Bonnie Hurner
Do the feelings a Concordia student has gaining an accomplishment, such as the Cobber ring, stay equivalent to another college student who is obtaining their class ring for the first time in school history? Dating back from the 1920s, Concordia College was presented its first tradition towards students having their own class ring[1]. Predominantly called the “Cobber Ring,” students felt a sense of accomplishment attaining such apparel. Worn on their right hand, college students embrace the memories they have had through their years of attending Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. In 1920, Oscar Martinson created the ruby and gold class ring, which eventually gave an important symbol and a recognition to family members worldwide[2].
Bonnie McDougall Hurner, graduating from Concordia College in 1979, gave a personal interview about her traditions and ties her family has had with Concordia. Bonnie’s family tradition started off in a unique perspective. Her mother started to work at Concordia College inside the music department and was so positively influenced throughout her twenty years working on campus, she obtained a “Cobber Ring,” by her family requesting permission from the school to get a ring that was inlaid with the year she retired[3]. Years moved on and Bonnie, as well as her immediate family, established the tradition of attending college at Concordia. Describing Concordia as being “...an important part of our lives,” Bonnie continuously reminded the interviewer of how involved her family has been at Concordia--ever since her mother started working in the music department in 1969.
Many schools around the world have gained a positive experience with class rings; Concordia is not the only American college where class rings are a strong tradition. Mount Holyoke College and Concordia College have a similar correlation. Colleges who started a new tradition with class rings wanted a ceremony for the students and a remembrance of historical events students obtained through their years as a collegiate student. Mount Holyoke College took an advantage of that, and started a new tradition for the very first time in 2004. They put forth in the idea, and a Mount Holyoke student said, “...thirty years from now, they’ll be looking across an aisle and seeing a young student wearing a Mount Holyoke class ring”[4]. Not only does this create a tradition, but also it plays a part on a community standpoint. Concordia College wanted to show a history with their students. Much like Mount Holyoke’s visualization, Concordia as well, wanted their ring to show an important symbol, and a sense of acceptance for their Cobber family who sees the class ring[5].
Essay by Devan Schliemann
[1]Engelhardt, Carroll. “Maintaining Christian Discipline in the Concordia Family.” In On The Firm Foundation Grounded: The First Century of Concordia College (1891-1991), 85. Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), 1991
[2]Engelhardt, Carroll. In On The Firm Foundation Grounded: The First Century of Concordia College, 85
[3]Bonnie McDougall Hurner, interviewed by Gabriele Gardner, November 10, 2014
[4]Brown, Scott. “Class Ring.”Vol.9, no.3 (2003): 29-30. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed December, 10) 29
[5]Engelhardt, Carroll. In On The Firm Foundation Grounded: The First Century of Concordia College, 85
[6]Brown, Scott “Class Ring”, 30