During the night between January 6 and January 7, 2007, two people with chainsaws snuck into the high school quad. They quickly and accurately cut a large slice out of the Douglas Fir that dominated the courtyard. Then they left, their images caught on security cameras but their faces masked by the dark.
On Sunday, worried that strong winds would push the tree over into G-Building, the Ithaca City School District decided to cut the Fir down.
The tree the perpetrators killed, planted in 1966, was, for many, a symbol of IHS character and spirit. On Monday, students clustered around the stump in the empty quad, reminiscing. The next day, several seniors replaced the Douglas Fir with a Christmas tree, although that tree was knocked over during the day and taken away.
The responses to the tree’s death were documented on the blog http://ihstree.wordpress.com/. Many people left heartfelt comments, citing their attachment to the tree. Kevin W. wrote, “First of all, we have all thought about it, cutting [it] down as a prank. But as a class of 1995 member I will always remember the cool shade it gave me while I gawked at hot girls in the quad, or the subtle whisps [sic] it offered over a hackysack game. I will miss the tree…forever.”
Many also attacked the vandalism itself. One anonymous student wrote, “Every class for 20 years could have cut down the tree, and no one did. That’s because it’s a stupid idea. What a shame.”
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