WWW.CONCORDACADEMY.ORG

Investing in ValuesCourtesy of Megan Harlow ’04Pauline Lord ’68 Believes inCA’s Power to Teach for GoodIn 2001, Pauline Lord ’68 became a farmer.After a successful career as a psychotherapistin California’s Bay Area and a laterincarnation as a community activist, Lordwas ready for more hands-on work. Adevoted environmentalist, who had spent yearsadvocating for greener foothills near her home,Lord realized she had a rare opportunity to takeher passion for the land to a new level. Her husband,David Harlow, had recently retired from hislongtime position with the U.S. GeologicalSurvey; their daughter, Megan Harlow ’04, wasabout to enroll as a sophomore boarder atConcord Academy—and Lord’s mother owned a100-acre organic farm in East Lyme, Connect icut.“David was enthusiastic about the move, so Idecided this was my chance to go cultivate myown garden,” said Lord.Aside from growing potatoes in their tinygarden in Menlo Park, Lord and Harlow knewnothing about growing food, but they were ableto get a good start at White Gate Farm. “We hadgreat help, but we also ended up learning a lotfrom our mistakes!” said Lord. Seven years later,she speaks with joy of filling greenhouses with lettucesin winter and ordering seeds for springplanting. “It’s so much fun,” she said of her currentlife close to the land.Lord recalls her years at CA as filled withintellectual growth—and a few growing pains.“Phil McFarland taught me to write, and JanetEisendrath was a constant inspiration,” she said. “Iboarded from my freshman year on and madegreat friendships in the CA community, but sometimeswe got a little restless and unruly.”Returning to CA in 1994 for a six-year tenureon the Board of Trustees, Lord found ConcordAcademy to be “a fantastic place for students toPauline Lord ’68 and her daughter Megan Harlow ’04 during a March 2008trip to Mexico“I feel good giving to CA becausethe school embodies so many of the thingsI believe in.”pursue their individuality and flourish. I found somuch acceptance and emotional safety at theschool, and I loved the fact that the arts continueto thrive at CA. It was inspirational.”Megan’s enrollment gave Lord a chance toreengage yet again. “It was the best!” she said ofher daughter’s experience. “How wonderful to seeMegan in that milieu after having rediscovered itmyself as a trustee.” Megan, currently a studentat Amherst College, speaks of being exposed toa wide variety of learning experiences at CA,including three years with the Dance Company.A high point, she said, was her senior chapel,which she delivered on her birthday. “One thingyou don’t realize until you leave CA is the amazinggroup of individuals who are there,” she said.“I’m not sure I’ll find that many interestingpeople in one place ever again.”One of the ways Lord has chosen to expressher appreciation for her and Megan’s time atConcord Academy is to include the school in herwill. “I realized that a gift to CA would addressmany of my values all at once,” said Lord. “CA isteaching students to care for community, education,citizenship, and the environment. And it’salso doing great things to address students’ healthand welfare, which is so important at that age. Ifeel good giving to CA because the school embodiesso many of the things I believe in.”For information on how you can make a difference, contact Meg Wilson, Director of Advancement,at meg_wilson@concordacademy.org or (978) 402-2240.85WWW.CONCORDACADEMY.ORG SPRING 2008