Here’s how wearing square hats became a norm among graduates
In India, a student becomes graduate after the completion of a three- or four-year course in college after Grade 12. However, in the Western world, finishing any level of education means graduation. For instance, kindergarten kids graduate to elementary school, who, in turn graduate to middle school, so on and so forth. There, graduation is the commemoration of every academic milestone. It’s the time when family, friends and peers come together to celebrate an individual.
If you watch Hollywood movies, you must have seen fresh graduates wearing the same outfit during their graduation ceremonies. It usually comprises of a robe and a square hat. While robes do give a sense of uniform, what’s the deal with these square hats? Any idea? In case you don’t, there’s no need to worry. Today, we are going to tell you all about it.
Square hat, mortarboard hat, or funny hat?
It’s all three. Commonly called a square cap because of its distinct square shape, it’s also called a funny hat due to its tickling corners that often make the wearers laugh. Okay, but what about the name mortarboard hat? These graduation hats look identical to a square tray used by masons to hold mortar. Interestingly, the hat is also called ‘square academic cap’ or ‘Oxford cap’ in and around Europe. Today, this cap is customised in such a way that a flat, square board is attached to a black-coloured skullcap, with a tassel buttoned to the centre.
Traditional graduation hat: How did it emerge?
Hats have always been part of scholarly tradition. For instance, 11th century European scholars wore caps ever since the first universities were set up across the continent. But back then, their caps looked more like the pilot’s hat popularised by Amelia Earhart, the American aviation pioneer.
Fast forward to the 14th century and ‘pileus’, or a round shaped, brimless skullcap, often worn by Roman Catholic clergy (to cover their piously shaven heads) were adopted by academics who were the members of the church. The only difference was, they wanted it to look more like the modern-day squat chef’s hat and less like the Christian monk’s hat. This is when they modified it into a taller and cylindrical cap with four ridges across the top, surmounted by a tuft. These came to be known as ‘biretta’ or ‘pileus rotundus’ and were popular among contemporary college students, especially the ones studying science, medicine and law.
Wondering why the academics wore hats at all? Because, early universities were designed like open church courtyards which often lacked insulation. As a result, covering the heads to maintain the body heat became absolutely necessary. The long gowns too served the same purpose.
Birth of modern-day square hat or ‘pileus quadratus’
By mid-16th century, ‘pileus rotundus’ received an upgrade in the hands of academics. Guess what they came up with? The graduation hat as we know it today and called this new style ‘pileus quadratus.’ It was a soft, square cap that didn’t need much of any fabric, making it cost-effective. However, both the ‘pileus rotundus’ or the cylindrical hat and ‘pileus quadratus’ or the square hat remained in style and were popular in the field of academics and represented wisdom and knowledge. Around the 17th century, thanks to Oxford University undergraduates, rounded caps were adopted for college goers, while the squared caps were reserved for the ones with higher university degrees. However, in 1675, to ensure a common accessory for all graduates, square hats were permanently embraced. Soon, with the emergence of American colleges and universities, this further became a norm.
Today, during the graduation ceremony, which is no less than a rite of passage, this square hat, along with a robe (often black to match the colour of the hat) are worn together. The pair is known as “cap and gown” or traditional graduation outfit.
Fun fact: The tradition of tossing graduation hats in the air originated in 1912 in Annapolis, Maryland. It was the year when the first ever batch of U.S. Naval Academy students became officers. As a celebratory act, they had randomly flung their hats into the air. It wasn’t before long that this practice became popular.