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colleges and universities, academic degrees are conferred
at commencement exercises. Originally, the term meant the
inception of the student graduate as a teacher and their
recognition as such by their master and other members of
the profession. Thus, the term once marked an actual beginning.
The processional and recessional of students and faculty
dressed in academic regalia is a traditional part of these
commencement exercises. The history of academic dress goes
back to the medieval universities.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, when universities were taking
form, they were under the jurisdiction of the church. Those
studying wore a habit or cloak to which was attached a cowl
or hood which could be pulled up over the head or thrown
back, according to weather conditions. Later, the gown served
the dual purpose of providing warmth in the unheated halls
as well as uniformity of dress.
The hood seems to have had three uses: a covering, a shoulder
cape, and a bag for collecting alms.
It is believed that when large wigs are worn, the cape part
of the hood was cut open in front and the entire garment,
cape and hood proper, was allowed to fall back, producing
approximately the effect seen today. After wigs went out
of fashion, the original shape was not restored. The master's
hood is longer than the bachelor's, and the doctor's longer
than the master's.
Gowns commonly worn in the colleges and universities of
this country have pointed sleeves for the bachelor's degree,
long closed sleeves (with a slit for the arm) for the master's
degree, and bell-shaped, open sleeves for the doctor's degree.
The bachelor's and master's gowns have no trimming. The
gown for the doctor's degree is faced down the front with
black velvet and three bars of the same across the sleeves;
or these facings and cross bars may be of velvet of the
color distinctive of the faculty or subject to which the
degree pertains.
The cap is an essential part of the academic dress and it
is to be retained on the head throughout all academic exercises
except during prayer. In particular, the cap is not to be
removed at any point in the conferment of a degree.
All hoods are lined with silk showing the official colors
of the institution which conferred the degree, and all are
trimmed in specific widths with velvet signifying the degree
as follows:
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