Every year, a few hundred cadets at VMI look forward to finally being able to be recognized as a cadet without wearing a bright red shirt with the spider on the chest. The VMI class ring is a symbol of unity throughout all who wear it and take two and a half years of dedication and hard work to earn. The brotherhood that comes with a VMI class ring started all the way back in 1848. Graduating a class of only 28, all of them bought a standard ring with an engraving in the stone that read, “Mizpah”. Translated from Hebrew, this meant, “the Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent over on another.” This was truly the meaning of brotherhood and many cadets still get this engraved on the inside band.
After the original 28, many of the classes of the 19th century were not united in the practice of purchasing and receiving a ring. Some graduating classes would elect to buy a ring and have it presented along with their diploma at graduation but even within these classes, not all graduating cadets elected to be included in what was then, just an extra token from VMI.
Ring Figure, in the modern sense, did not become an annual event until 1928s when cadets moved the ceremony from finals week to November and voted to hold a dance in order to celebrate. Not only have the festivities grown in size and number, but so have the rings when compared to the plainer, simplistic designs of the 19th century.
The ring is now almost as big as a Super Bowl ring and when it comes down to it, there is no way to make it smaller and still incorporate all of the symbols sacred to each class. In the semester leading up to the ceremonies, a select few from the second class will paint the detailed ring both in barracks on a wall in New Barracks on second stoop and on the cannon ball outside Jackson Memorial Hall. By the week of Ring Figure, both paintings will be complete and the second classmen are all extremely happy as they get closer to the day that they can join those that came before and wear the VMI Ring.