MIT class ring

Massachusetts Institute of Technology's class ring, often called the Brass Rat, is a commemorative ring for the graduating class of students at MIT. The ring is redesigned each year by a committee of MIT students. The class ring has three main sections: the bezel, containing MIT's mascot, the beaver; the MIT seal (seal shank); and the class year (class shank). The side surfaces show the Boston and Cambridge skylines. An MIT campus map and the student's name are engraved on the inner surface. On earlier versions, the Building 10 facade was featured on each shank, with "MIT" under it on one side and the class year on the other.

The phrase "Brass Rat" is derived from the alleged resemblance of the gold (hence brass-like appearance) beaver to a rat. Among other reasons the beaver was chosen as mascot (and therefore for the front bezel of the ring) because it is an American animal, and considered to be the engineer of the animal world.[1] The ring is not literally made of brass.

Tradition

The Brass Rat is traditionally worn on the right hand with the Beaver "sitting" on the wearer until graduation.[2] This represents the hardships imposed on students at MIT. In addition, the skyline of Boston is facing the student, representing the outside world awaiting. After graduation, the ring is turned around, and the Cambridge skyline is visible to the graduate, as a reminder of times spent at MIT.[3]

Ceremonies

The undergraduate ring is designed and presented in the sophomore year of each class.[4] The design is unveiled during the Ring Premiere in the start of the spring term, which is followed months later by the Ring Delivery in the same term. The latter has been a tradition since 1999 (Class of 2001), and is typically a formal occasion.[5] Ring Delivery ceremonies have been held on a harbor cruise,[6] at prestigious restaurants,[7] and at the Boston Public Library.[8]

Ring elements

Although parts of the ring change each year, typically the MIT seal is on one shank of the ring, and a depiction of the Dome is on the other side. The 2008 Brass Rat was the first in recent years to revert to the original style of the ring, placing the seal and Dome above the "MIT" and "08" respectively.[9] The 2010 Brass Rat was the first to incise the "MIT" and "2010" on the shanks of the ring.[10][11] The tradition of the skylines began with the Class of 1990 ring,[12] for which the mold process in manufacturing was altered from 3 pieces to 5 pieces. The change was not followed by the Class of 1991,[13] but resumed and has continued since the Class of 1992's ring.[14]

History

The ring was first proposed in 1929 and labeled the "Standard Technology Ring".[15]

In the spring of 1929, C. Brigham Allen, President of the class of 1929, appointed a ring committee consisting of one member of each of the classes of 1930, 1931, and 1932. The committee was headed by Theodore A. Riehl, and its sole purpose was to provide a ring which the Institute Committee would approve as the Standard Technology Ring. In October the committee submitted its first detailed report to the Institute Committee and requested a decision as to whether the Institute Dome or the Beaver should be used on the face of the ring. This precipitated a vigorous discussion concerning the exact status of the Beaver as the Institute mascot. Investigation showed that, on January 17, 1914, President Maclaurin formally accepted the Beaver as the mascot of the Institute at the annual dinner of the Technology Club of N.Y. Lester Gardner (SB, 1898) explained the decision:

"We first thought of the kangaroo which like Tech, goes forward in leaps and bounds ... Then we considered the elephant. He is wise, patient, strong, hard working and like all [students] who graduate from Tech, has a good tough hide.

But neither of these were American animals. We turned to William Temple Hornaday's textbook, The American Natural History: A Foundation of Useful Knowledge of the Higher Animals of North America (1906) and instantly chose the beaver. As you will see, the beaver not only typifies the Tech [student], but his habits are peculiarly our own. Mr. Hornaday says, 'Of all the animals in the world, the beaver is noted for his engineering and mechanical skill and habits of industry. His habits are nocturnal—he does his best work in the dark.'"[1][16]

There was no record of any action having been taken by the Institute Committee so that the body went on record as approving the Beaver for the official mascot of Technology. Opinion was still divided on the question of Dome versus Beaver, but with the realization that many schools had domes somewhere similar to Technology's, the Institute Committee decided to use the Beaver on the face of the ring. The Dome lent itself particularly well to use on the shanks.

Since that time, subsequent classes have appointed a Ring Committee to design their own MIT ring. The goal of these committees has been to create a ring that keeps the design that is unmistakably the MIT ring, yet introduce changes that will allow that ring to always be identified with their class.[4] This tradition has developed throughout the years producing one of the most cherished symbols of an MIT education that is recognized worldwide.

