Trinity Church was built in 1736, based on the Georgian designs of Sir Christopher Wren, architect of St. Paul’s in London. Steeped in history – a plaque commemorates the pew where George Washington worshipped, the remarkable life of one of Ransom Everglades’ greatest alums was celebrated. In attendance with Harry’s family were some of the finest sailors in the world as well as seven Ransom Everglades students and their teachers Claudia Ochatt and Bob DuBard. 

Harry, an accomplished lawyer, world-renowned yachtsman and World War II veteran who served under General George Patton and received the Bronze Star for his heroism, is the only trustee to have served on all three boards of the school: the Adirondack-Florida School board, the Ransom School board and the Ransom Everglades School board. A life trustee, Harry’s wisdom, stewardship and generous philanthropy guided the school through some of our most momentous and decisive decisions, including helping to inform the construct of the modern-day school following its reopening after World War II and the merger with The Everglades School. He also helped us along during some of our toughest moments when finances were in disarray and storms were battering. 

Harry’s father and his uncle started at the school in 1908, five years after our founding, and seven members of Harry’s family attended over four decades. It was at Ransom Everglades that Harry developed his love of sailing and honed the racing skills that brought him international acclaim. It was through Harry’s efforts that competitive sailing became an NCAA recognized collegiate sport, and each year at least one of our graduates goes on to join the sailing team of one of our country’s top academic institutions. Harry was one of the first students to sail to the Keys on the school’s schooner, The Winslow, and sailing is a graduation requirement at RE in large part because of Harry’s devotion to the sport. 

Harry was quoted in the RE Log some two decades ago: It is both heartening and gratifying to see that, despite a student body of almost 25 times the size of that of the Adirondack-Florida School, Ransom Everglades continues to be the exemplar of founder Paul C. Ransom’s creed, “We believe in the higher things—work, honor, truth, purity and helpfulness.” Today, the school preserves the “family atmosphere” that his widow, Alice Ruth Ransom, emphasized as being conducive to good manners and moral behavior. Graduates of AFS may recall a similar observation by Headmaster Ken Wilson in a Christmas letter, “A cheerful, friendly group working together toward a common end in the midst of an ideal natural environment.” Harry’s passion for education and the institutions that supported him never waned, and his contributions to RE and Yale were recognized in Newport.

As I sat in a pew in Trinity Church and listened to the Mariner’s Version of Psalm 23 – “the Lord is my pilot and I shall not drift” – and the many accomplishments of Harry’s life chronicled in the eulogy, I was reminded again of the power of a Ransom Everglades education and the importance of our alumni body. Schools such as ours, independent schools supported by the love and philanthropy of those who came before us, are schools for life. That is what sets us apart. We hold on tight to our history, and our relationships define us. COVID-19 has made building and nourishing those relationships difficult. Masks and distancing do not readily lend themselves to cheerful gatherings; a campus closed to visitors does not keep our families and alums close. I have wondered about how the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 will remember us and if they will have the same lifelong passion for their school that Harry did. 

As I exited Trinity Church alongside the ministers and Harry’s family, I saw our students and their two teachers standing in one of the pews at the back of the church. In Rhode Island for a science poster competition at Brown University, they had made the herculean effort to land in Providence, drop their luggage and change clothes at the hotel, drive to Newport to the service in two rental cars, and return to Brown in time for the evening competition. Seeing them inside the church and then watching them mingle with the Anderson family afterwards, I knew immediately that Harry would be proud. Pushing themselves academically – you can read about their experience at Brown further along in this publication – they exemplify the hard work and dedication that the educator in Harry believed in. In his 1998 Commencement speech at Ransom Everglades, Harry shared “better educated people lead more productive lives, they lead healthier lives, and they contribute to the preponderance of inspirational leaders.”

A few days after Newport I received a note – Harry was famous for his notes and correspondence – from Max Vallone ’22, one of the students at the service that day. He wrote: “I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to meet the Anderson family and appreciate Harry Anderson’s legacy. I look forward to being part of the future of Ransom Everglades.” Max signed the note, ”Obedience to the unenforceable.” The same words that are the title of the chapter about Ransom Everglades in Harry’s biography The Remarkable Life of Harry Anderson. I am reasonably certain that Max did not know that.

I knew then that we would be just fine. COVID-19 infection rates are down dramatically in Miami and the high rate of vaccinations in our community is keeping us healthy. Soon we will be back to our old selves, enjoying the camaraderie of faculty and students in this beautiful environment by the bay, and supported by the infrastructure for inspired learning that Harry H. Anderson, Class of 1938, helped create. Just like Harry did, our alums will go on to make the world a better place for all.

 
Penny Townsend
Head of School
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