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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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