an historic Secretary of Agriculture Benson was on hand as were chief Forester McArdle and Agriculture's assistant secretary Peterson the president's granddaughter Susan and mrs. Eisenhower also attended the interesting ceremony a black walnut tree one of America's most popular trees was selected by President Eisenhower for this planting the black walnut has always been closely associated with one of President Eisenhower's favorite predecessors Abraham Lincoln this tree from Lincoln County in Illinois is the first of its kind to be planted on the White House grounds the personal interest of the chief executive in the nation's forest resources and the entry plantings specifically was pointed out by secretary Benson he said the ceremony highlighted increasing tree planting activities nationwide and gave new emphasis to conservation the president told his granddaughter that like the tree she too would grow tall and strong and beautiful congratulations all around on a good tree-planting job as the ceremony drew to a close there was considerable activity on the part of the photographers in recording the event for posterity the roots of the young tree soon took firm hold six months after planting healthy leaves gave evidence of a good start in the new home chief gardener robert redmond who has spent more than 30 years tending the White House trees has given the black walnut his personal attention and care [Music] and so of the grounds of the White House a little black walnut tree has taken its place among other three is planted by other presidents a tree characterized by strength beauty and usefulness characteristics of our nation itself [Applause]