Grad Rat

The Graduate Student ring, or "Grad Rat", is redesigned every five years when the production contract expires.[17] The Grad Rat was essentially unchanged for 73 years until its first major redesign in 2003.[18] Unlike the undergraduate ring, the Grad Rat design (starting with the 2003 design) is personalized according to the department in which the graduate student resides and to the degree to be received (i.e., PhD, ScD, SM, etc.).[17] The "third" new Grad Rat design was unveiled in Fall 2013 with some controversial elements, such as the inclusion of the Dropbox logo and removal of any reference to the unofficial IHTFP motto.[19]

The Grad Rat has typically been less popular among graduate students at MIT than the Brass Rat is with undergraduates, with as few as 30% of graduate students opting to buy the ring compared with 85% of undergraduates who purchase the Brass Rat.[20] However, in recent years the Grad Rat has been gaining in popularity among graduate students.[21] Factors contributing to the increasing popularity of the Grad Rat include the aforementioned personalization, increased visibility and marketing, and perhaps most importantly the ability to specify these personalizations (including major, graduation year, and degree) without extra charges.

Undergrad Brass Rat

The ring is offered in several sizes, in various gold purities: 10, 14, or 18 carat (42%, 58%, or 75% gold alloy) as well as white gold and Celestrium (jeweler's steel). A typical ring, medium size and 14 carat gold, would cost US$616 in 2010 (class of 2012 ring).

Brass Rat sightings

MIT hacks

Film appearances

Returned rings

References

  1. 1 2 "Shiny new beaver mascot has debut". MIT News Office. 10 May 2000. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
  2. ↑ Rudolph, Kate (12 August 2014). "Leaving a Mark". MIT Admissions (blog). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Grad Rat // Design / Index
  4. 1 2 Mihalik, Aaron D. (7 March 2000). "Mens et Women: 2002 Brass Rat Features Woman on Ring". The Tech 120 (11). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Bushak, Nick (29 April 2008). "Class of 2010 Celebrates Delivery Of Rings at Moakley Courthouse". The Tech 128 (22). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Jeffreys, Katie (11 May 1999). "Class of 2001 Celebrates Brass Rat". The Tech 119 (26). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  7. ↑ LeBon, Lauren E. (24 February 2004). "Ring Features Secret Message, Nod to Stata". The Tech 124 (7). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "In Short". The Tech 130 (23). 30 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Thibault, Marie Y. (14 February 2006). "Traditional Design, Seal Featured on 2008 Brass Rat". The Tech 126 (3). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Wang, Lulu (19 February 2008). "kerberos, Tunnel Map, Hidden '143' Appear on 2010 Class Ring". The Tech 128 (5). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ring Design: 2010 Brass Rat". MIT Class of 2010 Ring Committee. 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "ADVERTISEMENT: Class of 1990 Ring Ordering" (PDF). The Tech 108 (11). 11 March 1988. p. 6. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "ADVERTISEMENT: Class of 1991 Ring Ordering" (PDF). The Tech 109 (8). 3 March 1989. p. 2. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "ADVERTISEMENT: Class of 1992 Class Ring Ordertaking" (PDF). The Tech 110 (10). 6 March 1990. p. 18. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Ring History ('93 class webpage)". AlumWeb.MIT.edu. Retrieved 2006-12-26. External link in |work= (help)
  16. ↑ Hornaday, William T. (1914). The American Natural History: A foundation of Useful Knowledge of the Higher Animals of North America. I–Mammals. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 212. OCLC 869273608. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  17. 1 2 Nadal, Vanessa (28 October 2003). "New Ring Unveiled By GSC". The Tech 123 (52). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  18. ↑ McQueen, Robert (3 October 2008). "Grad Rat Redesigned for First Time Since 2003". The Tech 128 (44). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  19. ↑ Chen, Shirley (6 September 2013). "Design of GradRat unveiled yesterday". The Tech 133 (35). Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "Grad Rat Proves Popular". Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  21. ↑ Duvergne Smith, Nancy (20 March 2013). "Is There a Grad Rat in Your Future?". Slice of MIT. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  22. ↑ Peterson, Institute Historian T. F. (2011). "Hacking into the new millennium". Nightwork: a history of hacks and pranks at MIT (updated edition). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-51584-9.
  23. ↑ Elton, Catherine (April 19, 2006). "Comedy on Campus: MIT takes on Caltech for prank distinction". Boston Globe.
  24. ↑ Peterson, Institute Historian T. F. (2011). "When MIT won the Harvard-Yale game: hacking Harvard". Nightwork : a history of hacks and pranks at MIT (updated edition). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-51584-9.
  25. ↑ "Hack brings Yard Plate to campus". The Tech. 1990-09-14. Retrieved 2006-12-31. External link in |work= (help)
  26. ↑ "Clip of Grossberger wearing Brass Rat from Stir Crazy". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. External link in |work= (help)
  27. ↑ "MIT admissions article on Iron Man with production stills". MIT Admissions. External link in |work= (help)
  28. ↑ "Vietnam Ring Mystery". MIT Division of Student Life. 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "Henry R. Nau '63: Return of the Ring". MIT Alumni Association. 12 April 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  30. ↑ "Steven A. Spura '76, SM '77: The Adventure of the Wandering Brass Rat". MIT Alumni Association. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Marcott, Amy (6 March 2009). "The Rings that Return to Their Masters". Slice of MIT. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  32. ↑ Eschenbach, Stephen (1 July 2006). "Brass Rat Tales". MIT News Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2015.

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