The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Asa K. McIlhaney to Walt Whitman, 11 October 1889
Date: October 11, 1889
Whitman Archive ID: loc.03248
Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Contributors to digital file: Kirby Little, Ashlyn Stewart, Breanna Himschoot, and Stephanie Blalock
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Bath, Pa.,
Oct. 11—1889
Mr. Walt Whitman,
Dear Sir—
Last spring I wrote to you informing you that the pupils of the public schools of this place, contemplated planting a tree and naming it in honor of you. But as I did not receive an answer from you, and thinking that my letter miscarried, I concluded to write again, and name the tree of their planting of the next "Arbor Day"—Oct. 18" 1889, in honor of you. I would be pleased to receive a letter from you giving the pupils some encouragement in this grand work of tree-planting—I will read it to them on "Arbor Day" which we celebrate one week from today—Hoping to hear from you—I am—
Very truly yours—
A K McIlhaney
Principal of Schools—
Correspondent:
Asa K. McIlhaney (1867–1946)
was a local historian, naturalist, and author from Northhampton county,
Pennsylvania. He worked as a teacher at the grammar school in Bath,
Pennsylvania, and later as a principal. For more information on McIlhaney, see
"Asa K. McIlhaney: The Monocacy School's Most Famous Teacher," The Governor's Gossip: Newsletter of the Governor Wolf Historical
Society (November 2016), 6.