Edward Stone Gleason ’51; ’70, ’71 (Hon.) may have been Exeter’s school minister for a relatively short period (1967-1971), but he made an impression that lasts to this day. Reverend Gleason, or “Ted,” as he is affectionately known, has recently been honored by several of his former deacons and students. As part of the Phillips Church restoration, the entryway and vestibule off of the Front Street side of the building has been renovated and renamed “The Gleason Portal.” Ted returned to campus in January to address the school community at the re-opening of Phillips Church.

Renovations to the 100-year old building, designed by Ralph Adams Cram, began in earnest in June 2002 and were completed in December 2002. When they heard about the impending restoration, Tom Bright ’70, Chuck Harris ’69 and Paul Stanzler ’69 initiated the fundraising effort. “We all thought that it would be logical and appropriate to come up with a project that would pay tribute to Ted,” says Tom.
During Tom’s first two years at the Academy, church attendance on Sundays was still mandatory, but became optional during his upper year. “Part of the challenge for Ted when he arrived was to transform attending church services into something people wanted to do,” says Tom. No easy challenge, considering Ted was arriving on the scene in the late 1960s. “It was a tumultuous time,” says Tom. “A lot of us were looking for a spiritual anchor. Under Ted’s guidance, an interdenominational program evolved that spoke to the times and reassured us as we were going through that awkward developmental stage.”

Ted’s ebullient personality played no small role in the increasing popularity of Phillips Church services. Paul Stanzler ’69 originally had Ted for a religious studies class. He later decided to become involved with the deacon program at Phillips Church because, he recalls, “Gleason was such a dynamic and inspiring teacher. He showed great interest in students and was always open to a classroom without boundaries. He encouraged and welcomed ideas from all angles.”

Chuck Harris ’69 echoes with similar sentiments. “Ted was a magnet for a number of us on a personal level. He was a caring, witty faculty member who was very, very open and with whom we didn’t have to worry about what was said. He opened his home quite broadly, and not just to the deacons. His approach to the expression of Christianity was one many of us could relate to. He was excellent at
finding real life examples of values and dilemmas.”

Preserving part of the space in which Ted made such an enormous impact seemed as natural as the desire to honor him. “I find it difficult to separate feelings from architecture,” explains Tom.
“A building like Phillips Church has an emotional presence and it speaks to you in a variety of ways. It creates associations, conjures people you cherish.” Chuck Harris concurs. “Most people would agree
that pursuing the spiritual element of life is critical to a well-rounded education. This is an opportunity for keeping spiritual development alive in a meaningful way.”