The Paine College Seal

The Paine College Hymn

Academic Heraldry

The Mace

The Presidential Medallion







The Paine College Seal
 




The Paine College Hymn

Frank G. Yerby, ’37

1. O College of our heart’s desire, resplendent in our gaze, Awake in us thy sacred fire and let us to thy truth aspire throughout the ‘coming days.

2. And may the thing that thou hast sought, our nation’s woeful lack. True union of the heart be brought and dif’rences be set at naught between the white and black.

3. Paine College, guardian of the way that each young foot must tread, Thy gates are open to this day and our firm, martial strides display hearts clean and unafraid.




Academic Heraldry  

The history of traditional academic dress may be traced to the 12th century when Oxford University was founded and to the medieval European universities of the 14th century. Although European universities follow varied patterns in cut and color of gown and type of headdress, academic dress at American colleges and universities is fairly standardized. Since the mid 1960's it has become popular for some historically African-American colleges and universities to wear kente cloth chevrons, panels, hoods and other trim on presidential, faculty and student regalia. The traditional academic gown is usually black; the pattern varies with the degrees held. Although there is much variation, the traditional bachelor's gown has a simple design, with long, pointed sleeves as its distinguishing mark. The master's gown has oblong sleeves with the rear cut square and the front featuring a cutaway arc. The most elaborate academic costume is the doctoral gown, with velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars across the sleeves. The velvet is usually black but it may be a color designating the subject to which the degree pertains or one of the school's colors. The hood of the doctoral gown features velvet trimmings, the width of which designate the level of the degree. The color of the hood indicates the major field of study, and its lining identifies the institution that granted the degree. The following colors are associated with the various academic disciplines:

Discipline Color
Agriculture Maize
Arts, Letters, Humanities White
Business, Commerce, Accountancy Drab
Dentistry Lilac
Economics Copper
Education Light Blue
Engineering Orange
Fine Arts, including Architecture Brown
Forestry Russet
Journalism Crimson
Law Purple
Library Science Lemon
Medicine Green
Music Pink
Nursing Apricot
Optometry Sea Foam Green
Orator Silver Gray
Pharmacy Olive Green
Philosophy Dark Blue
Physical Education Sage Green
Podiatry, Chiropody Nile Green
Psychology Gold
Public Administration, including Foreign Service Peacock Blue
Public Health Salmon Pink
Science Golden Yellow
Social Science Cream
Social Work Citron
Theology Scarlet
Veterinary Science Gray




The Mace  

The use of a mace as a metaphor for authority, learning and scholarship, and eternal values is one of the grandest traditions in the history of higher education. The mace is always present in academic ceremonies. The mace becomes a symbol of the college’s roots and reputation and with each passing year adds an increasing emotional resonance to academic procession akin to the faculty’s regalia. The mace indicates commemoration, elegance, honor, pageantry, purpose, quality, solemnity and stability. Its presence helps convey the importance of the event with which it is associated. The mace connects today’s students, faculty and staff members with the community of scholars who have preceded them and those who will come hereafter.




The Presidential Medallion  

The Presidential Medallion is a traditional academic symbol of the authority and responsibility of the presidency. Typically, the Presidential Medallion is presented at the President's Inauguration signaling the beginning of a newly appointed president's tenure in office. The Paine College Presidential Medallion is worn whenever the president participates in ceremonies involving the use of academic regalia, including all such services held by other educational institutions on their campuses or in nearby facilities.