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The Origin of the Mortarboard Hat A Symbol of Graduation

By Russell Herner, PDDGM

There are many old customs and traditions that people participate in today without ever really knowing the original purpose for doing so. In some instances, the initial meaning of these traditions has been lost over time, and no one ever questions their beginnings. The meaning behind millions of students wearing the mortarboard hat at graduation is a case in point that I believe slipped through the cracks. After much research, I am convinced that the centuries-old tradition of wearing these funny-looking hats at graduation originated in the Middle Age stonemason apprenticeship schools of Europe. I believe this old tradition occurred when the stonemason apprentice graduated to the degree level of ‘Master Mason.’

A stonemason's mortarboard is a flat piece of wood measuring about twenty-four inches square. It is usually placed on a stand on the scaffolding near the wall being built. The mortarboard held the wet mortar until the stone setter applied it to the stones with the Mason’s trowel. The setter then placed the mortared stone into the wall. After the mortar dried around the stone, a strong solid wall was formed.

A skullcap was a brimless cloth cap typically worn in the ancient stonemason's day. Taken together, the mortarboard and skull cap look exactly like a modern graduation cap. Today’s graduation caps are even called ‘mortarboard hats.’ See Figure 1.

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