The hoods, gowns, and caps worn in academic ceremonies today are modified versions of clothing worn by ecclesiastics and students in the 12th and 13th centuries. They wore gowns and hoods to their lectures, probably for warmth in the damp, unheated halls where classes were held. The designs and colors of these costumes have come to symbolize the level of academic attainment and the institution attended.

The bachelor’s robe has an elaborate yoke but is otherwise a plain garment with a closed, pleated front and long, full pointed sleeves. The master’s robe is identifiable by its sleeves, cut for the arm at the wrist and just above the elbow, which have a distinctive oblong back and are squared at the ends. The doctor’s robe, full cut and with voluminous long sleeves, is distinguished by its rich velvet trim. Robe-length front panels and velvet sleeve bars are either black or symbolize, by their color, the field in which the doctorate was obtained. The mortarboard or tam is worn with tassels that are usually black but may represent the degree held by the wearer. (from Commencement Exercises, Spring 2009 booklet published by SEBTS).

So for Mother’s Day I thought I had a great idea. Every year I go with the safe gifts for my wife (clothes, perfume, spa treatments, etc…) but this year as a I was in Wal-Mart (which should’ve been my first red flag) I had a brainstorm. There were other factors as to why I chose the gift I did. The economy is making it to where we need to cut expenses and an emphasis to “go green.” There was also the idea that what I purchased — we could do as a family. And we could teach our children how people used to do things way back when. So here we go …. I purchased Kimberly everything one needs to can fruits and some vegetables (water bath canning). I got her a giant pot, racks to hold the mason jars, mason jars of different sizes, packets of flavoring, accessories like tolls to pull the jars out, magnet to handle the lids coming out of boiling water, a funnel, and a book to explain how to can. As she opened all 7-8 separately packaged gifts I could tell it wasn’t what she was looking for. It could have been her response when she said, “It looks like you got a great Father’s Day gift.” Anyway, I thought it was cool, but right now it is sitting in the garage because it’s still too early in the growing season to can anything. So, our first round will be with strawberries.