Few events in the life of a young person are as meaningful as a graduation ceremony. Years of study and going to school day after day are finalized by well-deserved recognition. Graduation exercises are characterized by pomp and circumstance, and even the music reflects the praise that is due to one who has reached a milestone in his educational career. To honor the occasion and to mark it as a
. truly memorable day, the ceremonies surrounding graduation have a long history that embodies noteworthy symbolism. Gowns are worn to indicate the solemnity of the occasion, and they have characteristics that vary according to the level of degree that one has earned at the college level. As the degree that is earned increases in the difficulty required to attain it, the robe becomes more elaborate. Adornments to the robe include a hood, a cowl and a tam, with each one adding an element of color and sophistication to the academic regalia that one may be entitled to wear at the ceremony. Jostens at http://college.jostens.com/jostens/articles/guideArticle.jsp?linkId=100008 presents some information regarding the graduation ceremony. The cap has a special meaning also that symbolizes achievement and the shape and form of what one wears to cover the head has changed over time since the days of the medieval universities. The shape resembles the tray that a bricklayer uses to hold his mortar, and the similarity has caused the cap to be called a mortarboard. Traditionally, it is worn so that it makes a flat surface, as it would have to sit in a masons hand to prevent the mortar from rolling off. It is frequently seen today at many angles on the graduates head. Article Span at http://www.articlespan.com/article/123252/what-is-the-deal-with-graduation-tassels discusses the mortarboard and the tassel. The mortarboard has a tassel that is attached to a button on the top side, and it is used to signify an important event. Before one has graduated, he wears the tassel so that it hangs over his right eye, or just to the side of it. When one receives a degree, he moves the tassel to the other side so that it hangs closer to his left eye. There it remains, no matter how many more degrees he earns. http://college.jostens.com/jostens/articles/guideArticle.jsp?linkId=100008 or http://www.articlespan.com/article/123252/what-is-the-deal-with-graduation-tassels
