The Washington herald., 1909-06-06
MEANING OF CAP AND GOWN

church. During the Middle Ages the
priests adopted a ceremonial garb for
their own Use. modelling It as closely as
their knowledge permitted on what had
been used in the worship Of the ancient
temple OF Jerusalem. For everyday use
the monastic orders invented a distinc-
tive dress. different orders and mans
rank in each being indicated by some spe-
cial feature.
In the stormy dress Of this period It
was needful that man. even a church
man. should be speedily able 10 determine
whether a stranger belonged 10 an or
ganiZatiOn friendly or Rntagonistic. This
distinctive dress aids materially. The
close alliance OF the priesthood with the
worlds store Of information made It an
easy and natural evolution for the garb
OF the priest 10 be introduced into the
universities 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 pr0fted by access 10 stores OF in
formation closed TO the remainder Of the
world Hence the more intellectual OF
priests became the center Of great schools
and the younger men who studied under
them naturally adopted the dress OF their
teachers out OF loyalty and pride
When the universities thus spriaglng
up became regularly organized the pro-
fessOrs, or bachelors. or doctors Of divin-
ity and the graduates OF the faculties of
law and ART above the bachelor degree
wore over their regular dress flowing
gowns with capes and hoods Very high
rank was then indicated BY a special cap.
This was the beginning OF the present
academic garb so generally seen IN the
early days OF June. the month Of COM
I nencemeut
Although IN general form the dress has
remained much the same. there have
I been many developments. In the If
teenth century special distinction was
made between the masters and bachelor s
I gown. the former being shorter. Soon a
/ system was evolved by which the higher
degree would be indicated. and eventually
I there came into existence a whole sys-
I TEN OF graduation Of academic attire lust
as clearly graded and marked as the de-
grees OF heraldry.
/ But this system has never been Uniform
I among the worlds universities. There
have been many variations growing OUT
o. differences in religion. OF existing uni
versities oxford claims 10 have q system
that goes back farther than that OF any
OF its contemporaries. The graduating
class Of this year IN the famous English
\ university viii wear just exactly tht
same kind Of ecclesiastical and civil robes
that were proper in the DAYS OF the early
/ Georges. a couple Of centuries ago. Cam
bridge goes a long distance back. ro-
quite as far perhaps. oxford makes Z
very marked difference In the gar5 o.
a graduating minister and lawyer, for n
/ stance. Camb-idge stin further dineren
tiates between students Of its variou
colleges.
The ordinary academic dress Of to-da,
Il consists OF cap. gown. and hood. and il
the United States the system has been $,
unified that a very definite code has bees
established In 1894 an inrercoIieg!ar
commission met az Columbia College
New York wiki Seth Low. as chairman
and col oIcCook. OF Princeton. Dr.. Palm
er. of Yale. and Chancellor 8IcCracken
OF New YORK University, as members o
, the commission They made a carefu
study OF academic costume in the various
universities OF Europe. and out OF III
chaos they evolved an orderly system
which is the one followed now by al n,
greater universities and colleges IN n
! land
There are three types OF gowns. vhicl
are marked by varying cuts OF hoods q
represent doctor. master. and bachelo
degrees. The doctors gown has fuU
open. round sleeves faced WIKI velvet an
has three bars Of velvet on the sleeves
The masters gown has a closed sleeve
{ square al the bottom. falling below IN
knees. The arm enters through a su
near the elbow. The bachelors gown Ia
: long. pointed sleeves The doctors an
masters gown should be silk. bachelor
are worsted staff The doctors cap ha
a gilt tassel while the others have sill
/. tassels. Thus far the United States f0l
! lows the custom Of Great Britain. but N
% TACK OF uniformity in hoods and the az
iPHcation Of color 20 them made the Amer
E lean authorities adopt a system OF thei
r own. very carefully elaborated.
The three grades Of hood vary IN cut a
, much as the three grades OF gown The
are made OF the same stun as the gowr