EvEr WondEr … why Gates is called Gates? Centered on the western wall of the thomas S. gates, Jr. Community Center — and witness to objections and ovations, dances and discussions from numerous All College Meetings, job talks, plays, and other community events — hangs a portrait of a man of such piercing intelligence that his gaze borders on skepticism. the portrait is striking for another reason: that man is just so very elegant. this is thomas S. gates, Jr., who had been US Secretary of Defense under President Dwight eisenhower, and had become chairman of the board of Morgan guaranty trust (now JP Morgan Chase) when CoA was starting up. So why is gates named for him? for that, we went to ed Kaelber, founding CoA president, who reminded us that at its beginning COA needed financial support, yes, but it also needed respect. Much of the work of drumming up both fell to ed. he went around to many people, but few had the international stature of northeast harbor summer resident tom gates. tom even had academic credentials. his father had been president of the University of Pennsylvania; tom, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the institution, served on its board.
this Thomas S. Gates print (detail) by Albert Murray, 1971, hangs in CoA's thomas S. gates, Jr. Community Center.
Says ed, "So, i went to tom and i told him we were thinking of starting a college on the island. 'that's a lousy idea,'" tom responded. ed sent him a prospectus. And visited him again. "'Well, it's not a bad idea,'" tom allowed. "'But you'll need at least a million dollars to finance it.' We'll need some money," Ed agreed. "Not quite a million. Let me send you a financial prospectus." At Ed's next visit, Tom thought COA had enough merit to write a check for $5,000. But ed stopped him. "A check is nice," he told the bank chair, "but i'd rather have you join our board of trustees." By now ed is laughing at himself as he continues: "he told me, 'i'll think about it, but i have a word of advice: if someone offers you $5,000, take it!'" And so began a long and close friendship, with tom joining CoA's board in 1972 (thanks to encouragement also from founding trustee les Brewer), retiring in 1976 to become the equivalent of ambassador to China (his title was chief of US liaison mission). When tom returned in 1978, ed thought he would make a great board chair. So did the University of Pennsylvania. But ed told tom, "Sure, it would be a great honor for you to chair the board of the University of Pennsylvania, but here at CoA — we really need you!" Tom Gates served as COA board chair from 1979 to 1981. Concludes Ed: "Tom knew what the right questions were, he didn't get bogged down in trivia. he was interested in the substance of the college, and he opened a lot of doors." How fitting that Gates Community Center, one of COA's prime community portals, would honor a man who opened many doors early on.
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College of the AtlAntiC MAgAzine