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As you have no doubt already seen in the pages of Tuesday’s George-Anne, or at gadaily.com, the large tree that stood next to the Williams Center for decades was finally cut down after branches began to fall away due to internal rotting. At first, I thought little of the tree being cut down. Then I began to think of all the history that tree has seen over the years.
The Williams Center was constructed in 1959, and served as the campus’ student union before the Russell Union. When it was built, the now deceased tree was already there, waiting to provide students, faculty, and staff with decades of shade, a place to play, and even a place to see squirrels congregate and scamper about.
Walking towards the Williams Center has become a new -- and for now disconcerting -- experience without the grand oak being there. I made my way to the area where the tree once stood, and was stunned by how different the place not only looked, but felt. Monday saw most of the tree gone. By Tuesday, it was as if the tree had never been there, with only a stump standing where once a large and mighty oak was.
Now is the time to think back and reflect on what has transpired on this campus -- and in Statesboro -- while that tree was around. The tree was here during both World Wars, the Civil Rights movement, the Kennedy assassination, and the September 11 attacks. It was around for such a long time that no one is even sure of how long it was there. Perhaps it was one of the oaks planted by college president Guy Wells during the 1930s. Regardless, it has been around to experience numerous events in campus history.
The Williams Center tree saw this campus begin, grow, and nearly die during the World War II era. The tree saw the campus integrate in 1965, and also saw the ceremony to honor that event 40 years later. Not too far from the old tree’s location, Erk Russell held a press conference at Hanner Fieldhouse announcing the return of Georgia Southern football. Who knows how many students walked by the tree while going to work at The George-Anne, the Southern Reflector magazine, or 91.9 The Buzz radio station?
Beyond nostalgia, it’s a chance to think about what the university can do to protect and preserve other trees on campus. Over time, other oaks on campus will have to be defended against rot and decay in whatever way possible. Otherwise, the university will lose the traditional campus feel that has made Georgia Southern unique for so many years.
For now, make sure to savor the natural beauty of the campus around us. You never know when it will be gone.
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