Last July I wrote a post about my mother losing her diamond engagement ring in the sand at Oak Bluffs. You can click here and read ‘Diamond In The Rough’.
In flipping through my memory bank I discovered that my mother had yet another ring experience years later in the 1960′s concerning MV, Oak Bluffs in particular.
This is my mother on her graduation day from Oak Bluffs High School in 1926.
(Oak Bluffs High School is NOT the regional high school. Before the MV Regional High School was built in the early 1960′s, each town had its own high school).
Each school had its own ring. I remember the ring clearly, it was gold with a flat black front with the emblem for OB high school on it… along the sides was the year, 1926. My mother loved that ring and was devastated when one day she couldn’t find it.
If you’ve read the post about the first ring my dad found you’ll know that my dad was determined to find this ring also.. he was the only hope. He turned our apartment upside down… inside out… searched behind every cushion and pillow… moved furniture… moved it again. He took apart the drains in the kitchen and bathroom sinks. Went through every drawer, every closet, every pocket, every nook and cranny. But alas, his powers of ring finding failed him, and the beloved ring was decreed officially…. gone.
My mother was beyond upset. Her mother had gotten the ring for her though times were tough, and now, a tangible connection to Martha’s Vineyard and to her mother was gone.
But wait…. there is a happy ending…
… behold… an Oak Bluffs High School ring with 1926 on it ! How could that be? My mother contacted MV Regional High School and found out the name of the company who provided the school rings. She wrote the company a letter and got back a response saying that yes, they had rings but NOT the style of the lost one. However, they could make up a ring in the current style and put the OB emblem and 1926 on it. She ordered it. It’s a beautiful ring and she wore it occasionally… but of course it never replaced the original one.
I wonder what becomes of lost jewelry? Especially the sentimental ones that become enhanced to epic proportions in our memories.
MV Obsession 
November 11, 2011 at 10:15 am
Joanie: Yup, you could get a ring replacement; it was one of the guarantees that the high school ring company, L. G. Balfour of Attleboro, MA made each of us. They even gave us a copy of our ring on a piece of paper that they told us, “Keep in a safe place.” (which I did). I, too, lost my previous ring, paid for (dearly) by babysitting lots of rich spoiled kids. Only, my cad of a 1st husband pawned mine and never got it reclaimed. I, too have a copy. I don’t know if Balfour is even still in business, but I praised their diligence in thinking that people would lose and want to replace their class ring. Mine looked a little like your mother’s – blue stone and school crest in gold on top of that with THS (Tisbury High School) on it. Thanks for a memory.