Reflections on the Ginkgo

Walk north on the winding path from Stockham to Munger Memorial Hall any sunny afternoon in fall and you will find a scene that lives in the memory of thousands of Birmingham-Southern graduates—our two golden ginkgoes shimmering against a bold blue sky. As at many colleges across the nation, the ginkgo tree holds a spot of special honor on the Birmingham-Southern campus, and not for its simple beauty alone.

Darwin called the ginkgo "a living fossil." Ginkgo biloba, the graceful ornamental we know, is the only remaining species of a venerable genus that flourished with the dinosaurs. The ginkgo is said to be the oldest living seed-bearing plant, and, as such, it has become a symbol of longevity and of hope. In the millions of years that ginkgoes blossomed, flourished, shed their leaves, and wintered through to yet another spring, they have survived many challenges. In the century just past, it was the ginkgo, among all trees, that was first to bud unblemished at Hiroshima in the aftermath of atomic destruction. For all it has endured, however, it's worth noting that the ginkgo does not appear in the wild. Its descendents survive near ancient temples and monasteries, as well as on the green stretches of college lawns. Only in places where gardeners have recognized the special excellence of this plant and have honored the connection it offers us to a history beyond memory, will you find living members of this ancient tribe.

At Birmingham-Southern, our own beloved pair of ginkgoes have been part of the landscape for decades, bearing fruit, providing shelter, brightening the skyline with fall and spring color, passing into local legend. Members of the 'Southern community like to reminisce about the late Dr. John Strohl, chemistry professor, who started dozens of seedlings from our trees and passed them along, becoming our own academic "Johnny Appleseed." A campus treasure, the ginkgo tree just west of Munger Hall glows during fall. The ginkgo leaf will become the symbol for loyal donors to the college.

Rooted deep near Munger, these ginkgoes are part of our past and of our future. They grace the Hilltop and represent enduring qualities of generations of Birmingham-Southern alumni—the loyalty and generosity that nurture the continuing mission of our college and assure its success in an uncertain future.

It seems fitting, then, that the ginkgo—-our ginkgoes—should now become a symbol of appreciation for that dedication. The Ginkgo Society, a newly created honorary, recognizes those alumni who faithfully make a gift to the college year after year. Through seasons of caring, they provide for present students and also for those who will arrive in decades yet to come, continuing the search for knowledge and service.

Anyone who has given to the college for a minimum of five consecutive years becomes a member of The Ginkgo Society. Members of this select society will receive a special recognition marked with a ginkgo leaf—a simple symbol, a timeless memento, a badge of honor for those who remember what we are about in this place and who choose to commit themselves to the faithful nurture of excellence that endures.

For more information on Ginkgo Society membership, contact the Annual Fund at at 205/226-7737 or mmcdonal@bsc.edu.