MAN-10265 MAGAZINE.indd - Mansfield College - University of Oxford

Donald MacDonald
English 1984-88, Patron of Mansfi eld College
A few years after leaving Mansfi eld I was
back in Oxford, and I bumped into one
of my tutors. “Well”, he asked, “was it all
worth it in the end?”. “Worth it?”
I said, “It transformed my life.” He seemed
genuinely surprised by my reply, and
genuinely pleased. I came up to Mansfi eld
in the Autumn of 1984, to read English. I imagine it is the
same for everyone arriving at Mansfi eld for the fi rst time.
The beauty of Champney’s buildings, and the expansive
open quad, meeting tutorial partners, receiving reading
lists, exploring the town. In those fi rst weeks, nothing about
Oxford failed to match up to my dream. I loved reading
English, and the experience has remained with me ever
since. I still return to the texts, and my enjoyment of all the
arts has been hugely enriched.
However it was rowing that dominated my time at Oxford.
I remember turning up for trials at the OUBC boathouse in
Michaelmas. My kit was somewhat threadbare. They were
all gathered there in one of the bays, these huge athletes
in tracksuits saying “GB”, “USA”, “Australia”. I was pretty
terrifi ed, but as the term played out I learned some valuable
lessons. Everyone in the squad had talent, but no one was
unassailable across the board. I would have to keep my
nerve, refuse to be intimidated, and stay in the game. As the
term wore on, many of the apparent leaders fell away and
others came through. Before long I emerged as one of the
leading scullers in the group. Others may have been bigger,
or stronger, but my boat went faster through the water.
Dates for the Diary
We would like to warmly invite all our
friends and Alumni to this year’s racing:
Torpids 25th-28th February 2009
Eights 27th-30th May 2009
Eights Black Tie Dinner 30th May 2009
Above: Mansfi eld M1 close in on Merton.
After the Boat Race, I could spend time with the Mansfi eld
Boat Club. It was refreshing to be coaching and rowing,
with everyone getting so much pleasure from the sport.
The thing about high-level competition is that day to day
it is relentless and often grim, but you do it for that one
glorious moment when you might capture the ultimate
prize. I remember one early summer morning on the Isis.
The sun was rising and a layer of mist covered Christ
Church meadow. As we turned the boat round at Folly
Bridge we stopped to hold the moment. Everyone knew that
this was special.
I can’t really avoid mentioning the Boat Race mutiny, since
it dominated my time at Mansfi eld. Twenty years on it
is hard to imagine how big the thing became over a few
short weeks, with journalists and TV crews camped outside
college, and even in my front garden. Mansfi eld’s position
was particularly delicate, since three of the protagonists
were Mansfi eldians, and we weren’t all on the same side.
Throughout the dispute, the college never wavered in its
even-handed, calm and dignifi ed support.
My short time at Mansfi eld was fi lled with the most
extraordinary experiences. I learned a great deal about myself
and others. I learned about setting big goals: Oxford was a
huge goal for me, and seemed quite unattainable. From the
moment I fi rst started looking, Mansfi eld was consistently
welcoming and helpful, and I was never in any doubt about
making it my fi rst-choice college. I left Mansfi eld a more
complete person than when I arrived, with a perspective and
a sense of self that has underpinned everything since – and
as time has gone on, I have come to realise, more than I
could then, what a special time it was in my life. ●
Fundraising Appeal
We are seeking Friends of the Boat Club to help us build
an endowment of £100,000, so as to secure the future
of MCBC. We rely heavily on the generous donations of
alumni to renew our equipment, all of which has a limited
life span. An endowment of £100,000 will provide £5,000
per annum to be saved towards the following purchases:
Two new racing VIIIs can be purchased with £35,000
£4,000 is the cost of two new sets of eight oars
Two new cox boxes would be obtained with £1,500
A new ergometer can be obtained with £1,500
Each donation will make a real difference.
E: development@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1865 270998
MANSFIELD PAST AND PRESENT 14