When I see the cap, I think of freedom, reaching back to the manumitted Roman slaves’ pileus, and when I see the robe, I think of over a thousand years of the sharing and development of thought and knowledge, bringing us out of the middle ages and into our modern world of rational, logical thought.
When some young people see these regalia, they think about rebelling against a school authority figure.
Kids will be kids. Hopefully they will eventually grow into the cap and gown. In the mean time, I see no harm being done when a young person rejects traditional dress. Looking silly never hurt anyone.
It was started by Henry David Thoreau in his essay of the same name… sometime in the 1850s. He refused to pay a tax to fund what he felt was an unjust war against mexico, and spent the night in jail.
Mohandus Gandhi popularized it in his mission for Indian independence from british rule, during the first half of the 20th century.
Thank you! I forgot to mention that the questions had to be answered without accessing the internet…But, hey, Snoopyfan, how do we know the answers to question #1 weren’t obtained there??
I remember a time when there was no Internet, and we just fucking knew what we were talking about. So there you go.
Graduation is not about looking good for the spectators, or showing solidarity with your classmates, or going through some sacred ritual as a transition to adulthood. It’s about getting the fuck out of high school.
I went to graduation because that’s just the way things are done. Family pressure? Well, yeah; oldest grand child and all that. When I graduated (by the time I was a junior, actually) I knew I’d be 2000 miles from the place I hated by the end of June).
Anyhow. Some people dressed up. Some people wore jeans but shined their boots up really nice. Some people (like me) didn’t have anything that resembled nice clothes, but with those long robes you really couldn’t tell what was on underneath, so a pair of heels and blue jean cutoffs weren’t any more noticeable than anything else.
Which is really besides the point because, IMHO, ceremonies are crap.
“Ooooooooooh, that guy’s retiring and we’re getting a new guy! Let’s all stand out in Florida heat for an hour in heels (because the technically prescribed oxfords are “unacceptable”) while someone talks for 20 minutes about nothing and the only thing anyone will remember is how many people passed out from heat stroke!”
“Aww, yeah! I did everything I was supposed to do! Make me wear a stupid piece of cardboard on my head to prove it!”
I know I’m in the minority here and that a bunch of people are going to tell me I suck. I really don’t care. I don’t, as a rule, like special attention, be it good or bad. I don’t like getting dressed up, I don’t like walking across a stage to officially get something I’ve earned, and I do NOT like people telling me what I can or cannot wear at an event about which I personally care not.
Especially a principal. If my gramma says it? Yeah, I’ll listen to her. But not someone who (as long as that sheepskin is signed) can no longer affect me.
Graduation means that much to you? Good on ya. Wear that suit and tie. I hope you don’t pass out.
