Monday, November 24, 2008

Tree Massacre

by Laura Jane Hudson

  So, I was sitting in class - I could hear the chain saws buzzing all day. I knew they were trimming dangerous or over crowded limbs from the trees on campus. However, I never expected to come out of class and see one of the oldest, largest trees on campus in pieces lying on the ground. The pieces of this massive tree were wider than the men who cut it down were tall. This tree - that once stood on the Wiley-side lawn of the chapel - was here before anything else that we see today in that area. The railroad was not here, no buildings, no roads - just that tree and the mountains, the grass, the earth. How can we cut down something so old and historic? The trees on this campus are half (yes, half) the reason Emory & Henry College got my money every year! 
  Then, they continue to cut down more trees. Nor do any of these trees appear dead or dying? I would rather let this historic tree - over 800 years old - fall on one of these hideous, in-need-of-restoration buildings before I would cut it down before it was actually dead. 
  Another thing about these trees being cut down all over campus is that they have significance to people -especially Greek organizations. The fraternity Sigma Iota has met their new pledges under the tree in front of the Kelly Library since 1926. Now that tree is gone. This tree was not dead either! 
  The tree in front of the Chapel was also a greek significant tree. The sorority Kappa Phi Alpha met under this tree at Running of the Bulls. Another old tradition that has now been all but ruined due to the killing of this tree. 
  Administration - or whoever sanctioned the cutting - needs to give some reasoning for their actions beyond the trees were dead because they were in full bloom this past spring and summer. They are slowly killing the aesthetic of this campus - you can't just put back history that deep. Those trees are gone, no one else will ever have the chance of marveling at the massive trees that once stood - and imagine the history of that tree, imagine what that tree stood through and saw happen. I makes me sick to think that something that old is gone and we can never get it back.
What are they thinking??

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i agree LJ that cutting down the trees was ridiculous and especially since they were not even dead and did not even have a reason to cut them down at all. The tree that was by the library for Sigma Iota and the one in front of the chapel for Kappa Phi ALpha had great significance to these people and now what will they do come BTI?

beAtBoX19 said...

After walking out of class one day with a sig, we started talking about the trees being cut down. then all of the sudden both of us stopped dead in our tracks when we realized what tree had been cut down. neither of us spoke for a few minutes, nor did we move. to some, that tree and others were just wood. but to me, my sisters, and especially my brothers that tree is tradition. in regards to the kphi tree, even though it is not my sorority it still upsets me. whats next? the drho meeting tree, collins house? and who are they to mess with tradition? who are they to mess with OUR traditions?

DRDHitman08 said...

I'm glad that you wrote about this in your blog! While the cutting down of historic trees doesn't directly affect me, I find it horrible that they would get rid of trees that hold meaning to certain organizations. I also find it appauling that the school feels the need to "cleanse" the campus of dead/dying trees, and yet we cannot fix the lighting problem that we have on campus?? Sometimes I wonder what their priorities are...