The Legacy of a Mermaid

This mermaid—and its school— is fierce. Founded in 1957 by Charles E. Merrill Jr., this small, academically rich school in Boston’s Back Bay was formed “to educate young people from diverse backgrounds to become knowledgeable, thoughtful, and creative adults, capable of careful analysis, fruitful cooperation, responsible leadership, and deep commitment.” Sixty-two years later, that mission holds true.

Maybe a mermaid isn’t the first symbol that comes to mind for a co-educational independent school, but after some historic research and insight from the faculty and students, we were totally on board. Once we got to know Commonwealth School, a modernization of their existing mermaid mark became the clear direction for a redesign.