2025.03.06 THROW BACK THURSDAY - WHAT IS A TREE? PLUS CLASS NEWS
THROW BACK THURSDAY - WHAT IS A TREE? PLUS CLASS NEWS
Michael Lee Herndon is a 1955 grad. In the late 1920's his grandfather bought land in Southwest Little Rock off of Highway 5 or
Stagecoach Road and started a small dairy. Mike said their road had no name or maybe it was called "Route" or "Box" something.
Then County Judge Arch Campbell came along, a friend of Mike's Grandfather, and started naming roads. When he learned that
the Herndon's had lived on their road since the 1920's, Judge Campbell named it Herndon Road. In the 1930's Mike's grandfather
started a dairy . . . Herndon Dairy. It grew into a large dairy with over 100 cows and was eventually sold to Coleman Dairy.
Mike still lives in the family home on Herndon Road. One day he was telling me the story of this tree and what an impact it made
on him. Evidently for years when he was telling anyone how to get to his house, he just told them about the tree in the middle of the
road. Finally history caught up with the tree and it was uprooted. Mike told me he had written a little paper about it. I asked to see it
. . . and here it is. Any of you that lived in that area may well remember this tree! I know I used to tell people that I lived on the corner
in the two story house with the rock wall. I guess we all did that.
In the early 1900's, a seed took root in the forest. Then man drove his wagon by, the rains came, and man began to also drive on the
other side of me. I grew patiently as man drove on my right side, then on my left. Gravel was placed over my roots, but I persisted to grow.
Then came the asphalt over the gravel, yet I grew. I began to be used as a landmark. "Turn on the road that has a tree in the middle of the road."
I remained standing in the middle of the road as man drove his car to the right or to the left of me. My bark became gnawed and thin from
encounters with the machines man drove, yet I grew. Then a machine with huge teeth came by and dug at my roots. I did not give up
without man first giving up his gravel and asphalt. Yet I live on in the thoughts of those who used me as a landmark. I am gone along with that
era and so is the man that lived down that road so many years ago who used to say "turn on the road that has a tree in the middle of the road."
1956 CLASS NEWS
Still asking for prayers for Tommy Thomas and Bucky.
Is anyone in touch with Carol Griffenhagen? Carol still lives in New York City as far as I know. Last week for the first time her email was
returned. I have put a call into her and her son, but have heard nothing. If any of you have talked to her lately, please let me know.
Joel Hicks sends a sincere Thank You to everyone who was kind enough to send cards, especially the monthly groups.
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