Francis Burr: the Man Who Selected the Man

For Francis H. Burr '35, Senior Fellow of the Harvard Corporation and unofficially The Man Who Chose The Man Who Will Run Harvard, there was really nothing to say.

Burr and his counterpart, C. Douglas Dillon '31, chairman of the Board of Overseers, had just led their new prodigy to his first press conference, and now they seemed quietly content to let him perform.

This was, "after all, Mr. Bok's press conference," as Dillon said in his introduction, and Francis (Hooks) Burr laid one grey-striped pants leg across the other, folded his hands, bobbed his free foot lightly, and watched. To some of Bok's responses he nodded his assent.

"Power in the university is a question of influence." Burr nods. "In this particular job, there is so much to learn that I think to get too involved right now would be a mistake." Burr nods.

"Mr. Burr, if I can put a question to you," a New York Times reporter asked, "what qualities led you to choose Dean Bok's"

"I think Mr. Bok's been demonstrating very effectively for the last quarter of an hour," Burr laughed. "He has all the qualities necessary for the next President of Harvard."

For Burr, there really was nothing else to say... except perhaps to tell some of the secrets behind the 11-month search through 1100 names to find Harvard's 25th President.

As Burr crossed the Yard yesterday with his colleague, John M. Blum '43, it was difficult for either to conceal their pleasure at the knowledge that they had kept the name of their choice secret from December 13 until last week.

"I remember it was one of those very snowy Sunday nights. I got into a cab and practically rousted the poor guy out of bed to announce that, if he was willing, we'd like him to be the next President of Harvard," Burr said, flashing a broad grin.

"And you kept it a secret through the vacation?"

"We did a pretty good job don't you think?" Blum inserted. "Until we gave it to the Overseers Monday night [January 4]. Then all hell broke loose. I've spoken to the Overseers about that," Burr added, affecting a certain necessary degree of sternness. "I could not get any sleep that Tuesday. I really had to disconnect the phone."

Burr said Bok agreed to take the job just two days before Christmas. From then on, it was all gravy. "My colleagues said they hoped to God he'dtake it because there just wasn't anyone else we really agreed on. We never had a second choice," he added.

On January 4, Burr took the name of the nominee to the executive committee of the Overseers in New York. But Bok did not actually see the executive committee until last Saturday, when he met them for three hours in Dillon's Manhattan apartment and "acquitted himself damn well," according to one Overseer.

In the lobby of the Faculty Club, Burr tried to be at once accessible and unobtrusive, proud, and still correct.

It was impossible. Friends, casual acquaintances, and men who knew Burr only through one of the 5000 personal responses he sent out during the search singled him out to offer their congratulations. Burr's search had involved some 60 hours of work per week since early in the fall and over 500 interviews.

Now was the time to be resolutely optimistic-and once again turn the spotlight toward Bok. Burr graciously acknowledged each compliment on his choice, but shortly turned to a small notice board to find the room number for the luncheon. It crumbled to the floor as he touched it.

"Place is falling apart. Looks like we need a fund-raising campaign," he said. "We'll save that until the spring," Blum replied.