The twin pine trees on the CCS athletic fields were a feeling of pride. Then, in 1973 and 1976 vandals cut down the trees.
Saturday evening 17-Nov-1973 the first of CCS’s pine trees was cut down by vandals. Three years later, on Monday night 1-Nov-1976 the second pine tree was cut down by vandals.
The first tree appeared to have been cut by someone with deep knowledge of tree cutting. The second tree was cut by someone unfamiliar with tree cutting as the vandals used a cross cut saw leaving the tree cut roughly halfway through.
The first tree measured 83 ft tall and 30 inches across. The second tree was estimated to be 213 years old (1976 – 213 = 1753).
In Nov-1976 a poll in grades 7-12 was taken regarding the pine tree that was recently taken down. Here are the questions and the percent of YES votes
- Do you have strong feelings about the tree that was taken down … 73%
- Do you think it is right that B&J lumber got the tree and it is now lying in their lumber yard … 51%
- Is the tree important enough to be replaced … 81%
- Should the tree vandal be caught and prosecuted … 88%
Some suggestions about what should be done with the tree
- Sell it
- Preserve it
- Make something for the school from it
- Make a totem pole
- Put it in a coffin and bury it
- Put a chunk in the Main Office as a remembrance
During the CCS Awards Night prior to the 1977 graduation, Dick Dawson presented a painting of the twin trees to the school
The CCS baseball field was located east of the twin pines until 1965 when it moved to the northwest corner of the school property. The trees were directly behind the catcher. A strong, left-handed hitter could drive a ball from home plate over the right fielder’s head into the school parking lot.
(sources Wash Cnty Post 22-Nov-1973 and 4-Nov-1976; school newspaper 18-Nov-1976 and 23-Dec-1976)
(photos Johnny Woodruff)