17. AND PARTNERS
David Schimmel, alumnus of Ransom Everglades, describes the grade school’s 11 Floridian acres with more than a hint of nostalgia. He was, after all, recipient of the school’s highest honor, the Headmaster’s Cup—not that he’ll tell you that. You’ll have to go to his client, Elaine Mijalis-Kahn, director of admissions—who remembers Schimmel as the precocious, 13- year-old he once was—for such information. Years later, he has translated his dearly held experience into an elegant viewbook that highlights the continuity of the school’s 100-year-old traditions, starting with the cover—a reproduction of a 1903 letter to prospective students, written by founding headmaster Paul C. Ransom.

The front of the book features sepia-toned, archival photos running beside contemporary shots of the same locations. The different world views of the two groups within the target audience— prospective students and their parents—render them seemingly impossible to reach with one venue. But Schimmel’s work reads on several levels, with slice-of-life photography that resonates within a youth culture that puts a high premium on authenticity; for parents, the text provides an in-depth historical and curricular account of the school.

“At the end,” says Mijalis-Kahn, “every single one of us said, ‘Wouldn’t you like to go back to school?’ We stepped back and looked at who we were and who we are, and we were so proud of our history. As employees, this book gave us back that enthusiasm.” Tiffany Meyers