A committee of faculty and seniors met and decided that the class would look very good in caps and gowns. An order went out that all seniors were to wear caps and gowns for the commencement.
The law students then met, and, because they had not been invited to the original meeting and had not been consulted on the advisability of this step, they refused to wear caps and gowns. Perhaps foreshadowing later events, they then formulated the reason to uphold their decision. This was, that caps and gowns at such a time were traditional to, and representative of, the academic school and not the professional school. Granted even that judges had worn the wig and gown for centuries, it was worn for a purpose entirely distinct from the purpose here proposed.
The faculty met with the President, and a decision was reached that the law students must conform to the wishes of the senior class or they must wear a
significant insignia at the exercises. It was not in a spirit of conciliation or in appreciation of the dignity of the occasion that the sunflower was chosen as the "distinctive insignia." It was agreed, however, that the senior law students would wear white suits. Once more reasons were advanced to justify the choice of the flower. The sunflower, genus Helianthus, belongs to a family with worldwide distribution. So, also do lawyers. As the sunflower always keeps its face turned to the sun, the lawyer turns to the light of justice.The Sunflower Ceremony used to be held once during the year, on Commencement Day. As the School of Law student population grew, it was decided to have two exercises during the year, one in November for the December graduates and another one in May for the May and August graduates.
Originally, a sunflower was pinned on each senior by his/her best friend. This custom changed, however, and now an Associate Dean/Assistant Dean of the School of Law assumes this responsibility.
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