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ACADEMIC DRESS

In the United States, black has been the traditional color of academic gowns. However, some institutions authorize holders of their doctorates to wear the color of the institution. The bachelor's gown is distinguished by its long, open sleeves; the master's by its closed, slit sleeves; the doctor's by its full sleeves trimmed with bands of velvet, which may be black or a color denoting the field in which the degree was taken.

The mortarboard cap, proper for all degrees, is black. Tassels, usually black, are worn over the left front quarter of the cap. Holders of the doctorate may wear tassels of gold.

Academic hoods vary in length according to the degree, and are lined with the colors of the institution by which the degree was granted. The hood is trimmed in velvet, in a color that indicates the field in which the degree was taken. Colors associated with some of the various disciplines are: Arts and Letters - white; Business - drab; Education - light blue; Fine Arts - brown; Law - purple; Library Science - lemon; Medicine - green; Music - pink; Philosophy - dark blue; Physical Education - sage green; Science - yellow/gold; Theology - scarlet.

GRADUATION REGALIA

Commencements are also made colorful by the symbolic regalia worn by the graduates. For instance, the color of the tassel worn by Baldwin-Wallace degree candidates indicates the degree they will be receiving: Bachelor of Arts - white; Bachelor of Science - gold,  Bachelor of Science in Education - blue;  Bachelor of Music - pink; Bachelor of Music in Education - pink and blue and all Masters wear a black tassel.

Additionally, some graduates wear items to recognize their special involvements and achievements. For example, students completing the Baldwin-Wallace Honors Program wear red cords. Many African-American graduates wear brightly colored Kente cloths, representing achievement, strong family bonds and continued commitment to worthy causes.

BALDWIN-WALLACE MACE

The ceremonial mace, which is being carried in our academic procession, was a gift to the College in 1981 from retiring President Alfred Bryan Bonds, Jr. It was designed by Dr. Bonds. The staff itself was turned from walnut by James W. Wehe, a Baldwin-Wallace buildings and grounds employee. The sterling silver head - bearing the College seal - was created by Roberta Williamson, a well-known Cleveland silversmith. The silver bands at the top of the staff list the founding dates of the Baldwin-Wallace Institute (1845), Baldwin University (1855), German Wallace College (1863) and the merger of the schools to form Baldwin-Wallace College (1913).

The ceremonial mace is usually three or four feet long. In the sessions of the British House of Commons, the mace is placed on the treasury table. In the US House of Representatives, it is placed to the right of the speaker. A mace is often carried in academic and ecclesiastical processions, particularly in English-speaking countries. Baldwin-Wallace's mace is carried by the senior member of the faculty.