May 11, 2018

The following is a transcript of the reflection offered by Dave Smith and Nancy Taylor during the event.

 

Dave: The most important things, the stars, the purpose, the heart and soul of such a place

as this, such a school as this, are a threesome, a holy and hallowed triumvirate of Faculty (drum), Curriculum (drum) and Students (drum). These are the triumvirate, the essential trinity. But none of that, not an iota of that, happens without ADMINISTRATION (cymbal crash) 

 

You can hate ‘em or love ‘em, second guess ‘em or cheer ‘em … (and we’ve done all of that!) but, since the beginning, since 1807, none of the good stuff (the teaching (drum), the learning (drum), the curriculum (drum),) would have, could have happened without Administration (cymbal crash). 

 

Today we thank those who quietly shouldered the heaviest and hardest of burdens: our Presidents (tambourine), our Dean’s (tambourine), our VP’s (tambourine) and our CFO’s (tambourine). We are here to thank the thankless and celebrate the uncelebrated: Let’s hear it for the Administration (cymbal crash)

 

Nancy: After all, it is the Administration (cymbal crash) that sets up, that builds the infrastructure, the frame work, the, organization that enables a mission like ours to evolve, generation to generation, property to property, location to location, down through the ages … from Andover, to Cambridge, to Newton to New Haven … from the 19th Century, through the 20th Century and into the 21st Century, from Calvinism to Universalism, from evangelical to missional, from dunking to sprinkling … from patriarchal to not so much …

 

Dave: For all the paperwork, form-filling, book-keeping, room-assigning, filing, accounting, the difficult budget compromises and fundraising, we celebrate the many Administrations (cymbal crash) , the Presidents (tambourine), Dean’s (tambourine), VP’s (tambourine) and CFO’s (tambourine) who have made this place hum.

 

Nancy: For all the personnel matters, for healthcare and office assignments, for teaching schedules and refectory foods, for communications and HR matters, for neighborhood outreach, we salute the many Administrations (cymbals), the Presidents (tambourine) Dean’s (tambourine), VP’s (tambourine) and CFO’s (tambourine) who have made this place hum.

 

Dave: For all the properties managed and moved, for attending to broken steam pipes, leaking roofs and snow emergencies in the wee hours of the night, for mergers, affiliations and acquisitions, for libraries and buildings, chapels and classrooms, for new names and new school seals, for denominational relationships and inter-religious partnerships, for everything from hymnals to hinges, from microphones to changing tables, we give God thanks for the many Administrations (cymbal crash), the Presidents (tambourine), Dean’s (tambourine), VP’s (tambourine) and CFO’s (tambourine) who have made this place hum.

 

Nancy: For those responsible for Accreditation, applications, endowment, budgets, communications, payroll and finance …for those laborers in the vineyard who arrive early and stay late, who worry over and care for, who make possible the threesome, the heart and soul, the holy and hallowed triumvirate of Faculty (drum), Curriculum (drum) and Students (drum) we celebrate two hundred and eleven years of Presidents (tambourine), Dean’s (tambourine), VP’s (tambourine) and CFO’s (tambourine): the Administrations (cymbal crash)!

 

Here among us today are past and present members of the Administration, whose dedication and stewardship have and continue to assure Andover Newton’s legacy and continuing mission.  May I ask that our past and present Presidents (tambourine), Dean’s (tambourine), VP’s (tambourine) and CFO’s (tambourine) … the Administrations (cymbal crash)! please stand as you are able.  Everyone, please join us in thanking them for their dedicated service!  (all instruments)!