The Washington times., 1901-10-20
ACADEMIC CAP And GOWN.
The. Subtle Distinctions Made in
Color and Cut of the Hood.
yaIe's BicentcnniaI Celebration to
Be Marked by n Display of World
wide Intellectual Honors Repre-
scented In Plain Rainbow Shades.

With the great advance Of recent years
IN popular education throughout the
country, especially through the munia-
cent endowments Of colleges and libra
res by philanthropists, there has arisen
also a hitherto unknown popular interest
in the fine distinctions made between the
various degrees conferred by the leading
universities. Years ago the bachelor OF
arts or of science was content to wear
the cap and gown as the insignia OF his
academic attainments. But with the uni
yersal tendency toward specialization in
every sphere of activity. the college man
has found himself called upon to devise
some distinctive method by which he can
distinguish his learned brother. at
glance by the cut and color Of The hood
attached TO the gown worn on occasions
of ceremony.
The bicentennial exercises at Yale this
week will gather together the sayants Of
intellectual progress from all corners OF
the world From far Japan comes the
Marquis Ito, distinguished statesman and
leader of progressive thought in the ISL
and Kingdom; from Sweden and Norway,
and from Italy, from Canada and from
South America, will be present men of
power and intellect, many Of them hold
stitutions OF learning How they will be
known 10 one another even, and much less
to the general public. Is a matter which
is likely to prove somewhat puzzling.
But an understanding of the accepted
designations in cap, gown and hood his
tcrioiogy sifnplifiss otherwise appar-
eE.ly complicated question.
The wearing Of the traditional aca-
demic costume by college officers and STU
dents, or by those holding academic de-
gtees. on occasions of ceremony. is to the
American public. therefore, still a nov
city. II is true that on the statute books
of Columbia and Of one or two other col
leges there were inscribed long ago pre-
scr.ptIons for distinctive and appropriate
dress, but the custom Of wearing the cap
and gown and the hOoo belonging to the
different Dc grees soon died out, II ever 1t
was al all generally adopted Later came
the movement for the graduating classes
in colleges TO wear esps and gowns at
their coInTrencement-at Yale the practice
was introduced in isgI-but only then was
the academic dress seen, and that, too
of the simplest type. But II is only within
a very few years that the brilliant colorz
aud rich materials Of the costumes ap-
propriate to the grades higher than the
bachelors have been worn. and even now
the sight is sc Unwonted that the popu-
lar mind is not aware Of what the various
blues and scarlets and blacks signify or
why one gown is silk. another Of serge.
Confusing as the cOlOFs are when seen
in procession or Tnassed on the platform
1t is however, not difficult matter TO
interpret them. They are almost all ar
ranged according TO a simple but highly
effective plan which a representative
body OF college delegates drew up some
six years ago.
First Of all, II is interesting to know.
every faculty or department of the uni
yersities has adopted distinctive colors,
and these colors, appearing as facing or
trimming on the hoods. show whether
the Wearer has received his degree from
one or the other Thus, TO name the
chief ones, a hooG faced and trimmed
with scarlet means degree in divinity
purple stands for law, blue for philoso-
ply, green fer medicine. white for arts
and letters, orange for science pink for
music, brown fer the fine arts Secondly
the hoods are lined with the distinctive
color OF the college comforting the degree
Thus, doctor OF laws Of Yale wears a
hood lined with blue, edged with purple:
a doctor OF philosophy from Columbia
appears In o hood lined with the male
blue and white with dark blue velvet or
satin around its edges m a band three
or four inches wide. The body OF these
hoods Is al black. and those for an
IL ID. or ID. ID. are cat rather more
amply than those worn by, say a mas
ter of arts. and have panels at the sides
There are some small differences In .he
hoods OF soms of the colleges. but, broad
~ speaking. the patterns and color plans
above described are those adopted by all
the largest and most famous American
tnstitutIons Of learning
The gowns are Of serge for bachelors
silk for masters anS doctors The low
est degree has open long pointed sleeves.