Sustaining a Living Legacy
Over True Blue Weekend, the Strawbale House was dedicated in memory of Professor Sandy Huntington, a house built by students in 2000-02 that stands as a lasting symbol of student accomplishment and community generosity.
This summer, as the fifth anniversary of Professor C.W. “Sandy” Huntington’s passing approached, Physics Professor Kevin Schultz reached out to the Office of Academic Affairs to ask if there were any plans to dedicate the Strawbale House at Pine Lake in Huntington’s honor. Huntington, a professor of religious studies, had led several classes of students in designing and constructing the house at Pine Lake in the early 2000s.
Laurel Bongiorno, vice president for academic affairs and provost, quickly assembled a working group to explore the idea. What began as a simple inquiry soon sparked an outpouring of interest from the alumni who had actually built the house.
On the Saturday of True Blue Weekend, nearly 80 guests gathered, alongside about 30 alumni builders, to celebrate Professor Huntington’s life, dedicate the house, and share memories of designing and constructing a home from scratch using natural, high-performance materials in an ancient building style. Natural builder Clark Sanders, who co-taught Architecture of the Sacred with Huntington, and Tjalling Heyning, Sanders’ longtime partner, were also recognized for their key roles in the project.
Alumni organized and donated a remarkable collection of photographs documenting the building course and construction process, as well as more than 40 books to create the Strawbale House Reserve Library, housed in a custom built bookcase crafted by alumnus Adam Godet ’02. The books, many inspired by Professor Huntington’s courses or personally meaningful to his students, capture his generous spirit of sharing ideas and learning. Huntington often lent his own books to students and returning them to the Strawbale House embodied his kind-hearted spirit of sharing experiences and knowledge with others.
Elizabeth Huntington reflected on Professor Hungton’s approach to teaching, his gratitude for the freedom the College afforded and their shared love of the community. Justin Dimmel ’02 added, “I loved Sandy. I can say, without exaggeration, that meeting Sandy changed my life. When I found myself in Religions of the Far East, in the fall of 1998, I knew immediately that Professor Huntington was the real deal. Here was a world-renowned, honest-to-goodness scholar. Someone who had trained in philology, who read ancient languages, and who was active in scholarly debates that involved words like soteriological and hermeneutics. He translated Buddhist literature and had lived for years in India. As his students, we caught glimpses into his life and past lives – as a motorcycle enthusiast, fine woodworker, limo driver, piano player, writer, his cool wife and adorable kids. He may as well have been Indiana Jones!”
Additional reflections came from Sarah Buckley ’02, Dan (Jack) Morse ’97, and others, including Alyssa Pearson ’12, Ken Neunzig (of the family that sold Pine Lake to the College) and President Jim Mullen.
The structure, now marked with a bronze plaque dedicated by Vice President Bongiorno, continues to welcome guests, serve as a space for meditation and host special events. Its “sister house,” the Cob House, stands just up the hill, more whimsical but equally rooted in creativity and community. Together, these buildings embody Pine Lake’s spirit: a peaceful, inspiring place where learning and fellowship flourish.
