such book or article, or in case of a painting or
other work of such sort, a photograph of the same.
3. Give notice of the copyright by inserting
in several copies of every edition published, on
the title page, or the page following, or if a picture
or any such production, on the face or front there
of, the following words : "Entered according to
Act of Congress, in the year —, by A. 8., in
the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Wash
ington," or the word, for instance, "Copyright,
1891, by George Brown."
A copyright is assigned by an instrument in
writing, which instrument must be recorded in the
office of the librarian within sixty days after its
execution, otherwise it is void as against a subse
quent purchaser or mortgagee for a valuable con
sideration without notice. •
CAP AND GOWN
The University of Paris, which formally came
into beiog somewhere between i iso and 1170
observed the custom of placing upon the head
of the Master of Arts a cap (biretta) in honor of
his having successfully passed the period of his
Bachelor of Arts or ScienCe. The custom orig
inated in the tikus which the Romans placed on
the head of an emancipated slave. Hence arose
our liberty cap signifying political freedom.
Since the University of Oxford was modeled
largely after that of Paris it is not surprising that
a university cap should be found there. But it
was at first only worn by graduates, being bound,
pointed at the top and of a dark color. Later a
board was placed upon the point of the top in
imitation of those worn by•the chief justices of
France. Since this is called Murder in French,
it soon became corrupted to "morter" and with
the thought of the board . inside makes up the
"mortar-board" of to-day;
The gown has long been associated with learn
ing; judicial, eccelesiastic and scholastic. It was
early introduced into England and rapidly ap•
plied to undergraduates as well as graduates and
THE FREE LANCE.
the clergy. It was used from the first as a means
of distinguishing the status of the students in the
different colleges of a University. Thus at Ox
ford the Doctor of Divinity graduate wears a
scarlet gown ; a Master of Arts, black with crim
son lining; a Bachelor of Arts, black with white
fur trimming. The undergraduate gowns are
black with no trimming, depending for distinc
tion upon the way in which they are made. They
are mostly loose, with no sleeves and a falling
collar.. ,
Among the curiosities of Oxford is a bill of ex
penses of two boys sent there in 1560. In the
list are these entries
De Quincy, who was at this University about
iBOO, says that the gowns of the Commoners was
was made of "prince's stuff" and cost with a black
cloth cap about 3 shillings;
. but the gowns of the
Gentlemen Commoners were made of silk highly
ornamented, with a velvet cap whose tassel was
made of gold fringe. He 'relates a humorous
story of going to the dinner table without a waist
coat on and his failure to hide the deficiency with
his gown as he had hoped.
The cap and gown so well established
abroad has found little favor in America as a
habit for daily wear. Many institutions have
found different classes to adopt it but it is usually
looked upon as a novelty and dropped by the
succeeding class. It is said that the Anierican
college university lacks tradition; perhaps assum
ing the cap and gown for graduation would have
some tendency toward establishing a veneration
for customs. The safest plan to secure its per
mancy would lie in obtaining the pledge of at
least three consecutive classes to conform at com
mencement. The precedent of three years is
likely to become a law for the remainder.
Sixty-eight per cent, of the members of the
Junior class who are distinguished in athletics at
Yale, got on the appointment list for scholarship.
To 8 yards black Fryse-13 shillings.
To making two Gowns—i 6 pence.
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