It was a big deal at the small high school I went to. I paid for my ring myself. I think it was $39.00. Lots of babysitting to pay for that!

I remember one really, really smart guy not ordering a ring. I asked him why. He told me he would not be graduating with us as his Dad made his sons quit high school to work in his painting business. The daughters were allowed to finish school.

I felt so bad for that guy. He did quit, but signed up for night school right away and continued his education there. He was the youngest of the night school diploma recipients.

 

I went to two high school and two colleges. I only bought a class ring for my first high school. I still have it and know where it is, but do not wear it. I did wear it for a short time five years ago to show my students that they can be valuable to some of them in the future.

 

Took a survey among my four sisters. Only one still had a high school/college ring, and she said, why wear that when you can wear diamonds? She may see the "gold guy" too.

So this AM, I brought in the ring and a necklace I no longer wear. I'm $221.00 richer. The ring only brought me about $70.00, but it's a small ladies' ring, and it was 10K not 14K. A guy ring would likely be worth more.

Either way, it was doing nothing but collecting dust. I'll take the cash.

 

Gave my class ring to my future wife when we started going steady in HS. She gave it back when I gave her my fraternity pin in college. Gave that back when I gave her the official engagement ring.

Still have the ring and the pin and the wife! Celebrating 39 years this Sunday


Life is good.

 

^Excellent on all three counts.

 

I'm surprised at the number of folks who never bought the rings. Others I've talked to said the same thing. It was a big deal when I was in school.

Mine had the school name on the top. My ex gave me his high school ring and I wore mine to hold his ring on. The name of the school wore down on my ring.

Is that tradition of giving your girl your high school ring long gone?

 

I don't remember anyone in my age group doing that.

 

The 'give 'em the ring stuff' was for serious couples during my time. That's why I still have mine; none of that serious stuff for me - - n o t a t t h a t a g e. 10 years later I started to think about settling down.

 

The same tradition was back in my hometown too, but we're taliking later 60's.

 

Plus, I hated high school. Didn't need anything to remind me of the pain. I didn't really enjoy college either. Just did it to get a job other than McDonald's.