Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Queen’s Homecoming, the University received a monument celebrating the history of the Iron Ring in Smith Engineering.
On Oct. 16 from 3 to 3:30 p.m., Queen’s held a dedication ceremony in the courtyard behind Clark Hall Pub to commemorate the donation of the statue to the University from The Calling of an Engineer, Camp 3 Kingston.
Camp 3 is one of 28 not-for-profit camps operated by the Corporation of the Seven Wardens, which is responsible for the annual Engineering Obligation Ceremony for engineering graduates and senior candidates, commonly known as the Iron Ring Ceremony.
Camp 3 administers the ceremony each year for the engineering graduating classes at both Queen’s and the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC).
In a statement to The Journal, Chief Warden for Camp 3 Kingston, Peter Renaud, said the ceremony gives engineering graduates and senior candidates an Iron Ring to be worn on the pinky finger of their working hand.
To fund the fabrication of the statue, Camp 3 set up a funding page on their website intended for anyone who wanted to donate to the Sculpture Fund.
According to Renaud, the estimated cost for both sculptures was $15,000. While Queen’s did not provide any funding for the statue, Renaud said he is thankful for the University’s support in approving and selecting a location for the statue.
The Iron Ring Sculpture at RMC is scheduled to be installed soon, Renaud said.
Made of stainless steel, the statue stands 150 cm tall and features a 40-cm Iron Ring on top. The year 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of the first Iron Ring Ceremony held in Montreal.
At the ceremony, Dean of Engineering Kevin Deluzio accepted the statue on behalf of Smith Engineering.
When asked if the location of the statue was significant to engineering students at Queen’s, Renaud said Clark Hall is a gathering place for Smith Engineering students. He said that, in 1951, the building’s construction was funded by engineering students and the Fifth Field Company, which was a unit of Queen’s students that served in WW1.
“I find it’s a quiet courtyard where students can relax and reflect,” Renaud said.
In a statement to The Journal, Deluzio said “Camp 3 has given us more than a piece of art.”
He said the monument provides a representation of engineering values and offers young engineers an opportunity to pause and “take stock of what they’re promising” as an engineer.
The dean noted how the monument is a symbol for first-year students, professors, and alumni alike, as when members of the engineering community pass by the sculpture, they will be able to remember the promise they made or will make in the future.
Tags
100th anniversary, Engineering graduates, iron ring
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Peter Frise
As a graduate of Sci81 (Mech) and MSc84 I am delighted to see this initiative – bravo Camp 3!
One suggestion I would make would be to describe the promises and commitments made by all participants in the ceremony. They are referred to in the article above – but not described.
I and many others believe that the “Iron Ring” ceremony should be a private affair for engineers only – but – it would be a good thing if the commitments to public safety and collegiality among junior and senior engineers that are made during the ceremony be described so that the general public can appreciate how seriously our profession takes these obligations.