The Blue Guidon The Newsletter of Andover and the Military
Spring 2020
The End Depends on the Beginning Henry L. Stimson (Class of 1883) One hundred-fifty years That afternoon, he was of American history came a newly enlisted seaman together in the form of second class in the Navy, 75-year-old Henry Stimson en route to becoming the and 18-year-old George youngest serving naval H.W. Bush at Andover’s aviator in the fleet. 1942 Commencement. The public service of The United States President George H.W. was at war. Pearl Harbor Bush ’42 is well known. had been attacked seven Stimson, no less months earlier. Stimson, a public figure in his President Roosevelt’s time, was one of those secretary of war, delivered Americans whose lifelong the Commencement non sibi spirit laid the address. Born in 1867 to detailed foundation of a Civil War veteran—and our modern American an Army veteran himself— security posture—a Stimson was the oldest foundation that would PA alumnus directly lead to Allied victory in involved in the war. Bush, World War II and had an who celebrated his 18th enormous influence on birthday on graduation the security structure day, would become a new employed by President recruit and one of the George H.W. Bush in the youngest members of the First Gulf War. armed services that very As Evan Thomas ’69 afternoon. and Walter Isaacson Stimson was also the wrote in their classic, longest serving member The Wise Men, Stimson of Andover’s Board of was one of the important Trustees, as well as board “private men,” defined president. as “men who avoided He called on the publicity but were graduating students to comfortable with public remain vigilant in their power, not as an end in studies and emphasized, itself but as a force for paraphrased Bush, that, prosperity, security, and “though America needed freedom…” fighting men, we would The foundation better serve our country Stimson implemented by getting more education consisted of principles before getting in uniform.” learned in his military The secretary’s advice service and executed by arrived too late. Bush Stimson with Headmaster Claude M. Fuess, 1942 his actions as secretary of would write, “I had already war under President Taft decided that college would have to wait.” But he (1911–1913) and, during the Second World War, didn’t wait: immediately after Commencement, under Presidents Roosevelt and Truman (1940– he journeyed to the recruiting station in Boston. 1945). Stimson’s civic values and approach Stimson continued on page 3