The school reopened in September 1947 with David Pierre Guyot (“Pete”) Cameron as the new headmaster; however, the war years had left their mark with continued low enrollment and renovations needed on both campuses. A group of trustees and alumni, including C.T. Ludington, Leonard Clark, Edward Carter, Laurence Noyes, Joseph Roebling and Henry Timken, along with Kenneth Wilson, who had resigned as headmaster due to a war injury, had worked to ensure the school remained viable during its closure. They remained committed to Paul Ransom’s ideals, upheld by Mrs. Ransom until her death in 1935, as well as to the AFS spirit. Throughout this period, they maintained contact with the campus caretakers and raised funds to cover the day-to-day operations.

By April 1949, it was clear that the migratory school model was no longer sustainable financially. Postwar Miami began to expand and prosper, while new subdivisions rapidly emerged. With few independent schools in the area, the trustees decided to sell the Adirondack campus and concentrate on the Coconut Grove location. Although a difficult decision, it was economically sound as enrolling day students from the Miami area while continuing to serve boarders would provide financial stability. Local civic leaders affirmed that the community would welcome the “new” school. With the plan in place, the trustees resolved that beginning with the 1949-50 school year, the AFS would be known as the Paul C. Ransom School, thereby honoring its history while establishing a solid foundation for the future.

The reopening of AFS in 1947 through the establishment of the Ransom School took passion combined with creative thinking. The dedicated group of trustees and alumni, as well as Kenneth Wilson, remained focused on their goal and in hiring Pete Cameron as headmaster, they found a like-minded and enthusiastic leader. During his tenure from 1947 to 1969, he and the faculty and staff worked tirelessly to build up the Ransom School both educationally and physically. As a result, Paul Ransom’s ideals of self-reliance, public service and developing multiple forms of intelligence remain a cornerstone of today’s Ransom Everglades School.

 

If you would like to learn more about the school’s history or wish to donate items to the archives collection, please contact Katrina Patchett, Director of Libraries and Archivist, at 305 460 8867 or email kpatchett@ransomeverglades.org.