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Minutes of the Trustees for 10 May 1963:
"In keeping with the trend of recent years the University
has been in touch with the manufacturer of academic costumes relative
to a gown for Ph.D. recipients, which would be immediately identifiable
as a Pennsylvania gown. The new gown calls for a design of cardinal red
taffeta with appropriate blue embellishments. The Trustees approved in
principle the sample gown shown at the meeting."
Then in the Minutes of the Trustees for 14 February 1964:
"Doctor of Philosophy and Emissary Gown
"It has long been an academic custom to prescribe a distinctive
costume to be worn not necessarily while teaching as in Europe but on
high days and holiday ceremonials. By and large these costumes have
been uniform among United States universities, but among several of
the older institutions particularly in the Ivy League, there has been
an inventive tendency to produce something sartorially distinctive.
It is particularly appropriate for the University of Pennsylvania to
prescribe a gown for its Ph.D.s combining the University colors red
and blue and marked with the blue Ph.D. bars on each of the sleeves.
This gown, representing the highest academic achievement, will also
serve most appropriately as the one to be worn by the President of the
University and his administrative associates at Convocations here and
elsewhere. A sample of the proposed gown was shown and met with approval
by the Trustees. Regulations concerning the proper wearing of the gown
will be made."
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