A Fellow Trustee

R.L. Ireland

As is the case case with so many Andover students a number of years went by before I became re-involved with the school. My first Alumni Council meeting was the occasion, and it was one Donald H McLean, Jr. who made a lasting impression on me. He had been a principal architect of this very important body of alumni that has not been existence prior to World War II.

On a gray, cool autumn morning in the 1950s, a middle-aged vibrant Don McLean stood modestly in the corner of a Morse Hall classroom addressing a large committee. Of course, it was a thrill to return to the beautiful campus, but it was the presence of this intelligent, dedicated man, delivering a thoughtful report on a subject that I have long forgotten, that I remember so vividly.

Even then he spoke carefully, in measured words with calculated cadence, a direct look in deep, searching eyes. As was the case throughout his life, he had something to say. Don was not mesmerized by the sound of his own voice, and when he took the time of a group or an individual, his message had been thoroughly weighed. It was readily apparent to a newcomer that this friendly, yet reserved, man was to become an important influence on Phillips Academy.

During the 1958 to 1961 Andover Program fund-raising campaign he was a delight to work for and with. He was the overall chairman. I was the alumni chairman. He provided all-essential quality of leadership to the effort. There were moments of elation, frustration and even despair during that campaign, but Don never gave up and even the dark moments he managed to see the lighter and humorous side of situations on so many occasions I can remember him breaking into that familiar broad smile and uttering the McLean trademark - "Let's get on with it."

Every fundraising campaign must have one large donor, and Don and I were in hopes that Thomas Mellon Evans might fill the bill. We were having difficulty setting up a meeting with Tom, and one Saturday afternoon while watching an Andover football game, we plotted an approach. The following day we were getting a lift from the Westchester County Airport which was not far from Tom's Greenwich home. So we decided to pay a visit without an appointment in the hope of catching him in a relaxed weekend mood. Uneasy about the wisdom of our surprise visit, we drove up to the Evans beautiful house on Round Hill Road, rang the bell, and were greeted by a ferocious barking, and eventually a non-English-speaking downstairs maid. Dedication to our task gave us the courage to stand there in spite of the two guard dogs and attempt to understand the maid over the din. "The Evans know home." We had taken a calculated risk. Had he been home, Tom might have resented the call. On the other hand, he might very well have made his extremely generous gift right then and there instead of later. We will never know, but this adventure typifies the kind of bold step that we occasionally took. And spite of the heart-pounding, we both derived some fun out of our audacious caper.

We served together as Charter Trustees at Phillips Academy for more than a quarter of a century and during that span of time we live through a number of demanding situations. One of the pleasures of working closely with him was the opportunity to watch his mind work. He loved the challenge of mental exercise,  yet he enjoyed the execution of a decision just as much. He understood compromise and knew the importance of having the votes. At Trustee meetings he was a firm believer in bringing up the controversial agenda items on Friday and then having the important luxury of the “smoke filled room” procedure that night before resolving the matter on Saturday morning. Don invariably provided the voice of reason and moderation.

Twenty-one Charter Trustees retired during our years together and the selection of new Trustees was always a serious business. In 1963 there were two vacancies, and we held the customary Thursday night dinner of charter trustees at the Lanam Club. Although considerable groundwork  had been accomplished in advance, there were differing ideas, I particularly recall the issues involving Steve Horn and Bill Bender. Steve had been an Alumni Trustee for three years, but at that juncture he was sixty-five (which would allow him only five years in service), and the emphasis was on selecting younger men. This champions we're holding hard, contending that a total of eight years was a worthwhile span. Bill Bender was not an alumnus but his long involvement with the school as a teacher and Johnny Kemper’s reliance on him as an educational sounding board were evident. His credentials as Dean of Harvard were also a plus! While I was chairman of the Nominating Committee, it was with Don McLean's considerable help that we affected a compromise which elected to the board the first non-alumnus in over 50 years, and the first 65-year-old! Don loved to play these very important games and he played them well.

Still another side of him was demonstrated at the time of Johnny Kemper's death. Our long-time Headmaster has been suffering from terminal cancer for several months, and there were strong differences of opinion among the Trustees as to whether his successor should come from within the school or from outside. As President of the Trustees, Don called a special meeting at the Century Club in New York City where we were faced with one of the most important decisions within our purview - the choosing of a new leader, and by what process. The telephone wires to Andover were crackling. Simeon Hyde was appointed the Acting Headmaster. It was also directed to appoint a Search Committee to look into candidates from the faculty as well as the educational world and other walks of life. After all, our predecessors had chosen a West Pointer noted more for his ability to manage people than his educational experience. The point is that Don took hold. He stepped to the wicket - cool, very much in charge, patient as the many suggestions of how to proceed to poured fourth, and finally, crisp and decisive. As a result the search committee was given a broad mandate, but a tight deadline

Whether moderating a difficult discussion, selecting the right person for the position, or seeking funds for Andover, Don took on the central issue with logic, a compelling desire for successful resolution… and an ample dash of good humor.

R. L,  Ireland III joined the Board of Trustees of Phillips Academy in 1960 and thereafter was closely associated with Don McLean in the Academy’s affairs. He was a partner of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., New York.