Learn how medieval-era items like maces, hoods and more lend symbolic weight to formal academic ceremonies -- including Chancellor Kevin Howell's upcoming installation.

On the day he was inaugurated as the first president of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Col. Alexander Quarles Holladay was presented with an ornate pocket watch, a token of appreciation from the inaugural Board of Trustees and members of the Watauga Club, the group of young progressive farmers from around the state who led the drive to found the college.

No other academic accoutrements were part of that opening-day ceremony, as most of the brand-new school's furniture had yet to arrive.

Setting the tone for many of the inaugurations and installations at the land-grant college that followed, Holladay's ceremony was simple yet dignified, attended by the 72 enrolled freshmen, seven faculty, and a stage full of high-level politicians, judges and academic administrators, all of whom got their chance to speak on behalf of their constituencies. Holladay's inauguration had 10 different speakers, some of whom had no prepared remarks.

Holladay's Watch

A gold pocket watch given to Col. Alexander Q. Holladay on the day the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened in 1889 was returned to the school by his grandson some 65 years after that historic day.

The handmade watch with a gold hunting case, a glass crystal, fusee chain, rack-and-lever movement and a hand-wound gold wire stand has been in the care of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center ever since, only emerging on rare special occasions and celebrations.

At first, the watch was on display in Holladay Hall alongside the president's original desk, his official portrait and his coat tree, but it was moved into SCRC storage to preserve the fragile piece. Holladay's desk is now on display in the Special Collections Reading Room in D.H. Hill Jr. Library.

Holladay's watch was made by famed jeweler Robert Roskell Sr. of Liverpool, England, sometime between 1800 and 1830. Still popular today, examples of Roskell's and his descendants' work can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and on eBay.

Grandson A. Randolph "Ran" Holladay Jr. of Greenville, Delaware, and his family thought the watch was an important artifact, so he presented it to Chancellor John Harrelson on Aug. 9, 1952, a simple gesture that still connects the school to its first day of existence.

In a letter to Julia Cabell Holladay Pickell, one of Holladay's five children, Harrelson wrote: "The watch is most interesting. It is of English make sometime in the period 1800 to 1830. We are very happy to have this item."

Among those called to the rostrum was Lt. Gov. Thomas Michael Holt, Trinity College (now Duke) president John Franklin Crowell and UNC president George Tayloe Winston, who succeeded Holladay as NC State's second president 10 years later. Several letters, sent from colleges and universities around the country, were also read aloud.

A far different academic ceremony, filled with processions and ancient academic regalia, will decorate the Oct. 30 installation of Chancellor Kevin Howell, who was named NC State's 15th chief executive in March and took office in early May.

An academic procession led by chair of the NC State faculty Walter Robinson will start the 11 a.m. ceremony, with Robinson carrying the hand-crafted university mace to the stage on the floor of Reynolds Coliseum, which will be populated by invited guests and selected representatives of learned societies and academic institutions from across the nation.

Earlier inaugurations and installations had similar ceremonies, but less decoration. When Eugene Clyde Brooks was installed in 1925, he insisted that no regalia be present, since his formal acceptance of the presidential position occurred as part of the school's 35th commencement exercises. He wore no cap or gown, even though that was the tradition of the time, opting for a black frock coat and gray trousers. He limited his brief inauguration response and commencement address, according to local newspapers, "to just 32 minutes."

The meat of his response was his statement of the four pillars of the school's educational mission, which he nailed, Martin Luther-like, to the wooden doors of Pullen Hall before the inauguration began.

The Four Educational Theses of Eugene Clyde Brooks

1. "What is the purpose of the colleges and universities today - to teach the truth, of course, but the truth of what?

2. "Are the institutions educating young men to enter some trade - that is a narrow opportunity for the individual through the exercise of technical skill, or are they opening the avenue of some profession?

3. "What is the relation of legislation to social and industrial progress? Is it a greater factor than technical skill?

4. "How may we erect a fair standard by which we may measure the value of local government?"

