Throwing Graduation Caps in the Air: History of a Graduation Tradition

Growing up, I remember each year seeing the graduates in the stadium across the street from my house tossing their caps in the air and screaming to the top of their lungs. I wondered, "What are they screaming about?" Well, they just crossed over into a new part of their lives. They were high school graduates.

OK, so they graduated. Why throw the hat? Good question. Turns out this tradition dates back to 1912 in Annapolis, Maryland. Students (Plebes) at the United States Naval Academy were classified as midshipmen and were required to wear a midshipman's cap. For the first time in the academy's history, the graduates would be officers and would be required to wear a different uniform and cap. At the graduation ceremony the midshipmen flung their hats in the air in what is quoted as a "spontaneous gesture" by the DoD's web page. 1912 marked the first year cadets would graduate to officers instead of having to serve two more years as midshipmen. Since then some things have changed but the tradition has not. To this day, this ritual is still performed at this academy and schools everywhere.

Kindergarteners are especially cute tossing their hats. I tossed mine. Even though the principle had said we could not and we would be punished if we could not turn "our" hat in...so we figured out a way, after all we were the smartest beings alive, right?? Somebody brought a roll of masking tape to graduation. The rest was history. Hooray for thinking out of the box. Now days the kids just put a name card from their graduation invitations inside the cap and presto...(and they believe THEY are the smartest beings alive, too.)

Here's a hint though, I did take my tassel from the hat before I threw it. I could just see in my mind that tassel hanging from the rear view mirror in my car. Right where it needed to be!!

Pictures on the U.S. Naval Academy Web site capture the perfect release from the stress of the Academy. A blanket of white covers the blue sky as these graduates paint the sky with more than color. They paint it with "pride."

Source: www.defencelink.mil