Sage-Tips

In which year did the tossing of graduation hats originate?

1912
The first cap throwing ceremony took place at the US Naval Academy during the graduation ceremony for the class of 1912. At the US Naval Academy, students spent two years as midshipmen before graduating and becoming Navy officers. With the new title came a new hat for their uniforms.

What is the hat called you wear when you graduate?

mortarboard hat
Despite the pandemic, however, one tradition has persisted—the square graduation cap, commonly known as a mortarboard hat. (Related: Why 2020 graduates face a graduation like no other.)

What is the meaning of graduation hat?

The graduation cap is a symbol of intelligence and superiority. When the tassel is transferred from the left to the right, it becomes more symbolic because it then signifies the students’ official status as a graduate.

What does a graduation hat symbolize?

Graduation caps symbolize intellectual superiority and while bachelor degree graduates and undergraduates are required to wear the tassel on the left, higher academic achievement allows the graduate to move it to the right. So, it also plays a major symbolic role in the whole pageant.

Why do boys not wear graduation hats?

Like many other traditions in Ireland, the Catholic church had some influence over this social norm. Men are expected to remove hats in places of worship, as a mark of respect and to avoid “dishonouring” his head, while women are required to remain covered during acts of worship.

What does the tassel represent?

The tassel before graduation symbolizes your time as a student. When you move it to the other side, you are confirming your newfound graduate status. If you’re a high school student, the graduation tassel starts on the right side. The tassel is then moved to the left at the end of the ceremony.

Who wears a hood at graduation?

There are subtle differences to the regalia worn at graduation. The bachelor’s degree recipient wears a plain black gown with a bell sleeve and a red tassel on the cap, or mortar board, and no hood. The master’s degree recipient wears a black tassel, a colored hood and a gown that has a visibly odd sleeve.

Do masters students wear honor cords?

While any graduate can choose to wear a graduation stole — and most do — an honor cord is granted by the university. A graduation cord is typically a silk rope that has tassels on either end.

What do colored cords mean at graduation?

At some universities, pairs of honor cords, in the school colors, indicate honors graduates: one pair for cum laude, two pairs for magna cum laude, and three pairs for summa cum laude. These are in addition to any cords for membership in an honor society.

Why do we throw our caps in the air at graduations?

Why Do We Throw Our Caps in the Air? Well, we have the U.S. Navy to thank for that! Basically, what happened was that the 1912 graduating class of the Naval Academy had received their new officers’ hats during the ceremony. To express their excitement, they threw their graduation caps in the air and replaced them with their new uniforms.

Why do navy graduates wear hats at graduation ceremonies?

In 1912, the Naval Academy became the first institution to start tossing graduation caps at their commencement ceremonies. This is because Navy graduates had to serve their first two years as midshipmen before becoming full-fledged officers, and they needed to wear a different hat during this period.

When did the graduation cap toss become a tradition?

This style of cap is believed to be an evolution of the biretta, which Catholic clerics and professors wore in the 15th century. When Did The Graduation Cap Toss Become A Tradition? In 1912, the Naval Academy became the first institution to start tossing graduation caps at their commencement ceremonies.

Why do people put a tassel on their cap after graduation?

Finally, the tassel tradition has only gained popularity in the last 50 years or so. Graduates move their tassel from right to left after receiving their diploma, which symbolizes their transition from student to graduate. Excited to toss your cap on graduation day?