100-Year-Old Ring Binds Three Madeira Alums Together

February 5th 2024

By Keenan Parker ’20

Each year, generation after generation, juniors excitedly await the late-fall day a table sets up shop at the front of the Dining Hall. After two years of watching others do the same, new juniors get to take their place as upperclassmen and order their very own Madeira Class Ring.

The Senior Ring Tradition

After B-block, students take spots in a zig-zag line facing that exciting ring table, murmuring with classmates about the decisions they might make when standing before their options at the front of the line. Some juniors opt for silver, while others opt for one of the many aesthetic variants of gold now available, but each ring (displayed beautifully in the front of our lunch spot) carries the same oval crest with trees and beams of sunrays connecting all of us to those who came before.

Every member of the Madeira community knows the powerful symbolism of the class ring. From the bestowing of rings at Junior/Senior, to the gifting of rings to Ring Sisters, to the turning of rings at Graduation, Madeira nurtures many important traditions involving our rings. These traditions, some over a hundred years old and others more recent, signify each student’s transition from underclassman to eventual alum. Each event where a ring tradition is involved is a joyful milestone and expression of the Madeira spirit, all leading to a launched young woman ready to take on the world (with a diploma in one hand and a ring on the other, representing her knowledge and connection to thousands of strong Madeira women).

“The Jewelry Store” Offers Alternate Opportunity

For some, though, the process of receiving a class ring is entirely different. A handful of students from each junior class do not receive rings crafted in a specific chosen metal or engraved with one’s initials and graduation year, but instead select their ring in a small room in the Advancement Office known in this case as the “The Jewelry Store.” The rings, usually about 5–10 sitting on very fitting Madeira rose-red felt cloths on a desk in the room, are fitted with tags noting their year of creation. Some tags display years within some of our memories (the early/mid-2000s or late 90s), usually tied on bright practically new-looking rings; some showcase generations of wear and love, with tags displaying dates from the 50s, 40s, and earlier. For juniors in this position, years of Madeira history are available quite literally at their fingertips to touch, learn about, and, hopefully, find a connection with. Each one of these rings is donated with love by alums looking to pass on the gift of a Madeira ring and all the traditions and connections that come with it.

Betty Jane Nelson Vinson ’24 Mary Blair Koehl ’57

For certain juniors, the cost of a new engraved ring is prohibitive and puts special Madeira moments in jeopardy. This was the case when I was a junior, and the thought of having to get a class ring worried me sick. I thought about how I could possibly take a ring sister (something I’d always wanted to do ever since I got to be a younger ring sister) or what I would do at Junior/Senior or Graduation without a ring while everyone else participated in the traditions. When I told my advisor about these worries, he put me in touch with the Dean of Students Office, who runs the first part of the process that matches donated rings with aid-receiving juniors who would otherwise struggle to get one. Students receiving more than 50% of their tuition from financial aid may apply by writing a short essay about what the Madeira Experience, specifically the experience of owning a Madeira ring, means to them. Once all applications are in, the Advancement Office reads over essays, and notifies excited juniors that they’ll be able to receive a donated ring, based on the number of donations received.

The early spring day I got to pick out my ring was one of the coolest experiences of my time at Madeira. Walking into the “The Jewelry Store,”
was so exciting. I felt incredibly fancy admiring the felt tabletops and the gorgeous rings in their open boxes, with tags placed perfectly on the sides. The Advancement Office was so kind in making it feel special to find a ring, not just a randomly assigned donation but an experience that each girl could have control over and get excited about. For an hour, we took our time taking each ring out of its box: holding them, trying them on, and talking about the stories submitted for each by their former wearers. Some had been donated by kind young alums, realizing a current student might cherish and wear their ring more frequently. Some had been donated by distinguished older alums, grateful for their Madeira experience and looking to pass down their wisdom. Some, like what would become mine, were gifted by loving family members of alumnae who see beauty in their relative’s ring and memory living on in a new generation of Madeira girls. I knew as soon as I saw my ring it was the one.

A Ring Lovingly Shared

My Madeira class ring was donated by Mary Blair Koehl '57 on behalf of her late mother, Betty Jane Nelson Vinson '24. In reading the ring’s inscription, we realized Madeira rings from the 1920s were meticulously engraved with a ‘Miss Madeira’s School’ crest by Tiffany and Company—imagine class rings today being made by such a luxurious brand! I loved the ring the minute I saw it and knew it was the one.

After selecting a ring, juniors are then given contact information for their donors, so that they might share their gratitude and potentially open a dialogue for connection between Madeira girls past and present. I was immensely grateful to Mrs. Koehl for her and her mother’s kindness and reached out immediately, particularly excited that she had a connection to such a different era of our joint school history, and attended while Lucy Madeira was here. I never expected, however, to hear back, and connect with such an incredible person. It has been such an honor getting to email back and forth with Mary Blair Koehl, getting to know what an amazing person she is, and hear a bit about her mother’s interests and adventures while a student. Her wit, humor, candid stories, and connections to Madeira show me that no matter how many years between us, Madeira girls are the same: smart, powerful, kind, and willing to do almost anything to help each other out.

A Powerful Symbol

To many students who, long before their interview or Revisit Day, dreamed of attending high school at a beautiful place like Madeira, a class ring represents the accomplishments, struggles, lessons, and hard work that led us to and through our education here. I know that when I wear my ring it connects me to Mary Blair Koehl and her mother, ties me to my classmates now doing incredible things all over the world, reminds me of my teachers and friends (and all the hard times we persevered through and good times we shared together), and acts as an outward symbol of my values. I am so grateful to the Advancement Office for the way they run this program—making students feel special and celebrated while navigating some real life concerns and struggles. I am also incredibly grateful to the wonderful network of Madeira alums who keep this tradition possible by donating their rings; because of you, someone is able to participate in the joys of our shared experience and carry those memories with them.

It feels so beautifully poignant that as my ring turns 100 years old this year, I will graduate from William and Mary and be once again launched out of the world of academia and into a life I hope will be worthy of all the incredible women who came before me. I look forward to one day donating this special ring to a future Madeira student. We are and have always been bound together as women launched on a mission to change the world.

Ring donations are extremely appreciated. If you have a ring tucked away and you want to help a Madeira student carry on this cherished tradition, please contact the Alumnae & Parent Relations at 703.556.8372 or [email protected].