Yes, I meant the Sigma Chi in Canada site. My mistake.

Thanks.

And FYI: The site was last updated 01 December, 2003 and no other Sigma Chi is listed on that site as well.

Really? I could have SWORN I saw Ted Rogers's name listed somewhere...

You are correct. Brother Ted Rogers is mention regarding his generous donation to the Sigma Chi Canadian Foundation. (The only Canadian Sig noted on that page.)

I do not believe that tradition exists today. We do, however, create our own Chapters Heraldic device. This is a chapter unique 'something' placed in the upper left quadrant of our Coat of Arms.

Maybe I should have used a different choice of words. I guess what I was trying to say is that back in the day, when DKE and Sigma Phi, Delta Phi and Psi U....etc., were the only fraternities around, they chose not to expand during the times of other fraternity foundings. So, when fraternities like Theta Chi, LXA, TKE, SPE...etc. came around, they were driven to be everywhere, whereas older fraternities have been small for a long time and didn't have the resources or drive to expand rapidly.

Which tradition -- the local arms (which the Beta website said are done as you described, with a distinguishing charge in the first quarter), or the chapter seal?

I do not believe the tradition of a 'chapter seal' exists today. My chapter is fairly young and I was around when we got our chater, and we did not do a chapter seal.

All of our old chapters have them, however, I do not believe it exists today???!! Its cool, I wish it did.

Hmmm. You've got me curious now. The Beta website certainly makes it sound like a current practice. Check your shingle; according to the website, the charter would have the fraternity's Great Seal, but a shingle would have the chapter seal.

FWIW, here is the description from the Beta website:

The 1842 Convention authorized chapter seals consisting of clasped hands and the chapter letter to be used on the wax seals of letters. By the Civil War many chapters were using these seals and the use of an embossed seal consisting of the badge and chapter letter either above or below the badge became prevalent. The 1881 Convention re-adopted the original chapter seal concept specifying the addition of the three stars in a triangle surrounded by a circle containing the legend "FRATERNITY BETA THETA PI, 1839." Subsequently, the legend was modified to reflect the member's chapter. Today, the chief use of the chapter seal is on the shingle.

This is the example of the seal they show:
http://www.betathetapi.org/images/chapterseal.jpg

and here it is on a shingle:
http://www.betathetapi.org/images/single.jpg

I can tell you from personal experience that my uncle's Beta shingle had the chapter seal on it, just as pictured. A few years ago, on the fiftieth anniversary of his initiation (his "Fraternal Fifty"), he was sent a gold embossed Great Seal:
http://www.betathetapi.org/images/Seal.jpg
to place alongside the Chapter seal on his shingle. My impression was that this is part of the Fraternal Fifty recognition.

Was the chapter seal on the shingle different from the one he receivied on his fraternal fifty?

I may be misunderstanding you?!?!

It's Friday morning and there isn't enough caffeine in the world. I'm surprised anyone can understand me this morning.

Yes, the two seals were different.

The "original" seal on his shingle was red; it looked much like the one shown in the picture I linked: three stars, clasped hands and the Greek letters of his chapter all in a triangle, surrounded by a circle that said (I think) "Davidson College, Phi Alpha of Beta Theta Pi."

The seal that he received on his Fraternal Fifty was gold with the Beta Coat-of-Arms in the center and "The Great Seal of Beta Theta Pi * 1839 *" in the surrounding circle.

Gotcha! I am two cups into the day, and I'm still having a hard time.

Back in the day (early/mid 1800's), chapters probably created their own seals, however that is not the case today. I am sure that when we have new chapters come on board, their info. is copied into a template of some sort and then bam, they have their own chapter seal. I will have to check mine when I get home tonight....

That is how I would assume it would work.

I'll be interested to hear what you find on your shingle.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Firehouse
[B]
DKE has the largest endowment;

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Oh, you meant financial endowment? Well, that too I suppose.

Question, what is this shingle that everyone keeps on talking about? I keep on picturing shingles like on a roof lol.