Collegiate Times

Ring_center

Standing on a warm fall day in front of the newly-unveiled plaza along the walkway between Squires Student Center and Newman Library, John Cahoon stared at his class ring and reminisced about his time at Virginia Tech.

A civil engineering graduate from the class of 1959 and a member of Company G in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, Cahoon served in the Army for five years as an aviator after graduation, and now lives in Roanoke, Va.

Cahoon said his ring was something that sparked discussion when spending time at the officer's club on base.

"Talk about a brotherhood," Cahoon said. "This ring is an identifier."

Having a class ring helped Cahoon identify with some of his fellow officers.

"We stood with all the West Point-ers, the VMI-ers; we'd call ourselves ring knockers," Cahoon said, referring to the ability for the large class ring's ability to produce a gavel-like sound when rapped on a table.  

In addition to the traditional elements such as the screaming eagle, crossed sabres and a combination of the American and Virginia flags, his class ring also features a chain with 59 links, a dogwood - Virginia's state flower along with the lamp of knowledge and the Confederate flag.

For Cahoon, not wearing his ring is a rare instance.

"I wear it every day," Cahoon said, adding that he only takes his ring off when doing yard work. "If I'm going out in public, I put on my VPI hat and put on my class ring."

Dave Paddock, a fellow member of the class of 1959 and a roommate of Cahoon during his school days, quipped about the prominence of Tech's class rings.

"Anybody can get a Super Bowl ring," Paddock said, "but it is an honor to wear a Virginia Tech class ring."

Cahoon's story is just one of many as Tech prepares to reveal a first look of the 100th edition of the university's class ring to the class of 2011 in Burruss Hall at 7 p.m.

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