It turns out Auburn has always had a love for oak trees.
The 1897 Auburn class song, found in that year's Glomerata, was written about an oak tree.
"Little oak, you're only a wee twig now, You must bend and wave with the breeze; Like us, you must fight your way in the world, Ere you take your place with the trees," it reads.
On the surface, it seems like a song about the Toomer's Oaks, which are widely believed to be about 130 years old.
But dig a little deeper and you'll find out the trees weren't around then.
Research done by Dr. Gary Keever, a researcher and professor of horticulture at Auburn, shows that the trees didn't come about until the late 1930s.
Debbie Shaw, vice president of Alumni Affairs, is familiar with the findings of Dr. Keever, whom she called "the tree expert."
"(The song) wasn't about those Toomer's Oaks," Shaw said. "They didn't come until the 1930s. But maybe the point, in this poem in the Glom that long ago, was about the significance or emotional part of trees."
Looking at the 1897 class song indicates Auburn has always been attached to its beautiful oak trees around the campus. And with the health of the famous Toomer's Oaks getting worse, people are reflecting on lifelong memories made at Toomer's Corner.
For Michael Overstreet, general manager of Toomer's Drugs, his best memory was bringing his family to the trees to gather with the Auburn family.
"It's probably after the last bowl game in Atlanta where we played Virginia," Overstreet said. "We woke up my little girl, we got dressed. It was cold outside, but yet we bundled up, drove downtown and gathered with the Auburn family and rolled the tree.
"We all at that point were aware what happened with the tree, so we just all made sure that we enjoyed the moment and appreciated what we got to do together as a family. Not just the immediate family, but the Auburn family."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
