The history of graduation day

In 1909, anthropologist Arnold van Gennep coined the term “rite of passage.”

He believed these rituals had three steps: First, the individual was separated from society. Second, an inculcation-transformation occurred. And third, the individual returned to society in their new status.

Tonight, Ramstein and Kaiserslautern high school’s Class of 2010 will undergo one of the largest rites of passage — graduation. Like a Bar Mitzvah or a Quinceanera, there are certain components that make up the countless graduations in the U.S. every year. Thousands of miles away at our Air Force base, the same traditions are upheld annually.

The typical cap and gown attire we associate with graduations today dates back hundreds of years. The cap was developed around the 16th century, when a square hat (called a biretta) became popular at Oxford University in England. There are several explanations for this shape — some say it represents the mortar board of a master workman, some say it represents the shape of a book, and yet others believe it represents the shape of Oxford’s campus.

The gown, on the other hand, dates back to 1321, when the University of Coimbra declared graduates must wear gowns. These English customs were carried over to America by immigrants and have been used ever since.

On the other hand, the tradition of throwing graduation caps originated in the states. In 1912, the U.S. Naval Academy midshipsmen would be graduating as officers for the first time, meaning they would wear a different cap than the one they wore with their midshipsmen uniform.

At the end of the ceremony, they spontaneously threw their caps in the air; high school students have followed suit ever since.

Additionally, tassels, which are first worn on the right and switched to the left after receiving a diploma, symbolize the transition of the graduates into a new chapter of their lives.

Though the history of graduation may help you appreciate the ceremony, graduation is more about looking forward than looking back.

Congratulations and best of luck to the Class of 2010. Here’s to all that lays ahead of us.