Twenty-first Star Chapter NSDAR Participates in Washington Tree Rededication at Maine East High School

Arbor Day is a celebration of trees and their importance to provide shelter, stabilization for the ground, and beauty to the beholder. There was a rededication of the Washington Elm Tree and plaque by Twenty-first Star Chapter Regent Gail Enault; former Chapter Regent Joy Martin, and Maine East Principal Michael Pressler. Twenty-first Star Chapter Conservation Chairman Bonnie J. Reese along with her husband Jim, members of the Twenty-first Star Chapter, science teachers and students also attended. Director of Buildings and Grounds David Sanders, along with his assistants Robert Borowski and Michael Anthony were also present. The ceremony was held on Arbor Day, April 29th, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the front entrance of Maine East High School in Park Ridge.

Beginning as early as 1830, it became legend that under this elm tree General George Washington first took command of the American Army on July 3, 1775 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The original tree was felled in 1924 because of its declining health. The mayor of Cambridge had the tree cut into blocks and pieces of varying sizes and sent them all over the country to noteworthy people. Slips of the tree were also sent to schools across America to be planted as living reminders of United States history. How many survived, is unknown.

In 1932, the Twenty-first Star Chapter NSDAR, then named the Park Ridge Chapter, participated in a national celebration of the Bicentennial of George Washington's birthday by planting and marking with bronze plaques four elm trees propagated from the original Washington elm. The four locations chosen by the Park Ridge Chapter were Maine East High School, Field Grammar School, Lincoln Junior High School and Roosevelt Elementary School. In 2012 the lone surviving Maine East Washington Elm Tree also began dying of disease and old age and had to be destroyed.

Then Regent of Twenty-first Star Chapter, Joy Martin, challenged the members to take a few seeds gathered by Park Ridge City Forester, Tony Gliot, from the dying Washington Elm Tree and try to germinate them. No one in the Chapter had any success with the seeds of this first distribution. However, Tony Gliot had a special batch of seeds reserved that were more promising than the first seeds gathered. He gave those seeds to Chapter Conservation Chair, Bonnie J. Reese, for her husband, Jim Reese, to try to germinate.

Mr. Reese planted 24 seeds in his greenhouse in June. Though Mrs. Reese believed the tiny trees needed protection when they were first planted outside her husband felt them must endure all the hardships of winter. In the spring of 2013 four trees had survived the winter although rabbits ate the tiny trees down to the snow line. By the spring of 2014 they were short, straggly little twigs. The Reeses' backyard flooded and the fledgling trees were covered by three inches of water, but Mr. Reese pumped the backyard out for them. Later binding Morning Glory vines tried to choke them and a common tree fungus made their leaves look unattractive. Despite all the challenges, the four trees lived and were stronger for it. Especially one tree, which grew taller and stronger than the rest to a height of 6' 3"and became the heir apparent to replacing the Washington Elm tree at Maine East High School with three sister trees of various heights.

David Sanders, Director of Building and Grounds, for Maine East High School was delighted with the news that the Reeses had succeeded in growing four Washington Elm trees. He had a place of honor for the tallest tree and the remaining three were to shade the athletic fields. Mr. Sanders has an ongoing professional arborist to treat the trees in the future. The arborist had been treating the original Main East Washington Elm Tree which extended its life perhaps fifteen years beyond its natural life span. Maine East Principal, Dr. Mike Pressler, is a strong advocate of trees and has supported this project in every way. Science teachers are utilizing the project with their students to promote knowledge and conservation of trees.

Trees lose their leaves in the fall, but grow their roots during the winter months; therefore, it is advantageous to transplant trees during early winter. On November 17, 2015, Robert Borowski and Michael Anthony, assistant ground keepers, picked up the trees from the Reeses. They replanted the biggest tree in a place of honor by the flagpole and front entrance of Maine East High School. The other 3 trees have been planted as future shade trees for Maine East athletes.

Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal decent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership. The DAR recognizes "Patriots: as not only soldiers but also anyone who contributed to the cause of American freedom." If interested in learning more about the Daughters of the American Revolution or attending one of our meetings, please contact Dorothy Wilson at (847) 328-6946 for further details.