Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-27
MORTAR BOARD AND GOWN
Origin and Variations in the Toga o.
College Graduates.
BADGE OF DISTINCTION FOR AGES
Ancient Insignia of Caste Adjusted
10 Modern Uses-SIEnincance
of COlOrs and QuaI-
tiles.

The young doctor, who now all over the
country is donning the cap and gown, in
which on commencement day he will face
his college president to receive the diploma
that entities him to practice his profession;
the sweet girl graduate, who, having mas
tered the arts and many other things she
will never need in after life, is gowning
herself for the day of valedictory, and all
the host of other graduates little dream
Of the historical significance Of the attire
they wear on their final school day.
Way back to the dim mists of the middle
ages, long before any but the most ancient
Of surviving institutions OF learning had
been founded, must the searcher go to find
out who originated the commencement garb,
and to learn its meaning.
In all ages man has found it convenient
to indicate rank and calling by specialties
in dress.
Sixteen hundred years before the begin
ming Of the Christian era the rank and
calling Of the Egyptian would be told by
his dress, so it was with the Greek, the
Roman and the Assyrian. In India it was
an absolute crime for the man Of lowly
walks to initiate the garb of the caste, and
In the life OF the Israelite all classes were
indicated by their dress.
MOdern Ideas.
1t was not until the coming of modern
ideas, especially the upspringing of repub-
lican institutions, that the habit of regard
ing clothing as a badge Of station began
to fall into disfavor. But even until the
present time certain forms survive that
perhaps nothing can ever change.
The guardians Of the nations peace must
have distinctive attire, so must the men Of
the church. Soldiers and priests will per-
haps wear distinctive garb as long as there
Is an army or a church.
Originally in the Christian church, &C
coTding to the ancient histories and crude
drawings surviving. wOrshippers and priests
alike had special hsbiliments for times Of
pleasure and OF sadness, but gradually the
priest, as befitted a man who had author
ity in the church, devised a form Of dress,
permitted only TO himself, and regarded as
part Of the offices OF his church.
During the middle ages the priests
adopted a ceremonial garb for their own
use, modelling It as closely as their knOwl-
edge permitted on what had been used In
the worship OF the ancient temple OF Jeru-
salem. For everyday use the monastio or
ders invented a distinctive dress, different
orders and mans rank in each being indi-
Gated by some special feature.
History of the Gown.
In the stormy dress Of this period It
was needful that & man, even a church
man. should be speedily able to determine
whether a stranger belonged TO an organi-
ration, friendly or antagonistic. This dis
;inctive dress aids materially.
The close alliance OF the priesthood with
the worlds store Of Information made IL
an easy and natural evolution for the garb
Of the priest 70 be introduced into the uni
yersities of that early period. The priest
was then the teacher. He was the rare
public character who could read. In the
course OF his preparation for orders he had
profited by access 10 stores Of Information
closed to the remainder OF the world. Hence
tthe more intellectual Of priests became the
center OF great schools, and the younger
men who studied under them naturally