Popular graduation traditions
Graduation is steeped in tradition . Come the day of graduation , many grads-to-be might be focusing on receiving their diplomas and then celebrating after the ceremony . The hard work students put in affords them every right to celebrate once they ’ re officially anointed as new grads , but before the party begins it can be fun to reflect on the many traditions associated with graduation ceremonies .
➤ Cap and gown Graduation ceremonies simply wouldn ’ t be the same without caps and gowns . The tradition is anything but new , as Columbia University notes caps and gowns have been linked to academia since the 12th century . Back then , students wore gowns and hoods to emulate the clergy who taught them , but also to stay warm . Many universities dressed their scholars in gowns from the 1700s onward . In 1786 , one school , Brown University , even mandated that degree candidates be clad in flowing robes and caps at commencement ceremonies .
Though educators and students may no longer wear caps and gowns when attending class or around campus , the tradition of doing so at commencement ceremonies has endured .
➤ Tassel turning The tradition of turning the tassel does not have the lengthy history of the cap and gown , dating back only decades rather than centuries . Graduates typically turn the tassels after everyone has received their degrees during the ceremony . The turn is symbolic of their transition from student to graduate . Tassels start on the right for high school students and college undergraduates and are then turned to the left , while recipients of master ’ s degrees and doctorates keep their tassels on the left throughout the commencement ceremonies .
➤ Tossing caps in the air
The tossing of graduation caps in the air is believed to date back more than 100 years . Prior to 1912 , graduates of the United States Naval Academy had to serve as midshipmen for two years before they were commissioned as officers . As a result , they still needed their graduation caps . But beginning with the class of 1912 , graduates were automatically commissioned as officers , so they no longer needed their hats . That led the graduates to throw them in the air , thus beginning one of the more fun and photo-worthy graduation traditions .
➤ “ Pomp and Circumstance ”
This tradition marked by the playing of “ Pomp and Circumstance ” is rooted in the work of William Shakespeare , which makes it seem like a perfect fit for graduation ceremonies . Sir Edward Elgar composed “ Pomp and Circumstance ” in 1901 and the title for the song was inspired by a line in the bard ’ s “ Othello .” Elgar received an honorary degree from Yale University in 1905 , and during that ceremony “ Pomp and Circumstance ” was played . The song apparently made a strong impression , as it soon began to be played at various commencement ceremonies , a tradition that continues today .
Palo Pinto County Graduation 2021 21