There was no formal inauguration of Col. John Harrelson, the longest-serving chief executive in school history, who was first elevated to dean of administration in 1934 and was later bestowed with the title of chancellor in 1945 by an act of the General Assembly, after he returned from service in World War II.

It wasn't until the installation of Carey Bostian as NC State's seventh executive that regalia decorated the ceremony. Both Bostian and UNC System president Gordon Gray were fully decked out in robes, hoods and other ceremonial garb. Bostian was handed the school's charter and seal as part of his formal charge from President Gray.

Since Bostian - including the installations of John Caldwell, Joab Thomas, Bruce Poulton, Larry Monteith, Marye Anne Fox, James Oblinger and Randy Woodson - these academic ceremonies have developed into more formal events, adhering to academic traditions and highlighting icons that date back to medieval times.

For instance, NC State's mace is a symbolic fixture that has often been used as part of both spring and winter commencement exercises. Former faculty chair Herle McGowan has carried it on at least six occasions, but this will be Robinson's first opportunity to march with the mace, which is made of western North Carolina walnut, stone quarried from the state and a brass ring that bears the names of the institution's presidents and chancellors.

"She tells me it is not heavy, but it's badly balanced," Robinson says McGowan told him. "I am fortunate that I do not have to carry the stone in which it sits."

Late dean of the College of Design Marvin Malecha led a team of NC State faculty and staff who designed the mace, derived from a medieval weapon, for the 2005 installation of James L. Oblinger, the university's 13th chancellor, with a proper appreciation for both its ancient origins and as a new tradition that has been used for Oblinger and Woodson - and will now be used for Howell.

It represents the need to protect and nurture the fragile search for knowledge.

"Some of the symbolism is passed to us literally from medieval times," said Malecha, the chair of Oblinger's official installation, when the mace was officially unveiled. "Other parts have only been with us for a few decades." Did you know?

NC State's ceremonial mace represents the need to protect and nurture the fragile search for knowledge.

Another important component of the ceremony, also designed by a committee of NC State leaders, is the NC State medallion made of gold-plated brass that the chancellor will wear, another nod to the Middle Ages that is often worn at commencements and installations. NC State awards multiple medallions and medals to high-achieving individuals and to commemorate special occasions.

The medallion is designed to describe the university's characteristics, from the vision of the founders in 1887 to the community's eclectic nature and the many voices that are part of the university. The university seal is struck on the medallion, showing the responsibility and authority of the chancellor.

While Robinson will be the official mace bearer, he does not consider it to be the most important part of the regalia used at an installation. Not unexpectedly, he believes the caps, gowns and hoods worn by faculty hold the strongest symbolism for the connection between ancient and modern faculty. Those hoods are also connected to the conferring of their own degrees and the ones they give to students today. Did you know?

The NC State Medallion is designed to describe the university's characteristics, from the vision of the founders in 1887 to the community's eclectic nature and the many voices that are part of the university.

Caps and hoods come in various shapes and sizes, each representing the terminal degree of the professor, the institution from which it was awarded and other symbolic meanings.

"Universities were established by faculty and chartered in ancient times, even before they had buildings," Robinson says. "So I think the best part about installations is the procession of faculty, in all of their academic regalia that indicate their degrees and their credentials that have been awarded for their scholarly work.

"I think all of that centers the importance of the faculty and the role the faculty plays at the university."

And, given that Robinson has a regularly scheduled class at the time of Howell's installation, let's not forget the authority those faculty members have to give students an occasional day off for important events in the life of the university.

The NC State University Mace

The NC State University Mace is carried by the chief faculty marshal, a position held by the chair of the faculty. The academic mace, derived from a medieval weapon, represents the need to protect and nurture the fragile search for knowledge. The NC State University Mace has been specifically designed for this community. Each aspect of the mace represents an important characteristic of the university.

When freestanding, the mace is supported in a base of North Carolina stone representing the foundation of knowledge and the dependence of this academic community on the support of the people. At the base of the mace is a brass ring with the names of individuals who have held the position of chancellor, indicating the contribution of generations of academic leaders to the formation and maturation of NC State University.

