Carol's Trees are Flowering
It's been a decade since Carol Kuhn Hartough left a Huntington School Board meeting and headed home only to drive off the road and die in a one-car accident that left the school community in a state of shock.
Mrs. Hartough, a four-term trustee cut a unique figure around the district. A lifelong resident, she used a legendary list of sources to keep her informed about what was going on in each building, often shining light on matters previously unknown to her colleagues.
The 64-year old was driving home from a meeting on March 19, 2001 when her car veered off Park Avenue, crossed the road and struck a tree on the east side near Mill Road. Press reports indicated that since there was relatively little damage to her vehicle, it was thought that Mrs. Hartough had suffered cardiac arrest before the crash.
District employees, fellow trustees and parents were shocked to hear the news. Flags were lowered to half-staff at each building. Mrs. Hartough regularly spoke with an extensive network of people to help keep her finger on the pulse of every aspect of the district and its schools. She used this information to push for improvements in all areas.
"She was a fighter for the underdog – the little guy," then Huntington School Board President Robert T. Lee told a reporter the day after Mrs. Hartough's shocking death. Mrs. Hartough holds the distinction for winning the greatest number of votes in a single trustee election in district history.
Eunice Marchi, a close friend and fellow trustee, was deeply saddened by Mrs. Hartough's death. Mrs. Marchi raised funds to purchase eight trees, with one being planted at every building in the district. The trees were to serve as a living memorial to one of Huntington's most colorful figures.
"Carol was the most real person I ever met," Mrs. Marchi told the Huntington News shortly after Mrs. Hartough's passing. "She was a character and I don't think she can be replaced."
The trees are blooming this spring, reminding her friends of what a real character the longtime school board member could be. "Carol had a great sense of humor and she was passionate about the district and what she felt needed to be done," Superintendent John J. Finello said.
When the trees were planted in the fall of 2001, a special dedication ceremony was held at Washington School on Whitson Road. For many years prior to her election as a trustee, Mrs. Hartough was an employee at the school as a food service worker and felt a deep connection with the Washington community.
The trees were ordered through Mohlenhoff's Nursery and planted by the district's buildings and grounds staff members. Small tablets were installed at the base of each tree, memorializing Mrs. Hartough as a "devoted school board member."
As the trees flower this spring, many students and staff pass them by without realizing their connection to a person rooted in Huntington's history. Some who do remember Mrs. Hartough see the trees and are reminded of the former trustee's wit and smile. Still others ask about the trees and are introduced to Mrs. Hartough's story for the first time.