Alma Mater Magazine - Spring 2005
The Virginia Tech Ring Tradition
The Distinctive Ring Tradition
The distinctive tradition of the Class Ring is one of the oldest and most enduring of the respected traditions of Virginia Tech. It is a time-honored tradition that not only embraces the past, but also energizes the present. Virginia Tech is one of only a handful of institutions that re-designs an entire collection of class rings annually, including the traditional Class ring, the centerpiece of the Virginia Tech Ring Tradition.
The very first Virginia Tech ring was created by the Class of 1911. Class member Fred Prosser first introduced the idea of a unique Corps of Cadets class ring at a Class meeting in his senior year. Other than at West Point and Annapolis, class rings were almost unknown at American colleges and considered to be peculiarly military in character. Class pins were also discussed but a consensus could not be reached, so the Class of 1911 graduated without Class jewelry of any kind. This bothered Prosser so much that while he was a graduate student at Tech, he contacted his classmates and appealed to them again about a ring. After convincing his classmates, Prosser contracted a jeweler to create the rings from his drafted design which featured a screaming eagle, canon barrel, Victorian shield, crossed sabre and rifle, and oak leaves. Prosser himself arranged for the sale and shipment of the rings which cost $6 - $8 a piece, depending on the stone [most were amethyst], to his former classmates. The idea of a Virginia Tech Class Ring was born!
The Class of 1914 formalized the process by selecting a Ring Design Committee to design and award the contract for their Class Ring. Since then, each Committee has created a set of rings that their classmates will wear with pride. The first miniature Class ring specifically for women appeared in the early 1920s. These rings were given by Cadets to their dates, considered a treasured symbol of any committed relationship. It was sometimes used as an engagement ring. The increased enrollment of women following World War II caused the evolution of the miniature ring into the women's traditional ring.
Over the decades, ring production techniques and designs have changed. Earlier rings were created in several pieces and the 'hollow' behind the stone was common. Rings now are made in one piece using the 'lost wax' method. Computer Aided Design (CAD) has become the standard in transferring the intricate designs to the ring side molds, but stones are still handset and the ring goes through multiple manufacturing steps. It remains a custom-crafted piece of jewelry for each Virginia Tech student.
The Virginia Tech Ring Display Case is located in the Williamsburg Room of Squires Student Center. The present display case was a combined gift from the Classes of 1978, 1981, and 1991, along with individual donors. Dedicated in 1997, the case replaced a previous case when Squires was renovated in 1991. It houses a collection of Virginia Tech rings from 1914 until the present.
Heritage of the First Ring Design
The first Class Ring at Virginia Tech originated with the Class of 1911, but it was the Class of 1914 that introduced the first Ring Design Committee, a special group of students charged with designing a Class Ring that would be unique and meaningful to their Class. Ninety-three years later, the Ring Design Committee of each Class still has the responsibility of designing a ring collection that represents Virginia Tech and serves as a reflection of the memories and traditions that each class values most when they graduate.
The committee today is comprised of eight members and has been advised by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association since 1993. Chosen by the Class Officers in the fall of their Sophomore year, the committee includes a Design Chair, Dance Chair, two at-large committee members, the Class President, and three at-large Class Officers (Male, Female, and Cadet) - each member representing the diverse interests and aspects of campus life at Virginia Tech. Each year the committee strives to create and name a set of rings that distinguish their Class from previous classes.
The Ring Design Committee oversees one of the largest college class ring accounts in the nation and accepts the challenge of designing a distinctive and unique ring collection that best represents its Class. Although the traditional Class Rings differ in design between Class years, certain traditional elements included each year make the Virginia Tech Ring one of the most prominent and distinguished in the nation. The screaming eagle, American flag, sabre, university seal, and interlocking chain around the bezel all contribute to its recognition. The design of the traditional ring combines elements of importance from both the university and the Class. The "university side" is more formal and time-honored, usually including symbols of Tech's military heritage, campus buildings such as Burruss Hall and the Pylons, the screaming eagle, and the university seal. On the other hand, the "class side" is more creative and includes elements of significance for that particular Class. Since 1991, the design process has included the recognition of a distinguished alumnus, alumna or university president. This year, the Class of 2006 has chosen to honor Dr. Paul Torgersen, president of Virginia Tech from 1993-1999. Other university presidents who have been previously recognized are Julian A. Burruss [1991], James D. McComas [1996], William E. Lavery [1997], and T. Marshall Hahn [2003]. The design, collection, and the namesake are revealed to the Class during the fall of their junior year at Ring Premiere.
The Ring Dance, 1934-Present
Over the past seventy years, Virginia Tech students and faculty have gathered to celebrate the beloved and lasting tradition of the Ring Dance. Established by the Class of 1935, the Ring Dance weekend takes place in the spring of a student's junior year. The current two-day celebration opens with a festive banquet honoring the ring collection's namesake, featuring elegant dining and entertainment. The ceremonial Ring Presentation takes place on the second evening and begins with the couple's first steps into Squires Ballroom where they receive ribbons in their Class colors to tie rings on their wrists for their ring presentation. Traditionally, the women wear the darker ribbon while the men wear the lighter ribbon. A traditional ritual performed by the Corps of Cadets marks the ring presentation. Marching into the ballroom filled with class members, Junior Cadets form the Ring Figure of their graduating class year, followed by the formation of the Sabre Arch. Under this arch, Freshman Cadets escort each Cadet's date. The president of the university ceremoniously announces the formal presentation of the rings.
With the performance of "Moonlight and V.P.I", a song written specifically for the Ring Dance in 1942 by Fred Waring with lyrics by Charles Gaynor, the rings are presented to Class members. For most Junior Cadets, this is their first view of their Class ring since the rings were picked up and hidden by their Freshman escorts until the Dance. At the conclusion of the song, hundreds of balloons are released on the couples below. A tradition that began as a Corps prank many years ago is the release of a live greased pig into the ballroom for a brief period after the ring presentation. The grand finale of the evening takes place at midnight with a spectacular show of fireworks over the Drillfield. Finally, 'Silver Taps' is played and a report from the Skipper Canon concludes the Ring Dance events.
To order a new Class Ring or to have it resized, repaired, or replaced, please submit in writing the following: * Full name * Mailing address * Class year and major * Request for replacement, repair, resizing, or purchase. Send information to Shirley Fleet at fleets@vt.edu, (540) 231-3039 fax, or mail to Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Alumni Hall (0102), Blacksburg, VA 24061. If you have any questions, please contact Shirley Fleet at 540/231-6285.