The long, fluted lower handle is the primary means by which the mace is grasped, representing the responsibility for the stewardship of knowledge. The shorter, fluted upper handle is the primary means by which direction is shown and therefore represents the responsibility for guardianship. A block embedded with the seal of the university on four faces represents the university community and its charge to reach out in all directions. At the top of the mace is a geometric progression of layers representing the continual experimentation and testing of knowledge within the NC State academic community. At the very top of the mace is a bronze prow symbolizing the continual exploration that energizes our community.

The mace is fashioned from burled walnut recovered from a North Carolina tree felled in a storm, emphasizing the need to make wise use of resources even in difficult circumstances. The wood is a gift of the Jordan family, alumni of the College of Natural Resources, and represents the importance of the generosity of the people of North Carolina to the university. The wood is complemented by bronze and silver fittings emphasizing the precious nature of the academic experience in society. During the course of fabrication, an error was made. After much discussion, the design team decided to make the revisions necessary to correct the error rather than refabricate the flawed component. The adjustment, difficult to identify, represents the valuable lessons learned from failure as an essential component of the university experience.

The mace was designed and fabricated by a team that included former College of Design Dean Marvin J. Malecha, Chris Jordan (Product Design '75), Jim Dean (Product Design '83) and Jack Lancaster in the College of Design Materials Laboratory.

The NC State University Medallion

The NC State University Medallion is worn by the chancellor for ceremonial occasions such as commencements and installations. It is similar to the NC State University Mace. Both come from ceremonies of the Middle Ages, during which time the modern university developed. Today, universities create medallions to commemorate special events, the contributions of exceptional individuals and recognition of those in positions of responsibility.

The NC State University Medallion is designed with various symbols that describe characteristics of the university. The design features two circles, one small and one large, on opposite ends of the necklace, representing the diverse nature of the academic community. The small circle, which joins the chain, is inscribed with the university's year of founding, 1887, as a tribute to the vision of the founders. The necklace also consists of etched metal plates, chained together in a whole, signifying the many voices that constitute the NC State community. The medallion hangs from the necklace and features the NC State seal, a representation of the responsibility and authority of the chancellor.

The necklace and medallion are made out of customized gold-plated brass, a strong material that represents NC State pride and the wealth of knowledge within the university.

Mary Ann Scherr was the first to design the medallion and necklace. It was redesigned by a team that included former College of Design Dean Marvin J. Malecha, Chris Jordan (Product Design '75), Jack Lancaster and Sarah Tector.

Academic Regalia

Academic gowns represent a tradition handed down from the universities of the Middle Ages. Universities were founded by the church; students, being clerics, were obliged to wear the prescribed gowns at all times. The original round caps later became square mortarboards. The hoods, originally cowls attached to the gowns, could be slipped over the head for warmth.

Many European universities have distinctive caps and gowns different from those commonly used in the United States. Some of the gowns are brightly colored, and some are embellished with fur. A number of these may be noted in the procession.

Traditionally, the color for academic gowns in the United States is black. However, many institutions have chosen to use their school color for undergraduate robes, as is evidenced by Wolfpack Red robes. The bachelor's gown is worn closed, and the master's and doctoral gowns may be worn open or closed. The shape of the sleeve is the distinguishing mark of the gown: bachelor's sleeves have long, pointed sleeves, the master's are oblong with a square cut in the back and an arc cutaway in front, and doctoral are bell shaped.

Of all the components of the academic costume, the hood bears the heaviest symbolic burden. The hood must make clear the level of the degree, the faculty in which it was given and the institution that awarded it. The level of the degree is shown by the size of the hood, the width of the velvet trimming and, in the case of doctors, the shape. The master's and doctoral hoods are 3 1/2 feet and 4 feet long, respectively. The velvet trimming in the same order is 3 inches and 5 inches wide and extends all around the hood on the exposed edge. This same trimming identifies the faculty in which the degree was awarded.