Fun Facts about Graduation

• The Diploma – Romans first used these as validation of a soldier’s time served and were written on animal skin.

• World’s Oldest Graduate – Leo Plass set the world record when he graduated from Eastern Oregon University.

• The Gown – Gowns were worn as early as the 1300’s! Scholars and clerics wore them not for ceremonial purposes, but rather to stay warm!

• The Graduation/Class Ring – Originally were coveted seals. These were heavily guarded as well as valued. Kings and popes had such destroyed upon their deaths so no one would take their power and authority. Today class rings have the same significance as no two years class rings are exactly alike!

• The word "alumnus" is Latin means "a pupil" and, literally, a "foster son".

• The graduation cap was initially a "hood" and is believed to date back to the Celtic time when Druid priests wore capes and hoods to symbolize their intelligence.

• Cecil Smith of Westlake, California, is the oldest known recipient of a General Educational Development (GED) degree. He dropped out of school in the 1920s and earned his degree some 80 years later at age 94.

• Michael Kearney of Mobile, Alabama is the youngest known high school and college graduate. He finished a home-school high school program at age 6 and at 10 earned a bachelor's degree.

• Weird Al Yankovic was the valedictorian at his high school graduation. So was Cindy Crawford.

• James Franco was invited to speak at UCLA's commencement ceremony in 2009 (he was a 2008 graduate), but the offer was rescinded because of his general lack of solemnity.

• The term bachelor in "bachelor's degree" most likely is from the Medieval Latin term baccalaureate, a play on the Latin words "bacca lauri"—laurel berries.