Class Rings for graduation

[parentalunit2]

I just love the whole ring tradition at the academies. USMA lays claim to the genesis of the class ring, beginning with the class of 1835. There was also a unique tradition that the first graduate of a class to be borne a son received a silver USMA napkin ring as a gift from the class. Naval Academy rings are dipped in the waters of the seven seas upon presentation at the ring dance, which is held in the spring, typically complete with fireworks over the Severn. USMA cadets receive their rings at a solemn ceremony at Trophy Point during the first weekend of the academic year. USMA has a ring meltdown program where donated class rings are melted down and the gold is used to cast the new rings, a really neat way of conveying the continuation of the Long Gray Line. The Ring Recovery program also attempts to reunite rings found on eBay with the families to which they rightly belong, though the free market often prevails. Miniature versions of class rings used to be given to fiancées as engagement rings. Miniatures may still be given to mothers as a ‘mother’s ring’, or sometimes a ‘class pin’ as well. Rings from each class are on display in a case at the library at USMA, and at Alumni House at USNA. For those interested, lots of interesting ring knowledge can be found here:
http://www.aogusma.org/Class/handbook/rings.htm
Now, as for the hat toss at graduation, if you had asked me a few years ago where that fine tradition originated, I would have said without hesitation, “At West Point, of course!” And I would have been dead wrong. The hat toss began at USNA, when midshipmen had no more use for their caps, as they were switching over to officer covers after graduation. If anyone can chime in on ring traditions at USAFA, I would love to learn more!

 

[flieger83]

I just love the whole ring tradition at the academies. USMA lays claim to the genesis of the class ring, beginning with the class of 1835. There was also a unique tradition that the first graduate of a class to be borne a son received a silver USMA napkin ring as a gift from the class. Naval Academy rings are dipped in the waters of the seven seas upon presentation at the ring dance, which is held in the spring, typically complete with fireworks over the Severn. USMA cadets receive their rings at a solemn ceremony at Trophy Point during the first weekend of the academic year. USMA has a ring meltdown program where donated class rings are melted down and the gold is used to cast the new rings, a really neat way of conveying the continuation of the Long Gray Line. The Ring Recovery program also attempts to reunite rings found on eBay with the families to which they rightly belong, though the free market often prevails. Miniature versions of class rings used to be given to fiancées as engagement rings. Miniatures may still be given to mothers as a ‘mother’s ring’, or sometimes a ‘class pin’ as well. Rings from each class are on display in a case at the library at USMA, and at Alumni House at USNA. For those interested, lots of interesting ring knowledge can be found here:
http://www.aogusma.org/Class/handbook/rings.htm
Now, as for the hat toss at graduation, if you had asked me a few years ago where that fine tradition originated, I would have said without hesitation, “At West Point, of course!” And I would have been dead wrong. The hat toss began at USNA, when midshipmen had no more use for their caps, as they were switching over to officer covers after graduation. If anyone can chime in on ring traditions at USAFA, I would love to learn more!

Ring traditions at USAFA...

Well, as the youngest of the SA's, it's been tough to establish any real ones as the others have been around so long.

The most obvious one though is the ring itself. While our brethren from ALL the other SA's have big, hulking yellow gold rings...NO USAFA grad has one; ours are white gold. That was decided upon by the Class of 1959, #1 for us. It was to immediately distinguish our rings from our fellows.

There are also "mandatory" items of USAFA heritage on our rings...unless things have changed since I worked on our ring...you will have the class year, which class yours is (mine, class of '83, was the XXV class), polaris will be there, as will the cadet saber and a couple more for ya'll to look for on crests you see here!

Receiving the rings has typically been a unique experience. First there's the Ring Dance dinner and then the Ring Dance...but prior to that, at least when I was a cadet, typically each cadet received their rings in a ceremony very private (mine was at our AOC's home with his family, and just my classmates). Our rings were in Class of '83 wine classes...filled with a FINE champagne. We had to report the AOC, receive our glass, raise a toast to the Class, then down the drink in ONE go, and catch our ring in our teeth. Then it was placed directly on our hand, still wet with champagne...its christening. FYI, I do not remember what was in the glass of anyone NOT of drinking age.

And...for your firstie year, you wear the ring with your Class Numerals facing INWARD to show your focus is YOUR CLASS. Upon graduation, you reverse it to place the class year OUTSIDE and the Crest of USAFA inward to remind you from whence you came.

Those are the parts I remember best...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Former Ring Co-Chair, '83

 

[bruno]

a little history of the VMI Ring and the ring presentation history (Ring Figure weekend). the class of 1848 was the first to get Rings - they are presented in a formal weekend ceremony the weekend before Thanksgiving and start with a formal presentation and then a formal dance- it's one of the highlights of a cadet's time at VMI (But Oh my- have they gotten expensive)

http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=7689An example of a VMI ring- this one from the class of 2010 is below:

 

[sprog]

A lot of money is spent on class rings, and there is a lot of pride in receiving them. Yet, a number of academy graduates I have seen no longer wear their rings. Why?

While I'm not a SA grad, I do own one of the enormous VMI rings. The reason I don't wear the ring anymore is that my finger, along with the rest of my body, has gotten fatter. Additionally, the VMI ring that I bought is too big to be practical for day-to-day wear. That is, it hurts when I shake hands with people, and it bangs into stuff. I hate to say it, because it looked so cool when I was 20 years old, but the thing is gaudy and giant, and really doesn't fit my style as I get older (why I haven't had it re-sized). Bruno's advice to get the smaller ring is good advice, but no one will ever take it.