The Legacy of Hanover's Father Hodder

During the 1950s 15 to 20 Dartmouth students gathered each afternoon at the rectory of St. Thomas Episcopal Church on West Wheelock Street. There Father Leslie Hodder-and his wife, Phebe-led discussions on a wide range of subjects, from politics to theology. Father Hodder's influence on these young men was deep and lasting. For among the students were four who are today among the 98 diocesan bishops in the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A.

One was a recent graduate and new curate at St. Thomas, Edward H. MacBurney '49. Today he is Bishop of the Diocese of Quincy in Illinois. Another was George E. Bates '55, now Bishop of the Diocese of Utah. The third was David M. Schofield '60, now Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin, in California, and the fourth was Raymond Stewart Wood '56, now Bishop of the Diocese of Michigan.

There were others at Dartmouth who inspired these young menprofessors Francois Denoeu, Royal C. Nehmiah, Eugen RosenstockHuessy, and T.S.K. Scott Craig among others. But from the diminutive Father Hodder these young men learned the meaning of community, service, and the larger mission of the church.

Ed MacBurney received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Berkely Divinity School in New Haven, Conn. He then studied at Oxford and was ordained priest by the Bishop of Ely in England. In 1953 he returned to Hanover and St. Thomas. From then until 1963, when he became rector of St. Thomas, he worked closely with Father Hodder. Subsequently he served 14 years as dean of the cathedral in Davenport, lowa, during which time he made several visits to Mother Theresa in India in connection with funds furnished by the cathedral for her work. He was elected Bishop of Quincy in 1987.

Following Dartmouth and the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass., George Bates became curate at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ithaca. He next served parishes in New York, Oregon, and New Mexico. In 1986 he was elected Bishop of Utah. Reflecting on the crisis years of the 60s, he has said, "Through all those years I came to realize more and more how important family really is to me. Part of this relates to my parents, my present family, and the Dartmouth experience, a college large enough to offer a quality education and small enough to offer community."

David Schofield earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1963 at General Theological School in New York City. Like MacBurney, he was attracted by overseas work and served as an assistant rector in Clerkenwell, England. He also held posts in San Francisco and Inverness, Calif. In 1988 he was named Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin. His commitment to the larger church is reflected in his being the first Anglican priest to become a Byzantine-Catholic monk. In his 25th Reunion book he wrote, "To watch another come through the wonder of faith remains the deepest source of joy for me as I continue to serve both as an Anglican priest and a monastic in an order under obedience to Rome."

Stewart Wood attended the Virginia Theological School and received his Master of Divinity degree in 1959. He began his ministry in a small town in Indiana, with 35 communicants. He followed this as associate rector in Muncie, where he worked with students and faculty at Ball State Teachers College. He served for six years as executive director of Episcopal Community Services in Indianapolis, where he was "involved in running a group home for runaways and others who can't go home and would otherwise be in a detention center." Building on this experience, he guided an inner-city consortium of 40 Protestant and Roman Catholic congregations in Ohio and Tennessee, half of which were black. In 1988 he was elected Bishop of Michigan.

Sad to say, Leslie Hodder didn't live long after retiring. He was struck down by a car while crossing the street near his summer cottage in the White Mountains. But 25 years later, his light still shines among us.

Emile Gruppe portrait of Father Hodder hangs in Edgerton House, Hanover