Pinehurst Outlook Suggests Oaks as Memorials to Fallen Soldiers, Trees for Ruined Battlefields in France, 1919

From The Pinehurst Outlook, Jan. 18, 1919

Memorial Trees

At this time many organizations, municipalities and counties are earnestly seeking some suitable memorial to their members or citizens who have gone out from them in the service of their country and given their lives for the freedom of the world.

What more fitting memorials could there be than trees! Not monuments in stone, never changing, indifferent alike to the seasons, and the care of loving hands; but beautiful young trees, growing every upward and outward towards the light, like the souls of those whom we seek to commemorate and responding daily to the care bestowed upon them.

The ideal tree for this purpose is one that will thrive in most situations, is resistant to disease, will live long, is beautiful in youth and will be still more beautiful in age. Such is our American white oak. It grows slowly, but no tree arouses such genuine admiration, affection and inspiration. Some other oaks, such as the willow oak, water oak, red oak, pin oak, live oak, and others, are ideal for the different parts of North Carolina in which they are native, but the white oak thrives all over this state, and in fact over practically all the eastern United States.

Let us plant oaks, the symbol of strength—one might almost say of immortality—as memorial trees, not only singly on school or home grounds, but in parks and more particularly in avenues along our important roads, making our ways beautiful with their living beauty and keeping alive the sacred memories of those whom we love and shall always delight to honor.

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From The Pinehurst Outlook, Jan. 18, 1919

Trees for France

We are printing this issue a suggestion that throughout the country, and specifically in this neighborhood, trees be planted as a memorial to all our soldiers that have fallen in the war, as the most perfect and fitting possible tribute and monument that could be made for them.

A movement of equal importance to the National spirit has been inaugurated by the New York Bird and Tree Club. Everyone knows that in large sections of France the Huns have razed not only the immemorial forests, but hacked down every shade tree and every fruit tree. The commercial loss to the Frenchman, great as it is, is not equal to the anguish of the soul with which he views the total mutilation of his ancestral landscape.

It is suggested that as simple and as welcome a tribute as any American could pay to France would be to replace a tree in this blasted battle ground. So this society has printed a beautiful and appropriate mailing card, inscribed with Joyce Kilmer’s now classic poem, with the further inscription:

“I am planting a Fruit Tree in Devastated France in Memory of our Heroes who gave their Lives that the World might be Free.”

These cards sell for 25 cents. And for every card sold the society pledges itself to plant a fruit tree in France. Consequently, to get down to cases, if you have any desire to plant a fruit tree in France, send to Mrs. Robert A. Miller, President, 17 West 45^th street, and buy as many of these artistic little cards as you wish to plant trees. Perhaps your friends would like to have the poem and the picture, and perhaps be equally glad to know of the opportunity. The poem, now known all over the world, reads:

Trees

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast.

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain,

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer, July 31, 1918