Feature Article

In the same academic year, a similar impulse led to the creation of emblems for the several literary societies on campus. Interestingly, however, at this juncture the issue of expense and the overtones of extravagance surface, as an editorial in the Oberlin Review confirms.¹¹ Given this rising interest in "college distinctions," it is not surprising that the issue of cap and gown also arises at this time. Certainly it was an issue on other campuses, a development of which Oberlin students were well aware. For example, one editorial in the Review notes "Just now a great deal of interest is attached to the subject of cap and gown, in all the larger colleges. Seniors at Yale will wear them during the entire spring term, and in most of the eastern colleges they will add to the dignity of the graduating class during commencement.¹² And a few weeks later the column "College World," a regular feature of the newspaper that compiled news items from other schools, noted that the mortar-board had been adopted by students at Rochester (with different classes distinguished by the color of the tassel), and that at Dartmouth, seniors would wear the cap and gown at commencement, although around a third of the class were against it.¹³ Earlier, in 1881 when Oberlin students first adopted the mortar-board, the Review placed the innovation in the context of other colleges: "Oberlin is the last College on the long list that has adopted the "mortar-board" and at the beginning of next term that venerable covering of scholarly youth, will be seen for the first time in our College precin[c]ts."¹⁴

The adoption of cap and gown in the early years of its usage at Oberlin took various forms. It appears that initially things moved from the top downwards, beginning with the cap. Students adopted the mortar-board as their student hat in 1881, with individual classes distinguished by the color of the tassel.¹⁵ By the following year use of the mortar-board was waning because of the advent of warm weather, though at the time some thought that this was only temporary: "when the cool days of another year come, we hope to see all the old oxfords in full array, together with a goodly number of reinforcements, designating by some appropriate color in the tassel, the members of [the class of] '86."¹⁶ Apparently the interest did lag, however, because in 1890 the student newspaper announced that the sophomore class had chosen the mortar-board as their class hat: "the mortar-boards have been brought out from their hiding places at last, as everybody knew they would be."¹⁷ The adoption of cap and gown together was later in coming, with student interest running in advance of faculty sentiment. For example, regardless of student opinion, the faculty rejected cap and gown for students at commencement in 1892, and apparently did so hastily and without discussion.¹⁸ However, by 1896, the garb had been adopted by the senior class as their "badge of seniorhood." In 1898 the Review noted:

This year finds the seniors again in the dignified garb of cap and gown. [The class of] Ninety-nine is now the third successive class to adopt this badge of seniorhood, and it is accordingly felt that by the graduating classes to follow, this distinction will be adopted without hesitation.¹⁹

And from this time forward there seems to have been a variety of occasions on which cap and gown were worn by the senior class. Certain days of the week were so graced: sometimes Fridays, sometimes Wednesdays before noon.²⁰ Important social occasions were also marked with the distinctive dress. For example, in 1901 seniors wore cap and gown to attend a Class Day breakfast at a Professor's home: The local press reported:

The senior class began their class day exercises by a breakfast in Professor King's yard on East College Street. About seventy members were present, clad in cap and gown, and greatly enjoyed the novelty of their last breakfast together as a class.²¹

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