I, along with hundreds of others, sat in the chapel of McCallie School on Founder's Day when A. Lee Burns III was installed as the eighth headmaster of the school.
McCallie opened its doors on Sept. 21, 1905 with four teachers and 48 boys enrolled, including a dozen boarders. In 2014, Lee Burns, class of '87, began his leadership with a team of 125 faculty members and enrollment of 930 students in grades sixth through 12th, including 254 boarders from 23 different states and 11 different countries.
I was there because I watched Burns and his siblings as participants in the church congregation where my husband had served as senior pastor from 1965 to 1981. My husband once predicted that Burns would go into a career of education or the Christian ministry. "Why do you say that?" I asked. His reply was that, even as a young boy, Burns had listened attentively to all that went on in the service.
Many of us present remembered that Burns' grandfather, Maj. Arthur Lee Burns (or "Maj" as he was affectionately known) was a teacher at the school. In addition, he was like a Pied Piper to the McCallie students who followed him to Sunday School and worship.
Through the years, Lee Burns' parents, Arthur ("Bud") and Graham Burns, had their seven children regularly in Sunday School and worship. I remember one Christmas Eve midnight communion service when the Burns family with their seven pajama-clad children sat on the front row. Jim Burns, who was 5 years old at the time, watched as members went to the altar to take communion. He noticed that people put an offering in the plate near the altar.
When his parents started forward, young Jim called out loudly, "Daddy, don't go up there. It costs two dollars to get in."
I thought of that and other stories that have happily circulated throughout the congregation. All seven of the Burns children are now successful and accomplished adults. They were seated on the front rows of McCallie Chapel to support their brother at his installation as the school's newest headmaster.
Contact Nell Mohney at nellwmohney@comcast.net.