The Wisdom Tree

The Wisdom Tree is a large oak on North Quad around which people gather to socialize.

For many generations at Oberlin, those who have gathered under the tree have typically been thought of as marijuana users, although many are not. Circles of people can frequently be seen beneath it passing joints and glass pipes. The have generally been referred to as anything from "Wisdom Heads" (as opposed to "Harkness Heads" etc.) to "the huddle". Additionally, since 2003 the tree has been the meeting place of the members of Pineal Productions, weather permitting.

Beginning in 2004, those who gathered around the tree were dubbed Arboreal Sages by Wisdom-Tree-enthusiast Julie "Sparky" Adams '08. Although as others have noted...this term more likely comes from some sort of greater heady unconcious flow...since it was whispered one night around a fire in the arb, many moons before sparky came to the place.

In recent history: on April 20th 2005: campus band Huzzah for the Shopkeep! played their annual 420 jam under the tree, with mandolins, banjos, guitars, bare feet, and smoke abound.