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Wednesday, September 30, 2026
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Saying Goodbye to a Lehman Giant
The fallen elm outside Shuster Hall. (Photo by Mildred Perez)
September 30, 2026
If you’ve spent time at Lehman, chances are you’ve seen the enormous elm tree in front of Shuster Hall. For decades, it has stood alongside the College Walkway, a quiet backdrop to everything from lively campus fairs to moments of remembrance.
Now Lehman is saying goodbye.
The tree was in poor health for some time, and recent high winds caused a major break. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but it was determined the tree can no longer be safely left standing.
How old was the elm tree? Jack Henning, Lecturer Doctoral in Biological Sciences, believes it may be the oldest tree on campus and says it is “certainly the largest.”
This photo from the April 1960 issue of Progressive Architecture shows the elm standing solitary in front of a newly constructed Shuster Hall. (Photo by Ben Schnall)
The College Walkway will look different without it, and with a lot less shade. But not all of the elm will disappear.
Lehman has preserved some of its larger sections for future commemorative use, allowing a piece of this campus giant to live in on in a new form.