Aeolian 2014
LOST AND FOUND The Journey of a Ring
By Sunni Zemblowski
We all cherish items – whether it is photographs, music albums, or childhood toys – that remind us of the important events and the significant people in our lives. When one of these items is lost, it can be hard to let go of the hope you will find it. For Richard A. Cannon, this was true for his GSW class ring. THE ACCOMPLISHMENT
AND THE
RING
Cannon, a native of Albany, Ga., graduated from Georgia Southwestern in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. “The following year,” Cannon recalled, “my mother… had given me a class ring as a late graduation present.” The ring was significant to Cannon, not only because it represented his time at GSW, but because his mother, who worked at Dougherty High School as the school’s secretary, purchased the ring.
and Cannon’s initials were engraved on the inside of the band.
LOST
“Even though she didn’t have a lot of money to go around,” Cannon said, “she still wanted to get me that ring…For her, it was a big accomplishment for me to get a degree.”
After graduating from GSW, Cannon continued to live in Albany, Ga., and taught at Dougherty High from 1974 to 1975. It was at this time that Cannon lost his class ring. “I was afraid that someone might have stolen it, but also that I may have lost it one day swimming,” said Cannon. “The last time I remember having the ring, I went swimming in Radium Creek, just south of the Springs. I remember putting [the ring] in my shoe on the bank, but don’t remember getting it out… It really disappointed my mother.”
It was a standard college ring – silver with engravings of the year and Cannon’s degree on the sides, accented by black stain. The stone was blue,
After some time, Cannon’s hope to find the ring waned. He joined the Army in 1975 and worked in the medical laboratories. While in the Army,
4
AeolianNEW.indd 4
12/6/2013 12:18:18 PM
