Squirrel Talk

On daughter Kris' blog, a question was raised as to the connection between squirrels and Kent. I made a Puddin' Pop explanation, but I thought that maybe a little more information was in order.

In 1961, three years before I became a student at KSU, 10 rare black squirrels were imported from London, Ontario. This was a joint effort by Larry Woodell, Supt. of Grounds at the university, and M. W. Staples. a retired executive of The Davy Tree Expert Company. The myriad of black squirrels that inhabit Kent and the surrounding area are descended from those 10 squirrels.

In 2005, a resident of London, with a strong interest in squirrels, came to Kent to observe the transplanted creatures. He found that the Kent variety is much more aggressive than their docile, Canadian relatives. Any Kent resident would back up that statement. I have watched gray and black squirrels fight over birdseed and nuts in our backyard and the smart money is always on the black. I attribute this nastiness to (1) lingering hate of being ripped from their northern homeland and (2) who-knows-what the KSU students might give these little guys to eat or drink. Think back to some people that you went to college or high school with. 'Nuf said.

The Black Squirrel Festival started in 1981 at Student Center Plaza to introduce new students to the campus and local community organizations.

So now you know the rest of the story