RE LOG Fall 2024

FALL 2024 Ransom Everglades LOG 15 Ransom School ready to shake up tradition At the Ransom School at 3575 Main Highway, the feeling about the approach of coeducation differed. Simply put, most boys looked forward to having girls on campus. “Keeping in mind that we were 15-, 16-, 17-year-old males,” said Andy Hague ’74 , “there was a great deal of happiness that [girls] would be coming over.” Offered Prio Touzet: “For the guys for sure, we were highly welcoming of the situation.” Founded by Paul Ransom in 1903 as the Adirondack- Florida School, the Ransom School was at first a migratory boarding school with an emphasis on individualized attention, outdoor education and concern for the intellectual, moral and physical development of boys, who split their time between the Adirondack Mountains in New York and the shores of Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove. They participated in skiing, sledding, hiking and sailing, and also engaged in spirited discussions led by their mostly male teachers. The school suspended operations during World War II as many teachers and administrators served in the war. When the school reopened, the board voted to sell the Adirondack campus to help the school relieve financial burdens and continue operations; trustees announced the opening of the Ransom School in 1949. The ’50s and ’60s brought a period of relative stability followed by growth and expansion under the leadership of headmaster Pete Cameron. “It was a very intimate environment of young men, budding young men,” said Eric Buermann ’69 , who arrived as a student at Ransom in 1963, graduated in 1969 and returned in the 1970s as a teacher. “We developed not only the friendships but also the education which was unparalleled. People today think that somehow Ransom grew into this wonderful institution. It was already a wonderful institution.” Ransom excelled in soccer, water polo, swimming and tennis, and the boys did their best in football. Many teachers served as coaches. Sports were a huge part of campus life at the Ransom School. “I saw coaches be concerned about students,” Hague said. “About what they were going through, and [they] would reach out and try to counsel [students] on issues. Everybody had their mentor … They all played a significant role in our lives.” Besides Bowden, students fondly remembered a host of now-legendary teachers including Mike Stokes, Morgan Kelly, John Bell and others. “Ransom was very small but it was a tight-knit group of young guys,” Lou Dessaint ’76 said. “It was a wonderful time. The teachers were fabulous … They motivated you, and you wanted to do well. And they made class very interesting.” The boys did not have uniforms, but the dress code was strict. Jackets and ties were required for classes and meals, despite the lack of air conditioning. Under Cameron, boys were permitted to wear only white or blue dress shirts – pink, yellow or other pastel colors were not allowed. “The dress code was very conservative,” Graham said. “To this day, I only have white and shades of blue in my closet. It’s just something that grew on me.” “Ransom was very small but it was a tight-knit group of young guys. It was a wonderful time. The teachers were fabulous.” – Lou Dessaint ’76