Recently, a group of seniors at St. Louis High School attended a meeting to start the process of ordering their caps and gowns for their graduation in May. However, where does this tradition come from?
According to an article by graduationsource.com, the first schools to officiate formal dress like cap and gowns were Cambridge and Oxford as by 1321, the universities required everyone to wear long robes during ceremonies to create unity. Caps were most likely developed in the 15th century evolving from hats known as birettas used by Catholic clerics, scholars, and professors. However, most historians believe that a square shape signifies the form of a book to give a scholarly appearance. Most caps and gowns remained gray into the 1950s, but as more schools chose to match them with their school colors ,many caps and gowns were ordered to do the same.
St. Louis schools order caps and gowns from Herff Jones, a company that makes everything from class rings and varsity jackets to individual graduation announcements. When asked about the average price, Administrative Assistant Mrs. March shared, “There are many packages you can get that include lots of class of 2025 themed things such as announcements and other things that you can spend several hundred dollars on, but just to get the cap, gown, tassel, which is what is required to graduate it is $36 plus tax.” The caps and gowns come in April when Mrs. March will then hand them out to seniors. Mrs. March further added, “The company can try to get you to buy a lot of extra merchandise, but I encourage students to just buy the cap and gown and get their other stuff elsewhere for less expensive prices.”
Senior Rebekah Ross stated, “I think that the prices were good for caps and gowns. There is always an opportunity to borrow one from a friend or the school, but I know that I found them reasonably priced.” Ross also explained her thoughts on graduation itself, “The idea of ordering a cap and gown is both exciting and scary. It makes me feel like I really am growing up, and I’m scared to grow up, even though I know what I want to do in the future. I just, overall, feel nervous, but excited to move on to bigger and better things.”
Mrs. March also reminds all seniors to turn in their cap and gown information before Dec. 1, or they will face a $15 late fee.
