Tree Awaiting Rebirth As Memorial Bench

The 150-year-old white pine tree knocked down by Hurricane Gloria is currently drying out in Kirkland House, awaiting plans to turn it into a memorial bench.

"We have several pieces of the log in the Kirkland basement," said Kirkland House Master Donald H. Pfister, adding that "it'll probably be until the summer" before the wood will be dry enough to work with. Pfister said the wood will probably become a bench, althouth he didn't know where it would be put or who would make it.

After the tree fell on September 27, John H. Finley '25, Eliot Professor of Greek Literature Emeritus and former master of Eliot House, started a movement to make a memorial of the tree by suggesting the idea to Pfister.

The bench will be in honor of former College President John T. Kirkland, who was president from 1810-28. He had pine trees planted in the Yard in 1815 in order to close up the open space there, Finley said.

"Kirkland planted a row of pine trees there, and [this tree] was the last one of these," Finley said.