The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-31
GREAT OAKS FROM LITTLE AooRNs.
The story Of Bowdoln's GLASS Day Oak
[Bowdoin Orient.


[Bowdoin orient.l
The first Thursday in September. 1902, wss
great day for the district Of Maine. 1t was
the birthday of college. The labors Of q
struggle into existence, which had lasted for
eight years, were crowned on the sandy plains
OF Brunswick by the Inauguration of the first
president and the first professor of BowdoiR
College. The ceremonies took place in the
open air, and were conducted, says the records,
for the most part in Latin. When they were
over. the whole company returned to Massa-
chusetts Hall and partook Of banquet there
provided. The entertainment was given in
the West room, at that time used for chanel.
To grace the festivities the room was decor
ated with garlands OF oak. Four weeks later,
near the last of September, class of eight
young men, or rather boys, was admitted. One
OF these was George Thorndike, lad Of thir-
teen, who had come down from Beverly with
President McKeen. His father was Col.
Israel Thorndike, a staunch friend and great
admirer of Dr. McKeen. On the morning Of
the first prayers of the term, these eight
students of the college were standing, on the
steps, and around the door Of the Hall, max
ing observations on the appearance Of things
around them. Young Thorndike picked up
solitary acorn, which had been swept out OF
the room of the banquet foar weeks previously.
and wondered whore it came from. To pre-
serve 1t he dug a small hole near the steps and
buried 1t. Here it reposed all winter. The
next spring the president, who was like
father to the students, gave the class a small
plot of ground to cultivate for their own
amusement. He appropriated for this purpose
the Northeastern corner of his own garden
Thorndike rem6mbered his acorn. He sue
ceeded in finding it, dug it up, and found that
1t had lived and burst its shell. He trans
planted, it to the Northern portion Of the
students plot, and carefully looked after it
while he was in college. The slender shoot
continued to grow and flourish. 1t was cared
for by the president, by his successor, Presi-
dent Appleton, and by DIR. Allen, till it became
a great tree, and got beyond the need of care.
Young Thorndike died, four years after
leaving college, in st. Petersburg The fact
that OF Bowdoin's graduates George Thorn
dixie was the first to wear the fatal star, adds q
side OF peculiar pathos to the story. He
seemed to feel that he was not destined to live
to make his mark in the world when he so
tenderly nourished tree that was TO bear his
name down to future generations.
What changes this old oak has seenl When
hrst 1t pushed its slender stem from beneath
the sandy soil of Brunswick, the campus was
blueberry plain, one-quarter its present size.
The presidents, professors and students made
one family, all living together in Massachusetts,
Hall. This, the only building OF the college,
served for the presidents house, chapel, reci-
tation rooms and dormitories. The location Of
the Presidents kitchen is easily recognized to
this day By the old-fashioned fireplace in the
Cleveland leeture room. The students were
summoned to prayers BY the rapping of the
presidents cane on the stairs. A heavy rap
ping called to prayer, and lighter one to
recltatioBS
And thus it appears that the college oak
grew from acorn dropped from the oakon
garlands used to decorate the dining hall on
the day on which the college sprang into exist
ence. II has grown up side by side with the
mark the exact age which the college has
reached.