Ralph was known as a leader. Being the only person actually elected to be leader shows they believed he knew what he was talking about. He also symbolizes a properly civilized young man as well as socialized. He is stranded on an island with other young boys that were in a plain crash with him.
Being stuck on an island all by themselves was a very big change for the boys but they manage to survive with one another and learn a lot of responsibility from one another.
The boys made it a rule that they called meetings with a conch shell and whoever was holing it was able to speak.