<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from Standish, Ayer & Wood Investment Trust
form N-SAR for the year ended September 30, 2000
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 161
<NAME> Standish Small Capitalization Growth Fund Insti
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 91,113,476
<RECEIVABLES> 161,388
<ASSETS-OTHER> 8,186
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 91,283,050
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 411,968
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 411,968
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 73,283,930
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,360,952
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,150,164
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 6,889,840
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 10,697,312
<NET-ASSETS> 82,839,619
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 20,685
<INTEREST-INCOME> 342,761
<OTHER-INCOME> (1,170,474)
<EXPENSES-NET> 96,180
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (903,208)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 23,695,670
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 3,735,271
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 26,527,733
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (5,354,756)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2,544,770
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (2,441,864)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 107,882
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 38,808,897
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 4,743,641
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 101,724
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 129,198,925
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 38.28
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.43)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 26.82
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (3.80)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 60.87
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.98
</TABLE>
