Dan Abel wrote:

> In article >,
> Kathleen > wrote:
>
>
>>Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Tue 13 Jan 2009 01:56:22p, Kathleen told us...
>
>
>>>>My daughter didn't want a traditional high school class ring so I'm
>>>>going to have a white gold and diamond ring left to her by her
>>>>grandmother re-cast, with a pair of emeralds from earrings her father
>>>>gave me added in, into something she'd be happy to wear. Her dad
>>>>approves and I'm sure her grandmother would be thrilled.
>>>>
>>>>I'm thinking of a horse's head in profile, and a dog's head in profile,
>>>>noses touching, with the emeralds for eyes and the diamond balanced just
>>>>above their brows. The jeweler I'm working with was excited by the
>>>>project so I can't wait to see his sketches.
>
>
>>>Quite honestly I think it sounds really strange for a "class ring". I
>>>mean, class rings are all about tradition.
>>
>>And she despised high school and everything it stood for. Nevertheless,
>>she put her head down, leaned into the harness and graduated a semester
>>early with a 4.3 GPA and a great big Kiss My Ass.
>
>
>>Those colors, those symbols, those metals and those gems and the people
>>they came from, they mean something to her, something far more real
>>than, "Rah, Rah, Francis Howell Central! Conform or be cast out! Yay!"
>>
>>A ring specific to her, born of the gifts of her own family as a
>>celebration of her individuality, of her survival of the trial by fire,
>>means more to her than anything I could order from Josten's.
>>
>>
>>>No
>>>criticism meant.
>>
>>None taken. Just understand that high school isn't a golden time for
>>all of us.
>
>
> That's why I don't understand the "class ring" deal. I never wanted a
> class ring from either high school or college. High school was just
> something to get through, to put in the time. Sort of like going to
> jail. Why would I want a ring to "celebrate" that?

I got a high school class ring. Not sure why. I put it aside as soon
as I started college. When the time comes to commemorate my son's
achievements I'll have it melted down. He likes yellow gold. I've got
a pigeon's blood ruby for him, given to me by my aunt, but will probably
hold onto that to be given to his bride or even his daughter, later, if
he thinks it would suit.

It's a tradition in our family to remake what's old into new forms.

> All of my three kids had trouble with high school. The oldest graduated
> from the local high school, with a 2.73 GPA. The second dropped out.
> He has no high school diploma. He is two classes short of an AA, and
> has been for over a year. I think it'll happen. The youngest
> transferred to an alternative school, and did graduate, a few months
> early.
>
> Like Wayne, no criticism here, just a lack of understanding.

There are times when I strongly regret not pulling my kids out of public
school and home schooling them. I substitute teach and I have an
excellent perspective on the process. Wanna witness your round peg
being bludgeoned into a square hole? Send 'em to public school.

"No child left behind?!" How about "all children left behind" as
teachers and schools spend ever increasing blocks of time teaching not
those things that matter, not those things neccessary for higher level
education, but instead, how to take the goddamned test.

And then there's the huge block of time teachers have to spend not
teaching, but simply dealing with the behaviors of the young wolverines
dumped on them by negligent parents. Why do home-schooled children's
test scores kick ass? Because their instructors, although not certified
teachers, don't have to spend fully *50%* of their time coping with
little assholes.

I allowed my gifted daughter to pull out a semester early and start
college (catching us flat-footed financially) because she was miserable.
Her boyfriend graduated from our district's alternative high school
and is an apprentice in a skilled trade and owns his own home.

I have yet to make a decision about my son's educational future.

The system is broken.