For a long time, however, Sigma Phi Epsilon displayed a coat of arms which was not heraldically correct. The original design was adopted in 1908 at the Chicago Conclave... In 1933, Mark D. Wilkins, Oklahoma State ’30,then a Field Secretary for the Fraternity, consulted Arthur E. DuBois, in charge of the heraldic work of the United States Government, and the new and revised coat of arms was subsequently accepted.

Anyone else have theirs corrected by DuBois?

Change for Alpha Phi Omega...
 

Our original Coat of Arms was somewhat different than today.

Original
http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/object2/...07567_1540.jpg

Current
http://www.apo.org/site/site_images/..._secondary.gif

Note, I'm not sure if the original actually was black and white or not, still investigating.

Also, for the current one, *sometimes* the drops in the squares in the upper left part of the shield are two over one rather than one over two (so they are like the Original)...

The two over one/one over two discrepency is interesting naraht - does APO specify which is correct today?

Also, I'm on an epic quest to find Butterfield's College Fraternity Heraldry via interlibrary loan so if anyone knows if their library has it I would really appreciate the tip - thanks!

Delta Upsilon's Coat of Arms is set forth in the Laws of the Fraternity and are thoroughly blazoned. There is generally little confusion of terms because our membership manual devotes an entire appendix to Heraldry and Insignia. The blazon is listed on the fraternity's Wiki-article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Upsilon

The coloring on the wiki-article image is off, the best version is from the DU Educational Foundation website:

http://www.duef.org/images/DUEFArms.jpg

Not in so many words. They show the image with one over two as the correct coat of arms, but... The old one was two over one and occasionally you'll find in various places two over one. The Fraternity used to sell blankets with the Coat of Arms and the Key and on *that* it was two over one. Also, at least when I was at our National Office 15 years ago, the plaster casting of the coat of arms beside the front door was two over one... I need to get access to some of the older fraternity magazines after the change from old to new.

Also, both two over one and one over two would fulfill the description of the meaning of that fraternal element in the ritual.

As for Butterfield's book, Google has snippets at http://books.google.com/books?id=SlpDAAAAIAAJ and worldcat shows Libraries that say they have it at http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/774775

I was curious as to whether or not APO specified the arraignment, obviously if the significance is unchanged I suppose it doesn't matter too much. And thanks for the links - I don't know why I didn't think of the Library of Congress in the first place!

I know, but still personally annoying to see done both ways, and I'm on the National History Committee, so well within my purview of annoyance. :)

Good luck!

Here is some interesting detail/background on the Shield of Iota Phi Theta...

"The Shield of Iota Phi Theta (significantly, not a "crest" or "Coat of arms") is the most commonly used symbol of the Fraternity. Its connotation, or meaning, is revealed by the initiation ritual. It is considered Heraldically Incorrect and this is so by design. This is a testament to the desire of the Founders to create symbolism that would represent an organization dedicated to embodying a fresh approach.

Very interesting - it definitly goes along with your motto, etc.

Bump!

I am going to post in this thread later today.. I just don't want to dig for it.

Kay got what I needed.

Original SigEp CoA:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4627234_n.jpg

Current CoA:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...SigEpCrest.png

Thanks for bumping one of my favorite threads! What is inside the Cross on the old CoA? It looks like a skull and crossbones to me but I can't really tell.

Looks like a lamp, it just blends in in the black and white.

No problem!

It's still a lamp like on the current one. The skull and crossbones has never migrated from the badge.

And I just realized that I have seen it in color ONCE... but I don't remember what color everything was... I think everything that was gold on the current one was gold on the old one... But I don't know if everything else was purple and red or if there was white in there... or something...

Same problem with old APO pledge pins
 

Alpha Phi Omega's pledge pins in the first 10-20 years of existance was a shield divided into two halves (left and right) with one side gold and the other blue, but I've never seen one and aren't even sure which one was on which side.

Our current pledge pins are of the same shape and size as the brotherhood pins and are the same except that the pledge pins have a P in the middle instead of the S and the colors of the center inverted...

Thank you, it was a little blurry so I wasn't sure! As to the colors - that's easy! Before color printing certain patterns were used to distinguish heraldic colors.

In the first quadrant (with the star) the field is purpure (purple). In the fourth quadrant (with the sword) the field is gules (red). The second and third quadrants are argent (silver or white). The sword, star, and cross appear to be gold, but I can't completely distinguish the pattern (it would be little dots)

Yup, I know for sure those are gold.

Thanks, though!! :D