does anyone know anything about dunce caps?

Question

like what time in history they had them and What color they were?I really need to know pleeze!! thanx

Answer 1

i should wear one (haha)

the dunce cap first appeared in the 1840 Charles Dickens novel, "the old curiosity shop"
in Europe, children were to wear a paper headdress known as donkey's ears, as a symbol of 'asinine' stupidity.
a 13th century theologian and philosopher known as John Duns Scotus believed that the dunce cap would funnel knowledge into the head of the wearer. his middle name was transformed in later years to form the word "Dunce"
some people believe that wizards were very smart people that wore dunce caps, and became excessively smart due to the funneling power of the cap

Answer 2

They were white - paper in more recent history. A cone with a "D" on it for dunce (meaning stupid). In elementary schools, unruly kids were placed in a corner, on a stool, and made to wear a dunce cap as a punishment.

Answer 3

Origin of the dunce cap.

Blessed John Duns Scotus (c. 1266 – November 8, 1308)
He was known as "Doctor Subtilis" because of his subtle merging of differing views. Later philosophers in the sixteenth century were not so complimentary about his work, and accused him of sophistry.

This lead to his name, "dunce" (which developed from the name "Dunse" given to his followers in the 1500s) to become synonymous for "somebody who is incapable of scholarship", as is expressed for example in the, (now defunct) use of the "dunce cap" to punish pupils who behave badly in class.

Answer 4

I know just the place for you to get your info!
There's an excellent website -go to >www.thestraightdope.com<, once at the site go to the "search" box and type in "dunce cap"! They will DEFINATELY 'set you straight'!
Have fun!!

Answer 5

here is the wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunce_cap